Lampeter

Lampeter (Welsh: Llanbedr Pont Steffan) is a town of about 3,000 people (2011) in Ceredigion, Wales, on the River Teifi (which meets the Irish Sea at Cardigan). Welsh language and culture continue to thrive in Lampeter. The town is best known for the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David.

Understand

The University of Wales, Trinity Saint David (formerly University of Wales, Lampeter and before that St David's University College) was founded in 1822 as a theological college. Its central building is modelled on an Oxbridge quadrangle and was completed in 1827. Lampeter University is the third oldest university in Britain, after Oxford and Cambridge.

The earliest written reference to Lampeter is believed to be 1187, when Owain Gwynedd destroyed the English king's castle of Pont Steffan ('Stephen's Bridge' in Welsh). The castle's remains formed the foundations for the college building and still forms part of the university campus.

Get in

By train

• From London Paddington, train to Carmarthen (a few trains are direct, but generally will need to change in Swansea). Bus from Carmarthen to Lampeter, journey time approximately 1 hr There are four buses each way on a Sunday and an hourly service on other days. The last bus leaves Carmarthen at 7PM on a weekday. The bus to catch is the T1 service operated jointly by Traws Cymru. It stops outside Carmarthen Railway Station.
• From Birmingham (New Street Station), catch train to Aberystwyth then catch bus from Aberystwyth to Lampeter (Traws Cymru route T1 from Stand 7 opposite the station; hourly service M-Sa, last bus 9:40PM, and four on a Sunday, last bus 7PM, takes approximately 1 hr).

Train times are available from National Rail Enquiries, ☏ +08457 484950 from within the UK. Bus times are available from Traveline, ☏ +0871 200 22 33 (premium rate and can not be dialled from many countries outside the UK).

Get around

Since the closure of Lampeter's train station a number of years ago, travel options in and around Lampeter are restricted to buses and taxis. Buses are reliable and go to the nearby towns of Aberystwyth and Carmarthen.

Lampeter is a small town; vehicles are not necessary to explore the town, only to travel to other towns and cities, although there are local services to surrounding areas.

See

• 1 University of Wales, Trinity St David. 
• 2 St Peter's Church of Wales, Maesllan (at the top of the hill opposite the police station), ☏ +44 1974 298937. 
• 3 Dolaucothi Gold Mines, Pumsaint, Llanwrda, Carmarthenshire, SA19 8US (9 miles south east of Lampeter), ☏ +44 1558 650177, dolaucothi@nationaltrust.org.uk. The presence of untapped gold resources was one of the primary reasons the Romans invaded Britain, and here is the proof. Visitors can tour the mines, and walk in the footsteps of miners from 2000 years ago.  
• 4 Lampeter Museum (Amgueddfa Llambedr Pont Steffan), College Street, SA48 7ED (just inside the university, across from the old Post Office). Lampeter's local history museum. Friendly and knowledgeable staff and a range of interesting exhibits. Free.  

Learn

• Liberal arts at the University of Wales, Lampeter.
• 1 Denmark Farm Conservation Centre. Conservation and ecology courses. 

Eat

• 1 Conti's Café, 5 Harford Square, ☏ +44 1570 422223. Home-made and additive-free ice cream and specialist coffee shop. Home-made food and light lunches, family owned and run for the last 40 years. 
• 2 Jac's Cafe, 11 Bridge St (on the main road in the centre of town), ☏ +44 1570 423179. Jac's is a friendly little cafe serving meals and snacks all day from breakfast. (updated Jul 2018)
• 3 Shapla Tandoori, 8 College Street, ☏ +44 1570 422076. Indian restaurant. Take-away available. 
• 4 Town Hall Cafe Deli, Town Hal (in the centre of Lampeter near NatWest Bank), ☏ +44 1570 421599. M-Sa 9AM-4PM. Café and deli specialising in local food and drink produce. 
• 5 The Mustard Seed, College Street. M Tu Th-Sa 10AM-4PM. Lovely café with home-made cakes and food, good coffee, good range of gluten-free cake, bread and Welsh cakes. Clean and comfortable. Good toilets and plenty of room inside and on the patio weather permitting. 

Sleep

Mid-range

• 1 Denmark Farm Eco-Lodge (Denmark Farm Conservation Centre), Betws Bledrws, ☏ +44 1570 493358, info@denmarkfarm.org.uk. 
• 2 Haulfan Guest House, 6 Station Terrace (Aajacent to the University and close to the town centre), ☏ +44 1570 422718. A guest house with 3 double and 1 single rooms. 
• 3 Treberfedd Farm Holiday Cottages, Treberfedd, Dihewyd, Lampeter, Ceredigion SA48 7NW, ☏ +44 1570 470672, info@treberfedd.co.uk. Self-catering holiday cottages (including grade II listed thatched farmhouse) on a working organic farm near Lampeter. 2 nights from £159. 

Splurge

• 4 The Falcondale hotel and restaurant (Falcondale Mansion), Falcondale Drive (about a mile out of town, up its own private drive), ☏ +44 1570 422910, info@thefalcondale.co.uk. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. A Country House Hotel in 14 acres of grounds, including lawns, woodland and gardens. Built in an Italianate style in the 19th century as a private house, and converted to a hotel in 1980. All 18 rooms are en-suite with free Wi-Fi internet access. A 2AA rosetted restaurant is open to non-residents. from £150 bed and breakfast, for two people sharing.