The Old Bakery is situated on the Towy River estuary in the village of Llansteffan, 8 miles from the market town of Carmarthen. The house is built around a flowery courtyard. It is on the site of the original village bakery, and the outside stone walls survive.
The sandy beach, perfect for children, is literally across the road. There are opportunities for splendid coastal walks. You could go fishing or cockle gathering, but you could also just sit still and watch the light reflect on the tidal sea, or the many sailing boats. There is plenty of driftwood so picnicking on the beach could include a beach barbecue.
Llansteffan is a friendly village overlooked by an impressive castle, with an old church, 2 pubs, a post office, a shop and a good restaurant. There are opportunities for coastal walks, bird watching, fishing, tennis, riding, cycling, golf and boating. You could explore nearby castles, gardens, beaches and mountains.
This is Dylan Thomas country. He spent childhood holidays with his family, who lived in Llansteffan, and the village and its characters were a major influence on his work. The bakery was run by two sisters, who are said to be the models for Dai Bread's two wives in Under Milk Wood. Laugharne, where Thomas lived at the end of his life, is on the same estuary, although a different river. We recommend a visit to the boat house and his writing hut.
You are within half an hour of the National Botanic Garden of Wales. Many other castles and gardens are close by. If you wish to explore Wales further, you could plan easy day trips to the Black Mountain, the Preseli hills or the Pembrokeshire coast.
The Old Bakery is graded four stars by the Welsh Tourist Board. The accommodation is on the ground floor. It comprises two double bedrooms (one with double bed, the other with 2 single beds), a large sittingroom, a kitchen/diner, a bathroom with bath, shower and toilet, a cloakroom with second toilet. Visitors have the use of a flowery courtyard.
This is a no-smoking cottage. Sorry, no pets!
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