Treat Mum Locally This Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is just around the corner, so if anyone ever needed an excuse to treat their mum, then this is the time for it. West Wales has so much to explore that it would be silly to go anywhere else. Whether you choose a traditional Mother’s Day lunch, a simple walk in our wonderful countryside, or something a little more extravagant, here are our picks of the loveliest local Mother’s Day treats.

An Afternoon at the Races

Although Ffos Las isn’t hosting a race meeting on Mother’s Day itself this year, it is hosting a brilliant afternoon’s racing just a few days later on the 26th. Book your mum the afternoon off and make sure she dresses up to the nines. Although a smart dress code isn’t enforced, there’ll be plenty of people dressed in suits and cocktail dresses, so why not rise to the occasion? Perhaps a shopping trip for a nice new bit of jewellery would be a suitable start to the day.

If you want to start a little healthy competition between you and your mum, then give yourselves a couple of pounds to bet per race and see who comes out on top. It’s lovely cheering on the horses past the winning post, but it’s just a little bit more fun if yours happens to have its nose in front. If you want to stretch your wagers as far as possible then consider joining up to an online betting site, many have free bet offers for new customers which means your kitty for the afternoon could reach a lot further!

Ffos Las has a whole host of different packages for their spring race day, so the choice is yours. Their general admission is perfect if you don’t want to be tied down to an eating option and, at just £15 per ticket, it’s brilliant value. If you know that your mum would love a sit down meal, then you can pre-book a carvery option for £35 per person. This ticket is also surprisingly good value, as not only do you receive access to all areas of the racecourse, including the private bar and betting area, you also get your meal and a table overlooking the racecourse for the whole day. If you want to spoil her, then maybe this is the right option.

Relax at Bodysgallen Hall

There’s nothing more lovely than spending the day relaxing as though you’re royalty and at Bodysgallen Hall that’s exactly what you can do. Set up on Pydew Mountain, Bodysgallen Hall boasts some 200 acres of immaculately manicured gardens and parkland. Start your day with a walk around the 17th century parterre, a formal garden with box hedging that’s simply filled with sweet smelling herbs. The rose garden and lily ponds can also be found in this beautifully maintained bit of garden, as well as pretty follies and a spectacular sundial statue.

If you’re feeling a little more adventurous then you can take a walk around the parklands. The hall have ensured that the walks are well signposted, so you can enjoy the scenery without worry of getting lost. The Pydew Village walk is one of the longer ones, but you can explore both the village and the Gothic Tower on your way to the top of Pydew Mountain. Once you reach the obelisk at the top, you’ll be richly rewarded with dramatic views, making that extra bit of effort seem totally worth it.

Once you’ve finished your adventure you’ll no doubt be in need of some pampering! Bodysgallen Hall have their very own spa and are running a special package in celebration of Mother’s Day. Book online or over the phone to enjoy two hours of time to unwind in the spa, followed by a back, neck and shoulder massage and a mini facial. Once you’re suitably relaxed you’ll be able to enjoy a glass of champagne in the spa room as you tuck in to a delicious light lunch with views over the mountains. It will definitely be a day to remember and, although a little more than the Ffos Las raceday at £170 for two, it will certainly win you some points with mum!

Treat Her Like a Queen at Cardigan Castle

If you really want to make your mum feel like the Queen that she is, then surely a castle is the only place for it? Cardigan Castle is a stunning property that dates back some 900 years. Amazingly, it’s also a really budget friendly option, at just £6 for a ticket to the castle and grounds. Walking around the castle you can explore it’s medieval walls and look around the stunning Georgian Mansion, either with or without the insight of a tour guide.

The gardens are particularly beautiful, so much so that they’re Grade II listed and filled with unusual plant species. Once you’ve explored the grounds, there are also some brilliant exhibitions that are on at the moment, including the Barbara Wood exhibition, which documents the story of the last private owner of the castle. As well as fascinating text and audio about this incredible woman, you can also see some of the items that she left behind in the castle, including beautiful handwritten letters.

After the exhibition you really ought to visit 1176, Cardigan Castle’s 900 year old restaurant. The restaurant is named after the year that Lord Rhys hosted Wales’ first Eisteddfod. If you can, then try to get a seat right by the floor to ceiling windows; the views over the River Teifi are truly beautiful and, some might say, fit for a Queen. Not to tempt fate, but if you are blessed with a warm day, which does occasionally happen for Mother’s Day, then you can sit outside on the sun terrace.

The menu here is expansive, but to be quite honest, afternoon tea should be the order of the day. If your mum loves homemade cakes then she’ll be in heaven here, but first be sure to try the Welsh Rarebit. It can be tricky to find a good one in a tourist destination as popular as this, but the kitchen at 1176 have certainly succeeded; Hafod cheese and Cardigan craft beer come together to create a comforting lunch time delight.