A Thrill-Seeker's Guide to Cardigan Bay
23 JANUARY 2026 18:35
Cardigan Bay is a hub for lovers of the outdoors, adrenaline sports and anything coastal! If you or the family are looking for somewhere to try new sports, get up close and personal with wildlife or get your heart pumping, it’s the place for you. There are a number of local certified activity providers on hand to make sure you have maximum fun and stay safe, plus Brig y Don, our luxury holiday home, is set in the heart of the bay and a great place to base yourself during your stay.
Here’s just a few of the things that thrill-seekers can enjoy in the local area:
Coasteering on the Ceredigion coast
The dramatic coastline in Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire make for a perfect place to try coasteering! There’s something for everyone, whether you just want to give it a go or are a seasoned cliff jumper looking for a real adrenaline rush. We’d always advise going with a local guide or company, like Adventure Beyond who provide guided coasteering trips for everyone aged 8+. They can also provide trips to the famous Blue Lagoon in Abereiddy, Pembrokeshire, which was a stop on the 2016 tour of Red Bull Cliff Diving! The water in this old breached quarry is a brilliant deep blue colour (hence the name) due to the slate beneath the water. The highest jump can be up to 11 metres depending on the tide! But there are plenty of smaller jumps too.
Canoeing on the River Teifi
The River Teifi is a 73 mile-long waterway which ends at the estuary in Gwbert (right outside the front door at Brig y Don!). Running the length of Ceredigion, it is a fishing paradise – see salmon leaping at Cenarth falls in the Autumn – but for the best view of the river, you must go by boat!
Our favourite stretch to canoe starts at Llechryd Bridge. You can take a short trip to nearby village Cilgerran, or carry on all the way to Cardigan (if the tide is in, of course). This route takes you via the Cilgerran Wildlife Park and wetland, where you can see a fabulous array of birds. We regularly spot heron and kingfishers and always keep an eye out for the elusive otters! If you’re looking for a guide, try either of the organisations listed above or Heritage Canoes here.
Go dolphin and seal watching near Cardigan Island
Cardigan Bay is home to one of only two resident groups of Bottlenose Dolphins in the K, and a 250-strong pod at that – the largest in the whole of Europe! As such, you’re in exactly the right place to spot them! If you want to stay on land, the best place to try your luck is Aberporth – keep an eye on the west side of the bay where dolphins can often be seen hunting schooling fish early in the morning or in the evening (May-November is the best time).
If you’d like to get even closer, we can’t recommend a boat trip with the wonderful team at A Bay To Remember enough! Their orange boats are regulars around Cardigan Island and the trips leave from the jetty at Patch Beach (which is less than a mile from Brig y Don). Trips run from April to the end of October during which you can see dolphins, grey seals and a huge array of seabirds. They have even been voted the #1 dolphin watching trip in the UK by TripAdvisor!
Try whitewater rafting and kayaking down rapids!
We have some seriously gnarly stretches of water to get in amongst here in West Wales! Fly down some epic Welsh rapids in a kayak or raft with Llandysul Paddlers, a local company that provides all sorts of water-based activities on the River Teifi. They can provide a range of adventures lasting from a few hours to a whole day, including all equipment. Their guides are experienced and know exactly how to ensure you’re smiling all day and staying safe. They can also arrange lake kayaking, river canoeing, arking and more! Visit their website here.
Surfing and bodyboarding Atlantic rollers!
Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire receive some brilliant swell from the Atlantic when the conditions are right, with plenty of places to get your surfing fix! Near to Brig y Don, Poppit is your best bet for learners or longboarders (you can even do a morning surf check from your bedroom)! Experienced surfers can get lucky at Llangrannog or bring their bodyboards if the waves aren’t quite perfect – this webcam is great for checking the waves there. If you’re up for a day out, head to Whitesands Bay or Freshwater West in Pembrokeshire which nearly always promise great surfing conditions for beginners and masters alike!
Paddleboarding and sea kayaking
Paddleboarding has become incredibly popular lately – it’s a great way to see more of your surroundings from a vantage point and is also brilliant for fitness and balance. The old gorge in Cilgerran is a perfect place to try paddleboarding for the first time as the river is calm and slow moving, plus there are steps for easy access into and out of the water. If you’re coming by yourself, put Dolbadau Car Park into your SatNav or come with a guide – SUP Paddle Boarding offers brilliant river paddle boarding experiences.
For sea-based paddle boarding, try Aberporth beach if you have your own boards – the bay is sheltered and usually calm. Or hire paddle boards or sea kayaks from Carreg Bica Kayaks on Llangrannog Beach for a reasonable price and local tips on where to go.
Wakeboarding, bouldering and assault course
If you’re looking for a day out, Wild Lakes Wales in Narbeth is less than an hour’s drive from Brig y Don and provides bucket-loads of activities for families. It’s home to Pembrokeshire Wake Park, a unique cable wakeboarding machine on a man-made lake. Plus there’s also the Aqua Park, an inflatable assault course on water, and an ipressive indoor bouldering wall for climbing lovers.
Oakwood Theme Park
If you’d like to change up the scenery and move away from the coast, this local theme park has huge roller coasters to keep the teens happy and (Speed is our favourite, featuring a beyond vertical 97° drop!) and some smaller rides for the little ones.
Whatever you do during your stay at Brig y Don, please do tag us when sharing any photos on Instagram and Facebook – we love to see what our guests are enjoying about the local area!