Travel Jottings

My wanderings are urban as well as rural, and several have taken me overseas around Europe and to North America. All have needed at least some planning: knowing what to see and where to stay remain ever present needs. That and remaining ever open to new possibilities have contributed to what you find here. Everything builds up over time, and I hope that the horizons continue expanding to mean that I can continue to share new things with you here.

Some Welsh Locales to Explore

Carneddau from near Bethesda, Gwynedd, Wales

For those considering a visit, I have to say that Wales has much to offer. I haven't made sections for every part of Wales where I have been, but these are the ones that I know best. North and mid-Wales have been the recipient of the bulk of my attention thus far, but sections are in place for Pembrokeshire, Monmouthshire as well as Swansea and the Gower. The intention is that these will grow.

Wales plays host to a few national parks, with the most famous of these being in the northwest of the principality. That's Snowdonia in English or Eryri in Welsh, and the park is shared between Conwy and Gwynedd. Powys has the possibly oddly named Brecon Beacons National Park, looking after the numerous mountain ranges within its boundaries (the Brecon Beacons are just one of these). The proximity of this park to the cities in the south of Wales doesn't mean that there aren't any quieter parts, though you can expect to meet numerous people around the highest hill in southern Britain on a sunny day. After those, there's the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, with its National Trail facilitating the exploration of the stunning coastline to be found around there.

There is more to the Welsh countryside than what you find in its National Parks, and the number of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty serves to prove that point. One that comes to mind is the Clwydian Range in Denbighshire, but it too is not alone. With Wales being as hilly as it is, there are plenty of peaceful spots for those liking to wander through isolated hill country.

All of this should tell you that I have much to add yet. Hopefully, more visits to Wales are in the pipeline for me so that I can build on what already is to be found here already.

Cardiff & Vale of Glamorgan

Of all the capitals in the U.K., Cardiff appears to be one of those that can be overlooked, with London being a world city and Edinburgh's architecture and setting guaranteeing its fame. Also, it is easy to forget that there is countryside and coastline to the south of the city that needs exploring, too. So far, there has only been one night's stay in the city for me, and other occasions have seen me passing through the place. Maybe it deserves better than that.

Cardiff Castle

The Welsh capital city is another city a castle, and it has its fair share of history too, even extending up to shelters from the time of World War 2. On the site, there's a Norman keep, a Gothic mansion house and a bit more. The entry price looked steep when I last looked, but locals can apply for free entry; for outsiders, it sounds like spending a day there would be best for getting value for money from the site. The high prices come as a surprise given that it is owned by the local council nowadays after the then Marquess of Bute handed it over in 1947.

The area around the most southerly point in Wales may not come up that high on my list of visitor destinations, but that can be advantageous too. Cardiff isn't far away, though, so I wouldn't be surprised to find that the coastline and the area's towns and villages aren't enjoyed by residents of the Welsh capital too.

Both of these websites extend their remit beyond Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan, so they are a good starting point for looking at visiting options that include the aforementioned areas along with those such as the Valleys (to the north of Cardiff) and those of the Wye and the Usk towards the east.

Carmarthenshire

So far, I have only passed through Carmarthenshire, apart from an overnight stay in Carmarthen at the start of June in 2006. Looking at the slide show on the Visit Carmarthenshire website, there are plenty of castles to visit, coastline to savour together with a part of Brecon Beacons National Park. After all that lot, there is Aberglasney House and Gardens and I may find more to add here too. Maybe I ought to go and spend some more time here sooner rather than later.

Ceredigion

Depending on whether you use the anglicised or Welsh version of its name, this part of the world is either Cardiganshire or Ceredigion. To my ears, the latter sounds nicer and more authentic, and that is why this section has that name in its title.

Cardiganshire Coast and Country

Lurking on Twitter brought my attention to this independent visitor guide, and it is populated with plenty of alluring photos too. That there is a need for this to complement the official one probably goes to show how overlooked this part of Wales can get.

Pumlumon

Also known as Plynlimon (the anglicised version of the name for those who don't know the vowel sound rules for Welsh), this was an area of hill country that, I thought, would have been in Powys. However, it is Ceredigion that gets the highest hills in mid-Wales, and this website is promoting the sparsely populated area around them. Looking at a map now, this is wilder countryside than is found in other parts of Wales and where two major rivers rise, the Severn and the Wye. That should allow for escapes from stress and strain, and I only hope that those possibilities remain in this part of Wales.

Conwy, Gwynedd & Anglesey

North-west Wales is where you will find some of the best-known scenery in Wales. After all, this is the land of the Welsh 3000's, mountains over 3,000 feet in height. Most of it is within the same National Park, and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty add to the amount of protected land. With a mix of hill country and coastline, there is much to experience here and, well known though it is, there remains plenty of space for everyone who seeks a spot of peace and quiet.

North-west Wales is dominated by the Snowdonia or Eryri National Park, so here is a selection of websites telling more about the place, especially regarding those useful services that anyone needs on a break away from home. First on the list comes from Gwynedd and Conwy councils. Next is one with the added attraction of a photo gallery containing pictures by locally based photographer Dave Newbould. Lastly, we have one with plenty of information and some photos by Derek Fogg too.

Each of these is part of the Beautiful North Wales stable of websites, and they complement their parents with their focus on their individual areas in the same part of the principality. The mention of an English city in one of the titles may raise eyebrows, but it is coverage of the nearby part of Wales that ensures its inclusion here.

Aberdaron

The Llŷn Peninsula is one of those parts of Wales that I have yet to really explore and, though the name is reminiscent of somewhere located in another part of Wales, Aberdaron is but one of the places you'd find there. There are boat rides to nearby Bardsey Island, once a centre of Christianity and still home to a great array of seabird life. There are beaches to be savoured along this part of the Welsh coastline, too. All in all, there appears to be a lot to savour around Aberdaron and the website covers the very things that anyone needs to visit an area: places to see, to eat and to stay as well as things to do. Maybe I should go myself.

Visit Anglesey

For many, Anglesey is that place through which you pass on your way to/from the ferry port of Holyhead. These days, it is trying to promote itself as a destination in its own right. Nevertheless, a reference on the website to Ireland's capital, Dublin, proved unavoidable. After all, it is probably Anglesey's nearest city.

Betws-y-Coed

This is a website of the Betws-y-Coed and District Tourism Association that contains useful information on this picturesque village.

Beddgelert

It never seems to amaze me why a village so pretty needs a tasteless myth to draw the visitor. Is it a poor reflection on us that such fripperies have to be created? After all, the village is in the heart of fine hill country, and that should be enough reason to go there and enjoy what's on offer. That the local tourist association has gone to the bother of creating this website should make the task of planning a visit so much easier.

All of these came to light when I went looking on the web for walking ideas within the vicinity of Dolgellau. the town is not far either from the scenic Mawddach estuary or from the rocky Cadair Idris, so it certainly is well situated. Not only do these websites cover outdoor activities, but one of them also covers what you need to plan a visit to the area and one of those is an information service for locals too. All in all, there should be something here for anyone.

Llanberis

Though surrounded itself by the effects of slate mining, this remains a base for exploring hills that mercifully were untouched by such attentions. Snowdon is but one of these, and the Glyderau are at hand too. There is easy access by bus, so private transport is not needed, and both accommodation and eateries are available for those who need them.

The first of these is a personal site introducing the charms of the area around Llandudno, while the second is the local authority's effort at promoting the town and its surrounding area. The town itself is a noted seaside resort located on a dramatic peninsula with its own hillock overlooking the shoreline below. That guarantees dramatic views, so I now wonder if it was why many flocked here in the first place, when there are other places to gather by the sea.

Denbighshire & Flintshire

For ages, I overlooked this part of Wales, as I am sure that many do. With the delights of north-west Wales drawing you along, it is all too easy to pass its north-eastern counterpart, but you will miss out on so much if you do. After all, there are quieter hills to be explored and Llangollen is a quieter spot apart from the appearance of day-trippers and its annual eisteddfod. Other places are even quieter if that's what you are needing, and who doesn't need an occasional escape from this frantic modern world?

While it helps that Flint has a train station, Mold has good bus service connections with Chester that can aid trips to its nearby portion of the Clwydian Hills which Holywell enjoys the same, and it is found along the coast. There are some notable trails that would draw walkers, such as the Wales Coastal Path and Offa's Dyke Path. With so many passing en route elsewhere, quieter spots should await those who seek them.

For what is a small town, Llangollen is a lively spot. It is a place where festivals take place and the first few weeks of July are a busy time. The pavilion is a year-round facility much like the town's museum, but there also is a nearby canal and a heritage railway, as well as stunning countryside that forms part of the Clwydian Hills and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The latter not only draws walkers like me, but also users of its canal and railway. Along the canal, it is possible to travel using hired horse-drawn and self-propelled canal boats. The second is what remains of the former Ruabon to Barmouth railway line. When the line was mothballed in 1968 following the withdrawal of passenger services in 1964, it was another casualty of the drift towards the private car and is a major loss to this part of Wales; it could be very useful in July when the festivals are running. However, in 1975, a group of enthusiasts began to restore the line starting from Llangollen and continuing west. Progress has been slow, but they have gone beyond Carrog and hope to reach Corwen. Steam and diesel services run most weekends and on weekdays from late spring to early autumn. Among these trains are railcars (or DMU's) maintained and restored by their enthusiasts. You really are free to choose how you enjoy the countryside in this part of Wales.

Hiraethog

As if to prove that Wales is far more than its better-known spots, here's an area to the west of Ruthin that looks enticing in its own right. Now, all that needs doing is figuring out how to get there.

Monmouthshire & The Valleys

There will be some who think that putting the formerly industrialised valleys of South Wales together with more bucolic Monmouthshire is a strange move. For now, though, that is my tack until things bulk out a bit more. After all, the deindustrialisation of the Valleys is making them more of an outdoor enthusiast's destination, especially for anyone living in places like Newport or Cardiff. Even Merthyr Tydfil has plenty of places worth exploring between the town and the Brecon Beacons National Park, and Caerphilly's Llancaiach Fawr Manor could offer a day out to someone interested in how things were in the past.

Blaenavon

This former mining town in the council area of Torfaen now highlights its attractions as a walking destination. After all, it is on the doorstep of the Brecon Beacons National Park and has seen a lot of environmental remediation work over the years. This is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its industrial heritage, so it manages to combine both the attractions of that and its location to make it somewhere worth visiting.

Visit Monmouthshire

This is the introduction to this south-eastern part of Wales by Monmouthshire's local authority. Given that the scenic lower reaches of the Wye Valley (Tintern Abbey of the Wordsworth poem is to be found hereabouts) are to be found here and that it is on the doorstep of the Brecon Beacons National Park, then it should be a surprise that there is something to be promoted to any interested visitors. For those interested in walking through any alluring countryside, there's the Offa's Dyke Path and the Wye Valley Way trails too.

Neath Port Talbot

Both of these websites are provided by the local council and extol the attractions of their local area, especially since this is the waterfall country on the southern edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Escapes like this are well needed since this also is an industrialised part of Wales and the juxtaposition looks strange until you realise that it was what lay under those nearby hills that powered heavy industry in the south of Wales. The decline in such endeavours has allowed places to green up again, and we can enjoy them in a much cleaner and more natural state than was the case not that long ago.

Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire's main attraction is its stunning coastline, and that has been the cause of my visiting the place on two occasions. Those were long weekend affairs, so many unexplored parts remain, especially on the south coast. There's a National Park and a National Trail around these parts, so that says something very good about the countryside and coastline that you will find if you take the trouble to spend some time there.

This is the official visitor website from the area's county council, and it looks fairly comprehensive too. Unsurprisingly for an area with a coastal National Trail, there's information for walkers too, but there are more activities featured than that one. Quite a few land and water-based ones get a look in too, particularly on the council's activity and cycling subsidiary websites above. Of course, information on places to stay is part of the offer too, as is a listing of events for those fancying the idea of attending one or more of these.

Pembrokeshire has some impressive coastline, so that's why there's a national park for its preservation for future generations. The Preseli Hills near Newport and Ceredigion (or Cardigan) in the north also fall within its sway, so it's not all about the coast either. Antiquities such as St. David's Cathedral, Carew Castle (& Tidal Mill) and a fort dating from the Iron Age period are under its care too. Also, it offers information for those wanting to enjoy the scenery in a more active way (walking, cycling, surfing) and has a subsidiary website specifically for this purpose.

Manorbier Castle

This is a privately owned antiquity that is open to the public from spring to autumn and is very well-preserved from any photos that I have seen. It was the birthplace of the scholar and chronicler Gerald of Wales or Gerald de Barri. There are Irish connections too, and I am left wondering if this is linked to the Barry family name that pervades parts of Ireland today.

Pembroke Castle

It today is owned by a charitable trust and is open throughout the year, but this was the birthplace of the Tudor King Henry VII. The latter fact guarantees its historic appeal, and it looks to be well-preserved too. That's not to say that additional effort hasn't been put into extras for luring visitors. After all, events are hosted, tours are given and displays have been installed to add to the sense of history that is here.

Powys

The main reason for Wales not having an internal north to south railway line like other countries is how hilly it is at its heart. That disconnection can make the northern coastline utterly detached from its southern counterpart. However, these hills have a lot to offer and Powys is where you will find most of them. The Brecon Beacons, Black Mountain and the Black Mountains are found within a National Park, but there are many others, like the Cambrian Mountains, that are lesser-known. Though some might like guided walks like those offered by companies like Dragon Trails, the place makes for plenty of quiet spots for discerning hillwalkers who seek out restorative solitude and quietude.

Brecon Beacons National Park

Wales is home to more than one national park, and this is the website of the authority that looks after the Brecon Beacons. Despite the name, there are three ranges of hills here and the central ones are what gives this national park its name. They are also the busiest, and the others offer plenty of wilder country if that's what you need. Well, it's not for nothing that the British Armed Forces have been training in this part of Wales.

Powys Tourist Board

There is much more to Powys than the Brecon Beacons National Park, so this website is a useful port of call. For instance, much of the countryside surrounding the Heart of Wales railway line is not protected in such a way and still remains worth visiting. It is best not to be fooled into thinking that any countryside outside a National Park isn't worth savouring, so anything done to promote all hill country has to be a good thing.

Abergavenny

This town is one that I have visited a few times due to its being on the doorstep of the Brecon Beacons National Park. It also is surrounded by numerous hills like Sugar Loaf, Ysgyryd Fawr and Blorenge so the place is a good stopping point for a walking weekend. That there is a railway station helps for accessibility too and that is not all as you will find by looking at the website for it has a food festival too.

Crickhowell

This village is found to the west of Abergavenny and is surrounded by hills on the east of the Brecon Beacons National Park. The name of the place comes from one of these, otherwise known as Table Mountain in English because of its flat top. There are historic features like the bridge over the River Usk and a long-established coaching inn to go with the various arts and crafts shops and eateries.

Elan Valley

While Manchester turned to the moors to its east for its water supply, Birmingham seems to have looked towards hill country in the heart of Wales instead. Though it's a pity to see steep-sided valleys getting flooded as a result of the construction of substantial dams, it has provided its compensations in the form of an estate of 70 square miles in size that welcomes walkers, cyclists and other recreational users keen on enjoying the delights of the countryside that is to be found there.

Hay-on-Wye

Not only has this Welsh border town (even if it confusingly gains a Herefordshire postal address that suggests otherwise) a bucolic situation, but it also hosts a world-renowned book festival every year. The town's bookshops are featured on this town council website, along with the other information that you need for a stay in the area.

Llanidloes

It bills itself as the first town on the Severn and could be the nearest one to Pumlumon too, though it is about ten miles away. There are other possibilities for walking and cycling around there and the website collects whatever is on offer while featuring the services of local businesses such as Mucky Weekends. With an apparent lack of Sunday services, a company like this could come in very handy for getting around this area.

Rhayader

This is the primary urban centre near the Elan Valley, but that is not the only attraction of the place. Its name in Welsh is Rhaeadr Gwy: the Cataract on the Wye. Sadly, that waterfall was destroyed in 1780 during the building of a bridge. However, looking at the photos on the website gives a good impression of the place, so it might be worth a visit and there's the surrounding area to be explored too.

Pistyll Rhaeadr

It is reputed to be the highest waterfall in Wales, and you will find it not far from the border with Shropshire. You get the sense that the website is the brainchild of a local tearoom custodian, but it is none the worse for that, since various walks are described too. Otherwise, you get the information for planning a stay in the area, albeit for one establishment, but this possibly is a quiet part of Wales. That may explain not only their efforts but also the real attraction of the area.

Swansea & Gower

Swansea and the Gower could not be more different. Even with some regeneration, the former could be seen as somewhere that has seen better times, while the latter has pretty countryside and coastline that makes it something of a genteel world away. The Gower was the first Area of Outstanding Beauty and fully deserves that designation. So far, I have made three visits to the place and there was plenty to remember, even if the skies were more cloudy than was sought on two of those visits. Only the surface was scratched, so there always remains the possibility of my going again.

Despite having the Gower nearby, Swansea never struck me as a base for a walking weekend for a long time. Here, it's the coastline that is the main attraction too, especially when there's Worm's Head for anyone partial to a spot of landscape photography too.

2014 marked the centenary of the birth of Dylan Thomas, poet and playwright. Events were held around Swansea to celebrate one of its most famous sons, and that memory remains now. In the city itself, there is the Dylan Thomas Centre, while the boathouse near Laugharne, where he did some of his writing, is another location to explore his life and output.

Gower Heritage Centre

Everywhere needs its attractions, so here's a heritage centre drawing upon the farming heritage of the area. It's open all year round too, though seeing pictures of Santa Claus in a brochure that's available in the middle of the summer is more than strange. Nevertheless, there appears to be a good deal to see and Three Cliffs Bay isn't that far away either.

Gower Coast Adventures

With a dramatic coastline that plays host to a good deal of birdlife, taking up the offer of a boat trip sounds appropriate, and this seasonal operation is based in Port Eynon on the south coast of the Gower. Last year's prices didn't make it cheap, but it is quality assured by the Wales Tourist Board, so I suppose that quality has its cost.