A lively and varied mixed market held every Wednesday for the last 700 years or so. Everything from veg to fish, and socks to tap fixings. Bigger and busier in the summer, but worth visiting at other times to hear Welsh being spoken and to buy the best home produced pork you can find. Really fantastic cheese stall too, and one selling local produce. Stall selling things made out of slate and felt, and one selling organic veg, as well as very wide range of other stalls.
Main High St (Maengwyn Street) Machynlleth, SY20.
Parking difficult in summer holidays, find a place as you enter town.
Google map: bit.ly/hab3JI
Talbontdrain is a country guest house in Wales that I’ve visited several times over the last fifteen years. Each trip brings me an immense amount of pleasure, for three main reasons.
The setting: The house is about four miles from Machynlleth, a charming Powys market town. Since I don’t drive I tend to walk it, each step taking me further from civillisation as the road leads me between green hills, over a trickling stream and past a thousand or so bleating sheep.
The accommodation: In gloriously stark contrast to my noisy London flat, Talbontdrain is a converted farmhouse with characterful rustic rooms, making for a very cosy stay indeed. The duvets are the most comfy I’ve ever slept under and the fire in the living room, where I often doze off reading one of many novels on the bookshelf, is hot and welcoming. It’s excellent value and beats any bog-standard B&B or hotel by a mile.
The welcome: Hilary is a landlady with a difference whose quirky manner means she’s the ideal host for a laid-back and friendly stay. She’ll chat, make me tea, offer advice on the many walks surrounding Talbontdrain and run me into town if she’s going. She’s also a truly brilliant cook. Man, those fruit crumbles of hers are good …
Talbontdrain, Uwchygarreg, Machynlleth, Powys, Wales SY20 8RR
+44(0)1654 702192
www.talbontdrain.co.uk
Google map: bit.ly/dEtNUt
Tel: 01654 702192
www.talbontdrain.co.uk/
Nearest rail station: Machynlleth (on the Birmingham to Aberystwyth line)
We stayed at Dyfiview in early February, as friends of the owners, as they prepared to launch their B&B business.
We were very impressed. Dyfiview B&B has a superb location overlooking Machynlleth and a short walk takes you into the centre where there is a good choice of places to eat and drink.
Our room (Room 1) was very spacious, newly and tastefully decorated and well appointed with a large en-suite bathroom, a very comfortable bed, roomy wardrobes, a flat screen TV, together with tea/coffee making facilities, toiletries etc.
There are fantastic views over the Dovey Valley from the bedroom and from the large dining room and terrace where we also enjoyed watching a wide variety of birds, which were attracted by the bird table and feeders.
Gill and Mike are most welcoming and helpful to visitors: while relatively new to the area they are very enthusiastic about the many opportunities this part of Wales offers. While we were there we enjoyed some local walks and a visit to the nearby Centre for Alternative Technology.
Dyfiview B&B
21 Ffordd Mynydd Griffiths
Machynlleth,
SY20 8DD
www.dyfiview.co.uk
Telephone: 01654 702023
Mobile 07952 370569
This must be the best B&B in Wales. The rooms are really bright and comfortable and spotlessly clean and the food is delicious. Nick and Mair the owners are friendly, helpful and great with the children. The surrounding area is beautiful. We have been back time and time again.
Ty Derw, Dinas Mawddwy, Machynlleth, SY20 9LR 01650 531318
www.tyderw.co.uk
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