Sandwiched between the crowd-pulling national parks of Pembrokeshire to the west and the Brecon Beacons to the east, Carmarthenshire tends to get overlooked. Dare to leave the A40, says Dianne Spencer, and you’ll find crumbling castles, sweeping estuary views and a wealth of local produce, from natural wines and quality coffee to artisanal cheese and silky air-dried ham. Oh, and did we mention the pies?
LUNCHTIME SPECIALS
Start your trip in the ancient county town of Carmarthen at the indoor market. Sample award-winning organic local cheeses at
Caws Teifi (teificheese.co.uk), then head to Albert Rees (carmarthenham.co.uk), where muslin-wrapped hams hang curing overhead. Their air-dried ‘Carma’ ham is as good as any from Parma.
Blasus Delicatessen (blasusdeli. co.uk) on King Street is the place to pick up a gourmet picnic. But on chillier days, take a seat in The Warren in Mansel Street (warren manselst.co.uk), for veg-centric fare. Or stroll to Y Sied (ysied.co. uk) on St Catherine’s Walk for a steaming bowl of ham cawl (stew). Learn the secret to making this and other Welsh classics on one of owner Lisa Fearn’s cookery classes (from £200 for two people).
TEA, COFFEE – OR MILK?
In Guildhall Square, Tea Traders (teatraders.co.uk) offers more than 100 smartly packaged loose-leaf teas from around the world. Try Oriental Beauty, a floral white-tipped oolong, or Ivan Tea, a locally made infusion of rosebay willowherb. Can’t decide? With a Tea Tasting Experience you can try any three for just £9.60.
For coffee with a conscience, drive east to Ammanford, where B Corp certified Coaltown Coffee (coaltowncoffee.co.uk) is bringing a greener industry to this former mining town. The roastery runs on renewable energy and a tie-in with the local Llaeth Beynon Dairy (llaethbeynondairy.co.uk) means milk comes in steel churns (no plastic). Check out the milk vending machine in the carpark, then recharge with a cup of Black Gold, the roastery’s house blend.
A SENSE OF PLACE
Local sourcing is big in these parts. It’s the basis for the beautifully balanced menus at Y Polyn (ypolyn.co.uk), Mark and Sue Manson’s refreshingly unstuffy restaurant in the village of Capel Dewi. Starring saltmarsh lamb, fine Welsh beef and creative veggie choices, the menu is a winner – and there’s a great wine list.
Just up the road in Llanarthne is Wright’s Independent Food Emporium (shop.wrightsfood.co. uk), the brainchild of Maryann and Simon Wright. People travel miles to stock up their larders, pick up a supper kit or tuck into Maryann’s legendary Cubano sandwi
