Tale of Two Rivers
Fishing enthusiasts in Carmarthenshire proudly claim that this county is home to both the King and the Queen of Welsh rivers.
The majestic Tywi, which rises high in the Cambrian Mountains and drifts and loops confidently through the verdant valley, is widely regarded as the best sea trout, or sewin river in Europe.
The Tywi is the route into the heart and soul of Carmarthenshire. In medieval times, castles were built along its course to command the area, later followed by market towns which grew up to serve the local farming communities.
Carmarthenshire’s reputation as the 'Garden of Wales' is rooted in the section of river between Llandeilo and Llandovery. Beautiful Aberglasney, the National Botanic Garden of Wales and Dinefwr Park are all just a stone’s throw from the Tywi.
The queenly Teifi, which defines Carmarthenshire’s northern border is secretive, shy and tucked away for most of its course among tangled, thickly wooded riverbanks and deep gorges. The Teifi is renowned for its salmon fishing and for its famous Teifi brown trout.
One of Wales’s first beauty spots, the picturesque Cenarth Falls, was popularised by Victorian travellers. Visitors still flock here, not just for the scenery but also to catch sight of the coracles still in use by local fishermen. The rushing river was also the driving force for the historic Welsh woollen industry, remainders of which survive along the valley.
These two rivers, with their very different personalities, offer a combination of superb scenery and that feeling of being at one with nature while sitting on the green, green grass of home.
Did you know.... The River Tywi has attracted some famous faces to Carmarthenshire over the years. Among them the world’s former top secret agent Pierce Brosnan, himself a keen fisherman. Brosnan visited Carmarthenshire during the height of his fame as 007 agent, James Bond.
© 2010 Carmarthenshire County Council.