For those located outside of England and Scotland, Wales is still a relatively forgotten destination when it comes to the summer. Yet, when it comes to considering
last minute holidays in places that benefit from wet and windy weather, the Welsh landscape is arguably at its most romantic and dramatic during the autumn months. Here is a quick guide to finding those windswept Welsh gems.
Wye Valley
For a country dominated by vast open space, one of the surprising bonuses of Wales is its compactness. The Wye Valley - which is situated on the border with England - is a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and about as easy to access as an AEOB can get. The area is best known for its rolling hills and limestone gorges that run south from Hereford to Chepstow. It is also popular for those with archaeological interests who are drawn to its numerous caves, standing stones, and the Anglo-Saxon monument: Offa's Dyke.
Glamorgan
The area of Glamorgan now includes three distinct counties: West, Mid and South which cover the Gower Peninsula and Cardiff - the capital of Wales and its most popular tourist destination. The Gower, also a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is famed for its high standard of beaches such as Oxwich and Three Cliffs Bay - and abundant green landscape. The northern area of Glamorgan is distinctively mountainous. Caerphilly is home to Caerphilly Castle, the largest in the country and dating from 1271.
Pembrokeshire
Moving further westwards, Pembrokeshire is renowned for its dramatic coastline that encircles it by almost 270 degrees. However, there is more to the Pembroke coast than sand and sea. St David's is the smallest city in the United Kingdom with a population of less than 2,000, and the rather striking St David's Cathdral which dates from 1181. For one of the best views in Wales, Foel Cwmcerwyn overlooks the Pembroke and Carmarthenshire coast.
Snowdonia
The highest mountain in Wales, Snowdon is around twice the height of Foel Cwmcerwyn, and has thus come to contribute its name to Snowdonia National Park. Snowdonia is located in the North West of the country and covers 838 square miles which includes 37 miles of coastline. The area is visited by walkers and those seeking more thrilling sojourns, such as rock climbers and canoeists. Those visiting must be prepared for all weathers, with Snowdonia itself officially named as the wettest area in the United Kingdom.
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Sarah Maple writes for Gohop.ie who offer
sun holidays and
cheap flights.
