WALES TRAVEL INFO

A BIT ABOUT THE REGION

Wales, the little part tacked onto the left of England. The first of the Celtic nations going north from London. Land of the leek, sheep, daffodil. rugby, song and mine. Tom Jones to Dylan Thomas not to mention the delectable Duffy. A land of courage. A land where the English are reluctant to buy property for fear of their coastal cottages being burnt down just for being English.

Exploring Wales is a little like travelling in New Zealand, fantastic beaches, friendly locals, lush rolling pastures, rocky alpine areas and a haven for adrenalin junkies. There are two main differences, unlike New Zealand it rains very very often and the sheep still have tails - how weird!

Wales is really easy to get around by car and is made for exploring little villages because beside the industrial corridor that is the M4  across the south there are no major motorways across or up and down the country. So single lane roads are the way to go which means that you actually get to see  a hell of a lot more of this wicked country (and Spaceships are perfect for it!).

To get to Wales simply skirt along the edge of London and then go west young man. If you have spent a bit of time stuck in traffic after picking up your Spaceship (not that it usually happens) and you are itching for a sightseeing fix, stop off at Windsor Castle and Eaton. Liz and Phil seem to spend more time here than Buckingham Palace. Probably because there is more room for the corgis to run around  and it’s easier for Phil to nip out for a sneaky half.
Heading further west along the M4 to the Severn River  and associated bridges. Basically until 1966 if you wanted to go to Cardiff, the capital of Wales, you had to drive north through Gloucestershire and then back down southwest again, or alternatively catch one of the car ferries that braved the Severn river’s might. Nowadays you are spoilt for choice. The first bridge was built in 1966 and the second was finished in the 90’s.  Take care though because they can be closed if the wind gets up too much and on Bank holidays they become a bottleneck for traffic travelling to and from Wales.

Turn right after crossing the older bridge of the two and start heading towards Monmouthshire via Chepstow and the magnificent Tintern Abbey. After imagining what the Abbey was like before Henry the 8th got his grubby mitts on it head west along a really scenic riverside drive to  Monmouth.

Head a little south here before heading up north again where the Brecon Beacons await. The main town here is Abergavenny and because you probably have had a long drive getting here (if you have done it in one day) it’s a great place to stop for a couple of nights as the Brecon Beacons is a great place to try a bit of of paragliding or hill walking. If exercise isn’t your thing, a half an hour drive through the Welsh valleys will get you to the Big Pit at Blaenafon. A throwback to the UK’s Industrial revolution. A trip down the 90m shaft gives you an insight into what it must have been like to work and live in conditions that today we would consider poverty stricken to  say the least.

Wales  and the Brecon Beacons is absolutely fantastic for mountain biking and there is a track that takes you all the way from nearby Merthyr Tydfil all the way to Cardiff. Call in at the Abergavenny info centre for maps etc.

If you’re not biking to Cardiff, drive through the valleys via Newport remembering until the mid 1970’s the valleys were a place where men worked hard, sang like angels, played rugby like gods, and the sheep were scared.

Cardiff is Europe’s youngest capital city. It became the capital of Wales in 1955. With the advent of the coal mines closing Wales slipped into a dowdy dark place to be, but with the injection of more than a few million of Europe’s hard earned euros by the way of grants and tax incentives Cardiff today is a rejuvenation success. The docks on Cardiff Bay have been redeveloped and Cardiff Millennium Stadium stands proudly at the heart of a fanatical rugby nation.

Spend a couple of nights in Cardiff and in particular, if there is a game happening definitely stay - even if you can’t get tickets. The atmosphere is amazing. Likewise the stadium houses concerts from top billing bands, if the Manic Street Preachers or Stereophonics are in town you will be in for a hell of a night with the famous Welsh hospitality to the fore.

After Cardiff keep heading west dropping down through Swansea to the lovely Gower Peninsula. Home to some of the best surf and beaches in the UK. It’s well worth a stop. Even in summer when things can get a little crowded there is still space for everyone. Walk the cliff tops and golden sandy beaches and enjoy one of the loveliest parts of Wales .

Further west still lies Pembrokeshire. Although along the way if it’s not the middle of summer (when it’s full of screaming kids and stressed out parents), the little town of Tenby is quite quaint and has lovely architecture and sandy beaches.

Pembrokeshire is one of the loveliest corners of Wales with soaring cliffs, more dolphins than you can poke a stick at and amazing walks. Spend a few days here walking the coast along the Pembrokeshire Coast national trail. There are over 299km of tracks along the coast. The best place to go for info is www.pcnpa.com. If walking is a bit slow for you  checkout the local rock climbing, surfing and sea kayaking

If you are intending to visit Ireland, ferries leave on a daily basis from the picturesque port of Fishgard. Castles to check out in the Pembrokeshire area are Picton castle in Haverforwest and Cilgerran Castle in Cardigan. For churches, St David's Cathedral in Haversford may be more your style.

Further north lie the beaches of Aberystwyth before heading high into the Cambrian Mountains. Here at Nant Bwlch yr Arain lies one of the most impressive mountain biking areas in Wales. Trail lengths vary from 9km to 35km with the Syfrdrin 35km trail highly recommended. It will take you about 3 to 5hrs to complete. If you don’t have your own bike hire one from On Your Bike in Queen Street, Aberystwyth.

Drive further north and you are really getting into Snowdonia country although the coastal areas of Caernarfon and The Lyn Peninsula are definitely worth stopping at. Take a break from driving and try the small walk just on the outskirts of Dollgethau with views over the coast and Snowdownia. Look out for low flying jet fighters that scare the living crap out of you as they make their way to the bombing range down the coast a little.

There is a fantastic drive through the Snowdonia National Park by continuing up the A470 towards Betws-y-coed. Then take the A5 and the A4086 (if it's open) through to Llanberris. Either overnight here or continue through to Carnarfon for the night and return the next day.
The Snowdownia National Park is the adrenalin capital of Britain although some in Scotland would probably argue otherwise. The highest mountain Mt Snowdonia is the highest in the UK outside of Scotland. The fact that Sir Edmund Hillary and his team trained in the area before his successful assault on Everest  gives you some idea on what the terrain is like. In Llanberris there is one of the oldest cog railways in Wales that will take you up the mountain to give you a taste of the environment they trained in.

A word of warning though. Mt Snowdownia is an alpine area and will kill. Take the appropriate clothing and precautions if you are intending to partake in outdoor activities as the weather changes very quickly, even in the height of summer.

No visit to North Wales would be complete without a visit to Caernarfon. It is here that Charlie was crowned Prince of Wales in 1969. The castle here was built as not only a fortress, but also as a seat of Government. Skulduggery  and double crossing with the hint of the use of a hot poker (Oochh!) sums up the history of Caernarfon castle. If you can get a guided tour here it is well worth it. Check out if they are running at the town's tourist office.
Head North to the island Anglesey for the ferry to Ireland from Holyhead: Although it’s quite tourist tacky just being able to say that you have been there done that is worth stopping at Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrnrobwllllantysiliogogogoch for a postcard as it is the longest place name in Britain.

Heading east across the top of Wales brings you through to the picture perfect town famous for two things the International Eisteddford Festival that brings country and folk acts from across Europe in beyond for a festival of competitive music and poetry and the Llangollen horse drawn canal boats provide one pof the oldest tourist attractions anywhere in the UK.
Heading south from Llangollen awaits spectacular lakes district of Rhayder. Constructed in the 18th century to provide water for the industrial revolution in Birmingham the lakes have been dammed to provide a series of reservoirs. There is a really nice drive around the reservoirs and if time and whether allows track west all the way to Devils Bridge before circling round to continue south towards LLandrindod Wells.

No trip to Wales would be without a stop at Llandrindod Wells. It is here that the World Bog Snorkelling Champs take place each year. So grab your wetsuit mask and snorkel and have ago. Hang round in March and help the Local Toad Patrol help mating frogs across the road to Llandrindod Lake. The excitement is guaranteed every night between the hrs of 8pm and 6am in the last 2 weeks of March.

From here head south through the Brecon Beacons and then west to Kent  or head East to begin your trip around England starting with Hereford home  to the British Armies SAS.