The Danish word hygge has taken the world by storm in recent years, summing up all that is warm, cosy and comforting about the Scandinavian country into a single word.
Now, West Wales has its own version as the Cwtch up in Carmarthenshire campaign aims to make the Welsh word cwtch - meaning a hug, cuddle or cosy place - synonymous with that warm, fuzzy feeling that is at its very best in the colder months.
Carmarthenshire is the ideal place for it, as the county has so much to offer during the winter. From Carmarthen Bay to the Brecon Beacons and from the towns of Llanelli and Carmarthen to charming rural villages, with incredible food, crafts, activities and cosy places to stay, you don't have to travel far to experience a memorable cwtch of your own.
And if you are the romantic type, don't forget that our very own day of love, St Dwynwen’s Day, is on Thursday January 25.Is there anything more romantic than a weekend getaway...?
Here are five ways that you can get your cwtch on in Carmarthenshire...
A value cwtch
At less than £100 a night and overlooking the spectacular Pendine beach, Caban is a cosy stay for cost-conscious visitors. This gorgeous, 14-room spot has accessible rooms and a dog-friendly policy. There’s a café, restaurant and lots of wonderful events, as well as the Wales Coast Path on your doorstep.
Carmarthenshire is blessed with lots of free activities: take in the National Wool Museum or Carmarthenshire Museum, a winter picnic at Paxton Tower, or a short walk up Dryslwn Castle for incredible views over the Tywi Valley.
Embrace the wild cwtch
Make the most of Carmarthenshire’s wide open spaces with a spot of cosy winter glamping with yurts at Embrace the Space or in a cabin at Under Starry Skies.
How often have you walked by the light of a full moon? With Quiet Walks, you can: their guided ‘moon walk’ around an iron age hill fort takes place once a month to coincide with the full moon.
Embrace some Scandinavian exercise with NordicCymru who offer beginners’ workshops in Nordic walking, or for extra muddy winter fun there’s plenty of great mountain biking. Alternatively, tour the county in comfort and style on an e-bike.
If a luxury B&B is more your thing, then check into Glangwili Mansion and book into their Stargazer Log Cabin for a private meal and some stargazing.
A coastal cwtch
Join coastal foraging expert Craig Evans to hunt for clams, cockles, sea vegetables and more on one of his wild food courses. Your reward for all that hard work will be a meal on the beach, cooked by Craig over a handmade candle stove, featuring the day’s finds.
Check in for the night at Brown’s Hotel in Laugharne, the favourite watering hole of Dylan Thomas, where you can enjoy rare-breed heritage Welsh beef at Dexters at Brown’s, or spend a few nights in a luxury lodge at Dylan Coastal Resort with hot tubs and views of the Taf estuary.
The next day, explore the haunting ruins of Laugharne Castle, tuck into tapas at The Ferryman Deli or mouth-watering pub grub at the New Three Mariners and walk a section of the Wales CoastPath, stopping along the way for waterside afternoon tea at the Dylan Thomas Boathouse.
A cookery, cockles and cawl cwtch
At this time of year, there’s nothing better than coming in from the cold for some steaming hot food and buttery bakes.
Cawl is nothing less than comfort in a bowl. A traditional, hearty Welsh hearty soup made with either lamb or beef and crammed full of root vegetables and leeks, it’s served beside a roaring fire at The White Hart Inn - one stop on the Cawl Crawl, which highlights the best places to feast on this delicious warming stew.
Alternatively, for a wonderfully Welsh start to the day, head to Flows on Market Street in Llandeilo for a breakfast of cockles, laverbread and spinach, topped with a fried egg.
After all that cake, cockles and cawl, rest your head at Picton House, a small hotel and restaurant near St Clears.
A canine cwtch
A cwtch with your pooch in tow is a fun and easy way to travel in Carmarthenshire, with lots of dog friendly cafes, attractions and walks whether you walk the beaches or head for the hills.
In the shadow of the Brecon Beacons, the self-catering Basel Cottage is a great base for dogs and their walkers. Four-legged friends stay free, and there are enclosed gardens, wood-burning stoves, plenty of walks and a dog sitting service.
Most local beaches and attractions are pup-friendly, so a race along the pristine sands of Pendine or Cefn Sidan - two of Wales’s longest beaches - is definitely in order.
If you have any energy in reserve, a walk through the woods at Pembrey Country Park is a must, as well as making the most of the National Botanic Garden of Wales’ regular ‘Doggy Days’, or taking in some history at Llansteffan Castle.
Once you’ve worked up an appetite, tasty treats and crackling fires await you at the Inn at the Sticks near Llansteffan beach.
Use #cwtchupcarmarthenshire to follow the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and other social media channels with Discover Carmarthenshire.
For more information on events and accommodation across Carmarthenshire, visit www.discovercarmarthenshire.com
