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Walking Holidays in Wales UK

For more information on walking holidays in Wales call activity Wales on 01437 766888 or email fran@activitywales.com

Richard Hope is frequently seen on our screens in various roles as acharacter actor. He has appeared in Foyle's War, Canterbury Tales, Holby City and M.I.T. (Murder Investigation Team) to name a few. Originally brought up in Norfolk and having lived in London for many years, he has now settled with his family in Tenby. With the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path on his
doorstep and a day off from filming in London, Richard met up with local guide Richard Mitchley from Dragon Trails and his assistant Dafydd Thomas to further explore the area.

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is Britain's only truly coastal national park, it covers 620sq km (240sq miles). The first traces of human presence date back 20,000 years and even today chambered tombs and standing stones dating back to the new Stone Age and Bronze Age can be seen. Within the Park is also Britain¹s smallest city, St Davids with a population of less than 2,000. Immersed in history and with such a dramatic setting the Park offers an abundance of outstanding places to explore around Wales' south-western shore.

The Pembrokeshire Coast National Trail covers 299km (186 miles), opened in 1970 it is one of 15 long distance national trails throughout England and Wales, all marked by the acorn symbol. There are easy access paths for anyone with limited walking ability and circular routes, which range from a one hour leisurely stroll to a bracing 15km cross-country hike. Today's walk would be somewhere in between and just a taster of what¹s on offer. A great deal of the trail is cliff top level, so a head for heights is an advantage, though your mind will probably be preoccupied with the fantastic views of the sea, coves and off shore islands, not to mention the wildlife and flora.

It was a cool autumn morning, with only a hint of sunshine from a sky filled with tones of muted grey, as we walked across fields and down through woodland leading to an inlet. Ceibwr Bay is a rocky cove at the mouth of a stream valley carved by glacial melt water. A stone bridge crosses over the water, the beach is pebbly, not so good for swimming, but the scenery is breathtaking. It was going to be the closest we would come to the shore as our trail began to ascend the cliff path.

The first climb of many as the path weaved around the cliff tops, over stiles, down grassy slopes and across several more bridges. Beneath these in the fresh water streams, banks of watercress and mint grow; Richard waded into the watercress patch and tucked in, "This certainly has a bit of a kick, a peppery taste; growing wild certainly adds to the flavour ², he remarked. Not to be out done, our guide, Richard pointed out a mushroom the size of a small plate, "This is a parasol mushroom and it is edible", he enthused, so out came a plastic bag and he slipped it into his back pack to be cooked later.

The seasons of spring and autumn bring fewer visitors to the coast, but the paths are well used by walkers and dog owners appreciating the sheer beauty and isolation, when the only sounds to be heard are the cry of a bird or the wind whistling. From July to November a visitor to these shores is the greyseal and this region becomes the nursery grounds where the pups are born.Our guides, Richard and Dafydd, kept skimming the water and luck was on ourside as they spotted an adult seal swimming in one of the bays. And later, with the aid of binoculars, they were able to point out at least a dozen pups lying amongst the rocks and shingle floor of a secluded bay well below our cliff top vantage point.

When we sat down for lunch, sheltered from the breeze by an old stone wall, I asked Richard if the coastal walk was living up to his expectations. He said, "Although I have been visiting Tenby for the last twenty years and living there for five, I have never walked this section of the Coastal Path even though it is on my doorstep, today had provided the opportunity. Though I did get a bit of a shock once we got across the second stile and saw that dramatic warning sign of a man falling over a cliff, at that point I did wonder what I had let myself in for, but thought I can¹t go back now. One of my interests is geology, so I have been fascinated by the rock formations as well as seeing the wildlife in their natural habitat."

During the afternoon we also saw dolphins, cormorants, a kestrel, a peregrine falcon and choughs. So a pair of binoculars and a bird-spotting book would be useful additions to your pack. Richard, our guide, also pointed out the few flowers that were still in bloom, the white sea campion and blue sheep bit scabies, also wild thyme that left a lasting aroma on your fingers when rubbed. He commented, "You may find it hard to believe that during spring this whole area is a sea of bluebells. It was hard to imagine, though the rusty hues of the bracken brought their own beauty to this season. Stopping for a drink of water or to catch your breath after a calf tugging climb allowed time to appreciate the dramatic seascape that lay all around us. As the afternoon light began to fade the definition between sea and sky began to merge into one, the horizon only broken by a solitary fishing boat making its way home.

The most northerly beach in the Park is Poppit Sands, a large sandy beach at the mouth of the river Teifi backed by sand dunes. It is where many walkers pick up the path, though our destination was the village of St Dogmaels - a charming rural community where terraced fishermen's cottages and marina villas sit on the banks of the River Teifi, (it is here the Coastal Path officially starts or finishes depending on your direction). The last part of our walk was along a narrow country road, to our left lay the estuary - marshes, small boats perched on the mud flats awaiting the tide and once again you could smell the salty sea air. Overlooking a wooden jetty was a well-placed bench, which became our final resting place after our 9 mile walk. Richard, our guide, as lean as a whippet due to so much walking, would have been up for more, but this was a good place to stop and reflect on the day.

I asked Richard if this had been harder than a day's acting. I do cycle, so I am quite fit, some of the sections have been challenging, but this has been a good walk. Although you can't quite relax or else you would fall over the cliff. Away from the cliff edge I could let my thoughts drift and just feel at one, exposed to the elements, that is one reason to be out here. The clarity of the light is also unique, subtle nuances bathe the landscape constantly changing its appearance. We have friends who visit us from all over the world. They come out and walk around the area and are amazed at the dramatic scenery and how the air feels so fresh. And all this for free! Tomorrow morning I will be back on the train to the London. I enjoy my time there, that's where it's all happening and there is so much energy, then I return to Pembrokeshire and the pace of life is slower, people have time to talk and there is more of a community than in the city, so I am fortunate - I have the best of both worlds."

Words and photographs by Liz Barry