We had a lovely Mother’s day trip to the National Trust property Dinefwr Castle pronounced or known as Dynevor near Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire West Wales.
Dinefwr National Trust site boasts an 18th century house set in beautifully picturesque grounds with castle, woodland walks and roaming deer.
When we arrived we headed for Newton House.
The girls loved being able to explore the house through hands on experience. There were many rooms taking you back in time to circa 1912. There were lots of things to try out and learn from how they cleaned their shoes to using an old fashioned telephone.
The exhibitions on the first floor of the house tell Dinefwr’s story and the girls really enjoyed playing the piano and trying on World War 1 memorabilia. My youngest loved pretending to be a doctor!
As you step out onto the stone balcony in the orangery there is a fabulous view overlooking the deer park. What was great here was that there were binoculars on offer so you could look for deer which was good fun and you also had some fantastic views of the surrounding countryside.
There were lots of activities for the girls to do at Dinefwr.
We enjoyed a warming cup of tea in the café and there was a lovely selection of homemade cakes and sandwiches. There is also a shop selling locally produced products to buy.
The site is also home to the iconic Grade I listed Welsh castle overlooking the River Tywi near the town of Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, Wales.
To one side lies the river Tywi, with a steep drop of one hundred feet to the river. The children thought they were Merida from the Disney film Brave.
The castle is about a ten to 15 minute uphill walk through some woods. Someone had started to make a little den out of wood so we all had fun trying to finish it.
The girls loved climbing up through the woodlands using a stick that they had found in the woods as their walking aid.
The view at the top of the hill where the castle is located is certainly worth the climb.
We enjoyed exploring the castle climbing the narrow spiral staircase which leads to a high tower.
The view is spectacular and you are able to see the deer park to the north and the Tywi valley to the south and west.
The children love to learn about castles and now know and understand the terms keep, battlements, drawbridge and dungeon. The castle keep is entered via the cellar at its base, but access to the circular walkway at the top can only be made via the battlement walk.
Definitely take your wellies with you if it is a wet or a winter’s day. There is plenty to see and there is the beautiful small upmarket town of Llandeilo next to the site.
If you are visiting Carmarthenshire or are in a nearby location Dinefwr is well worth a visit and is excellent value for money. One last thing don’t forget your camera!