Cenarth Guide

Cenarth sits next to the River Teifi and is a honeypot village, popular with locals and tourists for its famed Cenarth Falls.

This charming village sits nestled between the historic town of Newcastle Emlyn, with its shops, restaurants and amenities and a little further away is the charming market town of Cardigan with additional facilities. Cenarth has everything you need to enjoy country life in West Wales.

What is the History of Cenarth?

The main focus of the village has to be the beautiful Cenarth Falls, a series of small waterfalls and pools on the River Teifi. This picturesque spot is well-known for seeing salmon leaping, and there’s a beautiful riverside walk through the village, best enjoyed on a summer’s evening.

One of Cenarth's main focal points, along with the waterfalls, has to be its striking 18th-century bridge. The bridge, most recognisable for its series of peculiar circular holes, replaced a 12th-century river crossing. It was designed and built in 1787 by William Edwards and is the oldest structure in the village.

Visitors come every autumn to stand on the historic bridge to watch as the salmon leap up the falls. Interestingly Cenarth Falls was the subject of a famous painting by Frank Miles that is now held in the Nottingham City Museum.

Cenarth also has the pretty St Llawddog’s Church, built in 1872 replacing an earlier building. On the church grounds stands an ancient carved stone - the Gellidywyll Stone, dating back to the 5th or 6th century.

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What activities are there to do in Cenarth?

Being so rural, there are plenty of walks in and around Cenarth. There is a stunning riverside trail east through the wooded valley from the waterfalls. After you’ve been on the circular walk around Cenarth Falls, you can stop off at one of the two idyllic pubs in the area for a nice cup of tea and a bite to eat.

If you would like to find out more about the history and culture of the area, be sure to visit the National Coracle Centre, set on the grounds of the 13th-century flour mill, along the river. Here you can soak up all of Cenarth’s rich history, which centres around the coracle. A coracle is a small ancient one-person fishing boat made entirely of woven wood and waterproof covering. The boat is quite recognisable for its bowl shape. They date back to pre-Roman times and are still used today. Fishermen of Cenarth would walk 5-10 miles up the River Teifi, before drifting back down in the hopes of catching salmon or trout. Examples of coracles from across the globe can be found here at the centre, including those used on the River Teifi.

Cenarth is just a 6-minute drive from Newcastle Emlyn, a delightful historic market town nestled within the stunningly beautiful Teifi Valley. Explore the range of independent shops and the castle that overlooks a loop on the River Teifi. 

For further shops and amenities head to Cardigan, this ancient town sits on the estuary of the Teifi at the base of Cardigan Bay just a 20-minute drive away from Cenarth. Here you can enjoy numerous beaches such as Aberporth, Penbryn, and Tresaith with golden sands and clean waters. This stunning stretch of coastline is renowned for its dolphin-spotting opportunities. Be sure to book a boat trip out to see some of the diverse marine life this lovely stretch of water is home to, including bottlenose dolphins and grey seals.

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If you love walking, cycling or horse riding then the countryside around Cenarth will have major appeal. There are a whole host of tracks, trails and bridleways to explore. Other attractions to discover in this area include fishing on the River Teifi; the Teifi Valley Railway, a narrow gauge railway with rides on a steam engine; while in Newcastle Emlyn there’s a leisure centre with a swimming pool, squash courts, an athletics track and table tennis.

Where is there to eat and drink in Cenarth?

There are two cafes in Cenarth, the first being Ty Te tea room which serves traditional cream teas, homemade cakes and light lunches. There’s a great garden area with outdoor seating, perfect to enjoy on warmer days.

By the entrance to the car park of Cenarth Falls is the Salmon Leap Gift Shop and Cafe serving breakfast, lunch and a delicious range of sweet treats. 

There is a choice of two pubs, the Three Horseshoes Inn next to the church and the White Hart Inn. Both pubs serve mouth-watering local ales and spirits as well as evening meals. The Three Horseshoes is known for its steakhouse-style menu.

What events are there in Cenarth?

In previous years, the Cenarth River Festival has taken place. This locally organised event would see crowds line the banks of the River Teifi for the coracle racing. Unfortunately due to a lack of volunteers, this popular annual event has been cancelled the last few years but it may return again in the future.

Local Top Tips

When visiting Cenarth by car, it should be noted that the main car park is cash only, with no card payments. The only option is for a day ticket so it may be worth planning a full day out in Cenarth to make the most of parking.

Cenarth attracts hundreds of visitors to watch the salmon leap every year. The best time to visit has to be in the autumn months when you're more likely to spot the salmon jumping.

What facilities are there in Cenarth?

Cenarth is home to two lovely gift shops, The Giftorium and Salmon Leap Gift Shop which is right by the falls. In the Waterfalls car park, there is also a tiny Fishing Club gift shop run by the Teifi Trout Association. 

There’s a pretty church just across the bridge. St Llawddog Church has level access to the main areas and even space to secure your bike if you’re pedalling through.

As well as the two gift shops, two cafes and two pubs there’s also a small convenience store next to the petrol station. Just 50 yards from the bridge near the main car park are public toilets, with disabled access. 

You could take a short trip to an organic farm which produces the award-winning Caws Cenarth cheese. Here you can watch the cheese-making process and taste test the various delicious flavours before making your final purchase.

Cenarth is also home to the Coracles Health and Country Club which has top facilities including an indoor heated swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna, steam rooms and gym.

Is it easy to access Cenarth?

There is a car park at the falls, parking is £3 for all-day parking between 9-6 pm. If travelling by public transport, you’ll have to rely on bus services which travel between Carmarthen and Cardigan via Newcastle Emlyn. Your nearest train station to Cenarth is in Cardigan.