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The lovely Afon Tyweli

The footbridge is rather narrow and partly constructed from sections of railway line, but there is a comforting handrail to assist progress. Once over, continue directly ahead across a grassy meadow to reach a waymarker on the far side and here bear slightly right to a stile, then follow the winding footpath through trees to reach a further stile that gives access to the bed of the old Carmarthen to Cardigan railway line. Turn right along this and follow it for approximately 3km, passing through two gates en-route, with lovely views over the river and surrounding woodlands.

The line was authorised in 1854 as the Carmarthen and Cardigan Railway’s abortive attempt to create a rail link between the two towns. By 1860 the Company managed to construct the line as far as Conwil before having to cease further works until it could raise enough capital to build the line to Pencader in 1864. The line was extended to Landysul a few months later but by that time the Company was in severe financial difficulties and went into receivership. In 1867 attempts were made to run the line using horse drawn buses along the uncompleted sections but in 1881 the Company was wound up. The line was then acquired by the Great Western Railway who managed to complete the line as far as Newcastle Emlyn in 1898 but, despite its name, that was as far is it ever went. Instead, the link to Cardigan was achieved by the Whitland & Cardigan Railway, which followed a route to the west.