Carmarthenshire

Carmarthenshire known as the Garden of Wales. Visitors might think the phrase alludes to the many gardens open to the public that the county boasts but it isn't so, the term refers to the area, which is rich in wild flowers and plants of all kinds. If it's history you're after, the county has more than its fair share of castles.

Castles
Carmarthen's stormy past is evident from the many castles in the county Dinefwr, Dryslwyn, Llansteffan, Newcastle Emlyn, Llandeilo, and Carmarthen itself to name but a few and hardly a bend on the road is turned without coming across one. One of the most impressive castles in Wales is Carreg Cennen. Situated on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park with views, that are spectacular.

Rivers
Carmartheshire has too many little rivers to mention, but the two main ones-the Tywi and Teifi-are magnificent. The Tywi snakes its way though the lovely countryside in great undulating sweeps before widening out to meet the sea in Carmarthen Bay. The Tywi is an excellent breeding ground for bass and one of the best in Europe for Sea trout and wild trout fishing. The Teifi runs through farm and woodland, towns and villages, rushing over ancient rocks and boulders.

Towns and Villages
Carmarthen town is a happy mixture of old and new, a bustling, busy place full of friendly people who come from all over the county to visit the modern and traditional shops and ancient market. Unlike some other counties, this one has a strong Welsh identity and you will hear the language spoken everywhere. It is spoken here more than anywhere else in Wales. This is the land of Merlin so prepare to be bewitched, take a deep breath, throw the mantle of stress from your shoulders and let Carmarthenshire with gentle fingers steal your heart away.

Culture
As well as being a land steeped in history the Welsh are great lovers of culture. Dylan Thomas-one of Carmarthenshire's most famous sons. No poet has been written about more than Dylan, and his lifestyle has been well documented - like so many creative people he seemed sometimes to have been a tortured soul. Dylan Thomas lived in Laugharne where he wrote much of his work it is here that he is said to have written Under Mild Wood.

Country Parks and Gardens
There are several country parks in Carmarthenshire the main ones being the one at Pembrey and the National Wetland Centre' near Llanelli. These are both part of the Millennium Coastal Park - an award-winning land regeneration project that incorporates wildlife and history trails as well as a traffic-free 20 km' cycle path along the Celtic Trail that passes through some of the most beautiful countryside in Wales. For the children and the young at heart there's pitch and putt, a dry ski slope and a toboggan run as well as a narrow gauge railway, huge play area, adventure playground, and nature trails. If this were not enough, the park opens onto Cefn Sidan beach - the longest in Wales. If structured gardens are your style, Carmarthenshire has a fantastic choice. Hywel Dda (Hywel the Good) gardens is one of the most unusual. The six gardens are built to represent different aspects of the law with commemorative plaques in etched glass, enamel ironwork and ceramics. Two others well worth a visit are Gelli Aur-a peaceful place with terraced gardens and a 20 acre deer park and Aberglasney, probably the most well known of all Carmarthenshire's gardens due to the television coverage. Out in the countryside of Llanllwni with gorgeous panoramic views, Norwood Gardens covers just 3 acres and was opened in Jan 2003.

Local Cuisine
The present market hall in Carmarthen was rebuilt in 1981 and as well as the outside Stalls there are over 100 shops and units inside. Here you can buy local vegetables so fresh that they are still dew-dropped, dozens of varieties of local cheeses, cockles and mussels that taste of the sea, Welsh cakes and bread, home cooked meats and home- produced butter; all the heart desires in a melee of sights, sounds and smells. In a butchers shop at the edge of the market, sides of bacon wrapped in muslin hang from the ceiling, real dry cured bacon that bears no resemblance to its supermarket cousin. Here too, you will find the famous Carmarthen ham, home made brawn and sausages, pork pies, chutneys and faggots and the best scotch eggs There's also a traditional fish monger who still uses the coracle for fishing and one can be seen hanging above the door of his shop. The Three Counties Show held in August justifies how rich this part of the world is in good food. Everything from flavoured milk to Welsh chocolates, Welsh whisky and Brecon vodka, gin and a liqueur on offer.

Arts and Crafts
Carmarthenshire is an area rich in arts and crafts. Ironworkers, glass blowers, painters and sculptors, potters, weavers and silversmiths are all to be found in the county. There are also many art galleries and museums. Worthy of a mention is one housed in the town's Athletic club. Sporting shoe that once belonged to world famous men and women are on show here. Mohammed Ali, Pele, and Sir Stanley Mathews are just three of the hundred famous people who have donated their boots to this unique collection. In the Myrddin gallery on the edge of town, there was plenty more evidence of Welsh talent. A jacket made entirely from walnut shells and 'a wall of pink wafer biscuits were just two of the more unusual displays I pondered over. For the less avant guard there were lots of conventional paintings and sculptures, as well as glass, ceramics and unique jewellery.