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Aberdovey (also known as Aberdyfi) is a small seaside village in Gwynedd, Wales. It is situated in Cardigan Bay on the west coast of Wales, on the northern side of the Dyfi estuary and at the southern edge of Snowdonia National Park. The village developed around its harbour and the shipbuilding industry, but today it is best known as a picturesque seaside resort with excellent beaches and a thriving water sports industry.

Sport in Aberdovey

Aberdovey is a very popular location for water sports, including windsurfing, kitesurfing, sailing, canoeing, fishing and crabbing. It is home to the Dovey Yacht Club and the Aberdyfi Rowing Club.

The village has a famous golf course at Aberdovey Golf Club, founded in 1892, which the renowned golf writer, Bernard Darwin, a member, wrote extensively about. The first Welsh Golfing Union Championship was held at the club in 1895. The village also has its own football club, Aberdyfi FC.

Shopping in Aberdovey

Aberdovey has an interesting selection of traditional independent Welsh shops, selling everything from clothes, furniture, toys, fresh meat, fruit and vegetables, gifts, arts and crafts, rugs, jewellery and more, to specialist boating and adventure sport equipment and supplies.

Food and Drink in Aberdovey

For such a small village, Aberdovey has a surprising number of restaurants, pubs and cafes, offering traditional Welsh food, fish and chips or international cuisine. In addition, there are quite a few restaurants, pubs and hotels a little further away in the surrounding countryside. As you might expect from the village’s coastal location, fresh seafood is a particular speciality.

Attractions In and Around Aberdovey

The golden beach that stretches towards Tywyn from Aberdovey is said to be one of the finest beaches in Wales. The dunes behind it are ideal for walkers to enjoy the scenery and the sea air.

Snowdonia National Park covers 823 square miles of varied scenery. It boasts the highest mountain in England and Wales, as well as the largest natural lake in Wales. The park is filled with picturesque villages, and is an important centre for outdoor activities, including walking, climbing, cycling, mountain biking, fishing, horse riding, canoeing, golf, zip-wire riding, photography, painting, bird watching and much more.

Approximately nine miles from Aberdovey, Castell y Bere is a historically important Welsh castle built by Llywelyn the Great in the 1220s. Despite its now seemingly isolated location in the shadow of the mountain Cader Idris, away from the main thoroughfares, it was strategically placed to guard an important pass into North Wales.

The Talyllyn Railway is a heritage narrow gauge steam railway that runs between Tywyn and Abergynolwyn and Nant Gwernol. The railway offers a fascinating glimpse of the past as it winds its way at an unhurried pace through the beautiful and unspoilt Fathew Valley.

Visit Aberdovey

With beautiful beaches and a surfeit of leisure activities on offer, this pretty village is well worth visiting, and also makes an excellent base for exploring both the wonderful coastline of Cardigan Bay and the timeless beauty and rich cultural heritage of Snowdonia National Park.