Lampeter

Lampeter (Welsh: Llanbedr Pont Steffan) is a town of about 3,000 people (2011) in Ceredigion, Wales, on the River Teifi (which meets the Irish Sea at Cardigan).

Understand
Welsh language and culture continues to thrive in Lampeter. The town is best known for the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David (formerly University of Wales, Lampeter and before that St David's University College), which was founded in 1822 as a theological college. Its central building is modelled on an Oxbridge quadrangle and was completed in 1827. Lampeter University is the third oldest university in Britain, after Oxford and Cambridge.

The earliest written reference to Lampeter is believed to be 1187, when Owain Gwynedd destroyed the English king's castle of Pont Steffan ('Stephen's Bridge' in Welsh). The castle's remains formed the foundations for the college building and still forms part of the university campus.

By train

 * From London Paddington, train to Carmarthen (a few trains are direct, but generally will need to change in Swansea). Bus from Carmarthen to Lampeter, journey time approximately 1 hr There are four buses each way on a Sunday and an hourly service on other days. The last bus leaves Carmarthen at 7PM on a weekday. The bus to catch is the T1 service operated jointly by Traws Cymru. It stops outside Carmarthen Railway Station.
 * From Birmingham (New Street Station), catch train to Aberystwyth then catch bus from Aberystwyth to Lampeter (Traws Cymru route T1 from Stand 7 opposite the station; hourly service M-Sa, last bus 9:40PM, and four on a Sunday, last bus 7PM, takes approximately 1 hr).

Train times are available from National Rail Enquiries, from within the UK. Bus times are available from Traveline, (premium rate and can not be dialled from many countries outside the UK).

Get around
Since the closure of Lampeter's train station a number of years ago, travel options in and around Lampeter are restricted to buses and taxis. Buses are reliable and go to the nearby towns of Aberystwyth and Carmarthen.

Lampeter is a small town; vehicles are not necessary to explore the town, only to travel to other towns and cities, although there are local services to surrounding areas.

Learn

 * Liberal arts at the University of Wales, Lampeter.