Walking the South Coast of Wales
A blog that walks along different sections of the 870 mile long Wales Coast Path
Links of Interest Along the Wales Coast Path/Getting to and Around Wales
Follow me on Twitter : @HobbyBarnBobby
Second Severn Crossing
Other sites of interest (I’ll be adding to this). The Feast of Festivals page over on the Wales Coast Path site lists festivals, not many links though.
1. General
2. Getting to/around Wales
3. Geographic: South Wales
(Mid Wales Geographic: Powys)
4. Geographic: West Wales
5. Geographic: North Wales
6. Production
GNU Free Documentation License
Of course, the links are to third party sites, and while I strive to keep them accurate, I am not responsible for the content, though if you notice they are out of date, let me know and I’ll make corrections, thanks!
General
Sign with Cadw Symbol
Wales’ National Parks: Published in July, 2013, this has some specific events and dates for the summer it was published, but I’ll leave it up to give you an idea of the various things to do and places to visit.
Rhod Gilbert Show: Rhod Gilbert’s Saturday show on BBC Radio Wales. Not about walking, just good fun.
Cadw : The historic environment service of the Welsh Government that is responsible for the upkeep of all things old (castles, ruins, burial grounds, etc).
Ramblers Cymru : A walking group that campaigns for public Rights of Way, among other things.
Visit Wales: If you’re going to be a tourist in Wales, this is the spot to find all sorts of information. Visit Wales has also added an interactive aspect of their website, you can view it here.
Natural Resources Wales : This is the “Enjoy the outdoors” page on their site, offering up outdoor information.
We Climb Mountains: Macmillan Cancer Support sponsors fundraising walking events.
Literature Wales: Among other things, they organize literary tours in Wales.
Nick Sarebi: Using a Creative Commons attribution I was able to include two of Serabi’s photos in episode 5. This link is to the “Cardiff in the Eighties” Flickr folder.
Celtic Trails: They offer assistance with self-guided tours. As their site says, “There’s no need to spend hours trawling the internet for places to stay en route. As well as directing you to Britain’s best trails, we’ll also recommend where to stay and where to eat every night of your itinerary.” Note that they also organize tours around Britain and Ireland.
Getting to/around Wales
Traveline Cymru: I thought the Journey Planner was ornery, but it does have updated travel info.
Air
Important note: If you’re heading to Wales via Heathrow, you don’t have to go into London, which is heading east, not west. You can take the RailAir bus, heading west to Reading, where you can catch a train to Wales. This route means you can be in Wales a couple of hours after landing, instead of spending a few hours getting into, and out of, London (and going through Reading anyhow).
Likewise, if you are taking the coach to Wales, head to Heathrow’s Central Station and catch a lift directly to Wales. Again, there is no need to go into London (unless you want to, of course).
For Heathrow coach info, click here.
Wales is served by Cardiff International Airport. Other nearby airports include Bristol and Heathrow for south Wales, as well as Birmingham and Manchester for north Wales.
Train
The Train Line let’s you type in your location, and where you want to go in Wales, and voila.
Coach (bus)
More to follow.
Car
More to follow.
Horse
For a link to various horse riding locations, click here.
Ferry
Here’s an idea, why not plan your Wales Coast Path Walk to include a side, day-or-two-trip to Ireland?
Dublin to Holyhead Ferry (4 Sailings Daily, 2 hour crossing)
Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead Ferry (8 Sailings Weekly, 2 hour 15 minute crossing)
Rosslare-Pembroke Ferry (14 Sailings Weekly, 4 hour 1 minute crossing)
Rosslare to Fishguard Ferry (14 Sailings Weekly, 3 hour 15 minute crossing)
Geographic: South Wales
Monmouthshire Walking Festival: Run by volunteers, this “not for profit” organisation’s aim is to promote the enjoyment of walking in Monmouthshire, the array at the beginning of this series.
Monmouthshire County Council: Tourist information from Monmouthshire County Council, the area featured at the beginning of this series.
Monmouth Raft Race: Running for close to fifty years, this annual charity race paddles down the River Wye, featured in episode 1.
Inlaid map of Wales at the Chepstow end of the Wales Coast Path
Newport
Newport City Council: Tourist information for in and around Newport, featured in episode 3.
Friends of Newport Transporter Bridge: This site contains information on opening times for the Transporter Bridge, seen in episode 3. If it is open, you can use it to take a short cut across the River Usk. But is taking short cuts really what your walking tour is about?
The Riverfront: In Newport’s city centre, not far from the route of the Wales Coast Path, The Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre is beside the River Usk, and three Art Gallery spaces and more, with a programme of performances, film screenings and exhibitions, to a name a few of their events that you can check out on a pit stop.
The Riverfront reflected on the Usk. Photo: The Riverfront.
Caerleon: The partially excavated ruins of Isca August, a Roman legionary fortress and settlement, lie on the northern outskirts of Newport, in the village of Caerleon. As well as boasting that it’s the fabled birthplace of some of King Arthur’s friends kicked about, it does actually have the Caerleon Roman Fortress and Baths, run by Cadw, the National Roman Legion Museum, run by National Museums Wales, and other neat stuff, like the ruins of a Roman Amphitheater.
Cardiff
Visit Cardiff: Tourist information about Cardiff, featured in episode 4.
The Doctor Who Experience: Originally located in London, this permanent exhibit on all things The Doctor is now located in Cardiff. The link is to the “How to Get There” section of their site, listing off travel by road, rail, bus, boat and air. Thing is though, you should know that if you are walking along the Wales Coast Path, it passes right in front of the building. So plan a detour before you walk over the barrage.
The Doctor Who Experience, approaching from the Cardiff side of the barrage.
Other Cardiff sites to be added shortly: Flatholm Island, Millenium Stadium, St. Fagan’s, Arcades
Vale of Glamorgan
Visit the Vale of Glamorgan: Tourist information about the the Vale of Glamorgan, featured in episodes 6, 7 and 8.
Vale of Glamorgan Walking Festival: This walking festival is organized by the charity Valeways (see below).
Valeways: From their website: “…a volunteer based project for the maintenance, protection, preservation and promotion of public rights of way in the Vale of Glamorgan.” You can find out about walks they are organizing by visiting their site, or on twitter: @valeways.
Bridgend
The BridgendBites site is an excellent resource for ongoing events in and around Bridgend, including information on the Porthcawl Interceltic Festival, “The Celtic Festival of Wales with Celtic music, song and dance from Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Cornwall, Brittany and the Isle of Man. A weekend of non-stop concerts, dances, workshops, legendary sessions and Saturday’s colourful “Parade of the Celts” through Porthcawl town centre finishing at the Grand Pavilion.”
Porthcawl Interceltic Festival
Neath Port Talbot
Neath RFC : If you’re looking for local sporting events, check out the Neath Rugby Football Club
Swansea
Geographic: West Wales
Carmarthenshire
Radio Carmarthenshire: This is the local (Llanelli) radio station’s “What’s On” page, which lists local events, staying away from businesses that are promoting their own commercial interests. Not that those interests might necessarily be a bad thing, just that their focus is on community events that you might like to check out to catch a flavour of life in Carmarthenshire while you’re visiting. There is also a “Listen Live” button, if you would like to tune in online before your trip.
Llanelli Wetlands Centre: Run by the The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT), the Llanelli location is right on the route of the Wales Coast Path and they have a “What’s On” page, listing events that you could tie in with your walk. Here’s a short video:
Discover Carmarthenshire: This is the “What’s On” page for this site, with tabs for each month of the year, their home page can be found here.
Brown’s Hotel, Laugharne
Laugharne: If you’re planning a literary tour of Wales you won’t want to miss this important stop in Dylan Thomas country. With the Boat House, Brown’s Hotel and Thomas’s grave, there’s plenty to see and do along “the heron/Priested shore.”
Follow the Romans: This brochure lists off various Roman sites around Carmarthenshire, generally up from the coast and worth side trips if you are looking for a change while walking the Wales Coast Path.
Cwmcrwth Farm was featured in the sixth episiode of ITV’s Coast and Country
Cwmcrwth Farm Holiday Cottages : Near Llandeilo in Carmarthenshire, quote from their site: “The perfect farm holiday in West Wales for visitors of all ages.” Click on the “Catch up” screen shot (just above) to see episode 6 of ITV’s Coast and Country, which features a trip to the farm.
Photo Courtesy of Cwmcrwth Farm Holiday Cottages
Pembrokeshire
Ceredigion
Age Cymru Ceredigion: This group provides services and support for older people, including organizing a coastal walk fundraising challenge.
New Quay. Courtesy of Age Concern Cymru
New Quay: This site for the town of New Quay, located in west Wales on Cardigan Bay, has a number of interesting links, including Llangrannog (see photo/link below), Llanerchaeron House, and other beaches along the bay.
Llangrannog, near New Quay
Powys
MOMA Festival: While Powys is in central Wales, look closely at the map and you’ll see that the Dovey Valley separates Ceredigion and Gwynedd. The Dovey River and the Wales Coast Path both run through Machynlleth, in Powys, where they have a music festival you can enjoy, if you time your walk right. According to the site, the festival is, “…a unique week of music making that includes jazz from Zoe and Idris Rahman, The Côr Godre’r Aran Male Voice Choir, talks, congregational hymn singing and a final four days of inspiring classical concerts.” For information on the festival, and other events/places of interest in and around Machynlleth, click here
top
Geographic: North Wales
North Wales Path
The North Wales Path: This path is 60 miles (97 km) in length, running from Bangor (Gwynedd), through Conwy, to Prestatyn (Denbignshire), if you’re walking from the west. It overlaps/crosses sections of the Wales Coast Path and it’s way-mark looks like this:
North Wales Path Waymark
The link above is to the Conwy Borough Council page with info on the path.
Gwynedd
Aberdovey: Located on the north shore of the Dovey estuary, Aberdovey is accessible by rail and has many events through the year that you can plan your walk along the coast around, including Dovey Fest, Lifeboat Week and a sandcastle competition for the kids.
Aberdovey Strand, Wikipedia
Barmouth Walking Festival: One of many events and attractions in and around Barmouth, a seaside town on the west coast of North Wales. “The Walking Festival is a well established event organised by Barmouth Publicity Association to take advantage of the fabulous walks and dramatic landscape accessible from Barmouth…” Check out the beach, below, and for other events in the area, click here.
Barmouth Estuary © Crown copyright (2013) Visit Wales
Gwyl Caernarfon Festival: A number of events are held in the town during the festival, held in the summer, in and around Caernarfon Castle.
Criccieth Festival: If you’re rambling along the Llŷn Peninsula in Gwynedd during the summer, check out the Criccieth Festival, listed as, “a week of music from choirs to jazz.” According to Wikipedia, “The town lies 5 miles (8 km) west of Porthmadog, 9 miles (14 km) east of Pwllheli..”, so it would be a nice way-point along your trip, or as a base to check out the coast while you’re at the festival.
Gwledd Conwy Feast: Held in the autumn, this, according to their site, is “A celebration of food, music and arts set in the medieval riverside town of Conwy.”
Photo copywrite: http://www.conwyfeast.com/
Wakestock: A little further along the Llŷn Peninsula is the location of Europe’s largest wakeboard music festival, that combines those two things. Most of the links on the website were broken when I checked it out, but this Daily Post article is about it.
Isle of Anglesey
Anglesey is where you’ll find Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
Also known as Llanfair PG. To learn how to pronounce it, check out the village website.
Isle of Anglesey Walking Festival: During this Walking and Outdoor Festival you can “…see and learn about the beautiful island of Anglesey with its many myths and legends. Visit quaint coastal and rural villages with their tales of shipwrecks and ghosts and explore the island’s industrial heritage on the Holyhead and Copper Coin tours.” The have guided walking and bus tours, as well as organized bike tours. A list of their walks can be found here.
Photo: Isle of Anglesey Walking Festival
Conwy
North Wales Path: The Conwy County Borough Council page with information and maps about the the North Wales Path.
North Wales Path Waymark
Conwy River Fest: With racing for cruising yachts, dayboats and small cruisers, classic boats and much more, “The Conwy River Festival (CRF) started in 1993 as a celebration of the relationship between the historic town of Conwy and its majestic river estuary. Over the years the Festival has grown and developed to reflect many different aspects of that relationship, both ancient and modern. Nowadays CRF runs for a full week and offers an array of water-based activities plus shoreside entertainment for all the family. ” (Quote from their website.) There is something for all, whether you want to take part, or would like to watch the boats as you walk the Wales Coast Path.
Photo: Linda Lee
Three Castles Welsh Classic Trial: If your trip along the Wales Coast Path is based around the Conwy town of Lllandudno, you might want to keep an eye out for the Three Castles Welsh Classic Trial. It’s a festival of classic cars, and the, “…action takes place over four days and nights close to midsummer, when the daylight is at its longest.” Note that while it is based out of one location, it has events across North Wales. Just something to keep in mind if you’re in the area and are wondering why all the classic cars are going past/nearby, as this short clip shows, posted by St. George’s Hotel:
Trefriw: A link to the Trefriw Walking Festival, on the community site for Trefriw, in the Conwy Valley, North Wales.
Photo Courtesy of Trefriw Community Website.
Denbighshire
Offa’s Dyke Path: The northern end of this 177 mile path is in Prestatyn, Denbighshire.
Prestatyn Carnival, July: If you’re planning a trip along the Offa’s Dyke Path, why not plan it to coincide with the summer carnival in Prestatyn?
Prestatyn Carnival
Flintshire
Visit Flintshire: The Gateway to Wales, the website has information about “…castles and heritage, culture and countryside, where to stay and lots more.”
Flintshire
Walking in Flintshire: A nice pick that is part of the above site, features many walks in Flintshire, with printable Pdfs, including information on Wat’s Dyke Path, that runs inland from Holywell, near the coast, to Llanymynech, in Powys. A total of 61 miles (99 kilometres), the direct link to their site is here.
Wat’s Dyke Way waymark
Flintshire Events Listings: This site, hosted by Flintshire County Council, list current events that are going on in the county. All very local stuff, if you a looking at capturing some of the flavour of the area while visiting.
Production
Humber School for Writers: Part of Humber College’s School of Creative and Performing Arts, the School for Writers offers on- and off-campus programs.
School of Media and Design: Part of Algonquin College in Ottawa, the School of Media and Design offers degrees and diplomas related to projects like this one.
Saw Video: The Saw Video Media Arts Centre in Ottawa offers workshops on video production, post-production and all things production related. Among other items.
Text, photo and video credits as attributed, all other items are © Brendan McNally, Desdechado Productions
Walking the South Coast of Wales 
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