We plan to drive from LGW to Bath for our first day/night of two week trip to Wales and England. We are allowing four nights in Wales--one night in Hay-on-Wye area and probably three nights in Snowdonia. We would have to go slightly out of our way to see Ludlow. Is it worth a visit? We enjoy the smaller villages/hamlets and read about the castle there. DH will be the sole driver and has to be persuaded into side excursions. After leaving Wales We will visit the potteries in Stoke and DH does not exactly look forward to the driving there--but he knows how much I love shopping at the various potteries. Driving on the left is not a problem for DH.

Bewtsy en Coed is a cool place. In Snowdonia I believe. There is a nice place right in town to stay. I have never been to Ludlow.

Ludlow is famous for having several restaurants in the Michelin Guide.

They are having a food festival in September
http://www.foodfestival.co.uk/

nini,

To some extent it depends on where you are going in Snowdonia.

Ludlow is a pleasant, smallish, busy, quite affluent country town and is worth a visit if you are passing nearby. If you go to Ludlow be sure to call at Stokesay Castle a little way north of it.

Personally I would not go to Ludlow. From Hay I would trickle north through the Welsh Marches on quiet, but winding, roads and look at some of the really small towns on the way. My route would be Kington, Presteigne, Knighton, Clun (<u>really</u> small) and Bishop's Castle. All of these are interesting in different ways and are much quieter than Ludlow. They all have informative websites, Google them and see what you think.

Then I'd head for Welshpool (not stopping), consider Powis Castle if I had time in the afternoon (not Tue, Wed in October), through Dolgellau and up the A470 into Snowdonia.

ttt