Wandering In Wales

Wandering in Wales

Great Britain offers some of Europe’s most interesting side roads. One of its regions, Wales, is a too-often unexplored corner of the island, at least by the greater number of Americans touring the UK. It is, though, one of the most magical—even mystical—regions, especially in mid-summer. When most of the rest of North America and these days even Europe is sweltering under pitiless temperatures, southwest Wales remains pleasant, with bright, crisp days for walking its cliff paths, exploring its beaches, or touring its castles.



Pembrokeshire in southern Wales is home to miles of protected national seashore. It is also home to a necklace of castles that are among the finest in Britain. Its history is rich with fascinating characters—it is where Henry Tudor, the first of the Tudor Dynasty and father to the now-notorious Henry VIII of the six wives, was born, in a formidable castle at Pembroke Dock. The tiny room where Henry, better known as King Henry VII, founder of the dynasty that reigned through England’s golden age, was born is as fascinating as his father Jasper Tudor’s effigy that can still be seen at St. David’s Cathedral. The cathedral dominates nearby St. David’s, Britain’s smallest ecclesiastical city.


Saint David's Cathedral

It is the stunning landscapes and seascapes, though that most attract. Tenby, a resort town on the southern coast, is a good base for touring the area. It offers a wide choice of small hotels, bed-and-breakfast guest houses, and restaurants at more appealing prices than England’s more eastern coastal resorts. A twenty-minute boat trip from the dock at Tenby leads to Caldey Island and its serene Benedictine monastery. An afternoon walking the lovely, quiet wooded paths on Caldey or climbing the rocky promontories along its edges is a visit to a happier, calmer, safer world. Returning to Tenby, one can find lively pubs to fill a rather rowdier evening, with lots of Britain’s famous ales.

Tenby can be reached from either Carmarthen or Swansea. Frequent trains go between these Welsh cities and London. The most satisfying way, however, to explore the nooks and crannies of Wales is to rent a car and brave driving on the left side of the road along with the British. Not nearly as daunting as it appears, after an hour or two at the wheel, driving on the “wrong” side becomes one of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of a Welsh visit. A car allows stops for drinks or snacks at tiny, beautiful bays like Laugharne, where the twentieth century poet Dylan Thomas lived and wrote, and a visit to the boathouse where he produced some of his most well-known poems.

The food is good as well. Pub lunches and dinners offer moderate priced standards, extended by the wealth of seafood available in these coastal areas. Fish and chips is a great casual choice, but in Tenby, some of the pubs, the more luxurious hotels in St. David’s and in towns like Aberaeron and Fishguard menus will offer choices to suit the most sophisticated tastes.


harbor at Aberaeron

The red Welsh dragon can be seen everywhere, although in this English-speaking segment of Wales known as “Little England Beyond Wales” little Welsh will be seen or heard. But “Creoso y Cymru”—Welcome to Wales—offers a hearty welcome nearly everywhere. North Wales, more familiar to Americans and more frequently included on standard tours, is fascinating in its own way, but this more remote southwestern corner of the country should not be overlooked.