Pond Cottage

Cardigan Castle overlooks the River Teifi in the town of Cardigan. The site dates back to the late 11th century and was rebuilt in 1244. Rhys ap Gruffydd rebuilt it in stone, and in 1176 the first recorded eisteddfod was held here. After years of decay, it was restored and opened to the public.

Tip: There is no on-site parking for day visitors, so use the car park at the bottom of Quay Street, a minute's walk away.

Aberystwyth Castle is a Grade I listed fortress on the Ceredigion coast, begun by Edward I in 1277 during the first Welsh war. It was built as a diamond-shaped concentric castle, with a twin-towered gatehouse and towers at each corner, and was finished in 1289.

Tip: Bring a windproof layer, as the castle sits right by the sea and the Welsh coast can be breezy and wet.

Carmarthen Castle is a ruined medieval fortress in the county town of Carmarthen, on a high terrace overlooking the tidal River Towy. It began as an early 1100s timber motte and bailey, was rebuilt in stone and was captured, destroyed and rebuilt many times. Owain Glyndŵr took it in 1405, and Henry VII's father, Edmund Tudor, died here as a prisoner in 1456.

The National Botanic Garden of Wales is in Llanarthney, in the River Tywi valley. It is both a visitor attraction and a centre for botanical research and conservation. The centrepiece is the Great Glasshouse, the world's largest single-span glasshouse at 110 m long and 60 m wide. It stands virtually on the site of Cockerell's mansion, the new Middleton Hall.

Tip: Look out across the restored eastern view towards Paxton's Tower, which was designed to be seen from the mansion's east side.