We are always delighted when we’re contacted to ask if it is possible to stay at The Charcoal Hut without a car. ‘Will we be able to get around and do some of the walks in your lovely pictures?’ We’re pleased to confirm that you can have a car-free weekend in Llandovery and enjoy a wonderful variety of what is on offer.
The Charcoal Hut is about 15 minute walk from the town of Llandovery. The walk back can take 25, especially after a long walk or a hearty meal, as the pitch is pretty serious in places! We’re also well placed for several of the most stunning of local walks and we give every guest a copy of the local guide to six walks in Myddfai, that all start from The Community Centre.
And best of all, we have the wonderful Heart of Wales Line train.
This line is really special and operates from Shrewsbury to Swansea. It has some amazingly pretty stations on the route, many maintained by volunteers. The scenery is pretty special too, including the spectaular Sugarloaf hill climb. It’s worth looking at the website for more details.
Top Three Places to visit on the Heart Of Wales Line during your weekend:
- A day at the seaside. Hop on the train at Llandovery and an hour later, you’re in Llanelli. The choice of beaches here is limited only by how far you want to walk. The nearest beach to the station is under half a mile and if you want to wander further, you’ll discover plenty of sandy, beautiful beaches to enjoy. Take a look here.
- Take a long walk. Along the Heart of Wales Line Trail, you can get off at any of the stations on the route and join the trail. There are walks varying in length and also points where they connect to significant other trails and walks. Take a peek here and plan your route. We’ve had guests who are journeying the whole trail and have spent a few nights here along the way.
- Visit Llandeilo for a morning of boutique-style shopping (at Welsh prices rather than London ones!) and follow this with a visit to the Ginhaus Deli for a selection of excellent local produce to create a special lunch. Llandeilo is a beautiful town and you can easily spend a day here.
For a car-free treat, you can walk until you drop here – straight into the hot tub! These are some of our favourite suggestions for walks during your stay. We’re happy to arrange to drop you off and even collect you from an agreed point provided you plan in advance. Take a look at our shop page for walker’s packed lunches too; one less thing for you to worry about.
Thee walks for your car-free long weekend:
- Llyn-y-fan-Fach This amazing walk, up to the lake, can be up to 4.5 hours if you take the full circle route. It can also be just a couple of hours up to the lake and back. Either way, it requires a reasonable level of fitness. Take a look at the route here. We are happy to drop you off at the start point and arrange to collect you at the end of the walk if you are staying at The Charcaol Hut.
- Llangadog for lunch. This little town is located about 6.4 to 7.2 (depending on the route) from us and is a wonderful walk. The views alone make this well worth the effort and much of it can be walked on the quiet roads. The views as you go over the top of the hill are breathtaking. Lunch in the local pub is always a good idea before you return to the hut. Again, we’ll come and collect you if you’re staying and the feet can’t face the journey home.
- Maps, flask and a packed lunch and you can walk straight out the gate. We are very lucky where we live. You can be car-free for days at a time and still explore somewhere new every day, straight out of the gate. One of our gates takes you onto the road[ turn left for Llandovery and beyond or right for Myddfai and Llangadog. If you prefer an off-road path, take the gate through the woods and go up towards the village via the trees.
We’d really like to encourage you to come and stay without your car, so do get in touch if you’re thinking of planning a car-free long weekend away. Having the Charcoal Hut as your base could be the perfect solution.
We look forward to welcoming you.
