For the longest time of her adult life, senior journalist Portia Jones associated summer with spending a small fortune on flying to a baking-hot and overcrowded European destination for a pricey holiday 'in the sun' with jugs of sangria. However, now that Wales is experiencing its own scorchio weather, she has decided a holiday at home is simply marvellous.
She acknowledges there are hosepipe bans, no air conditioning and blaring government alerts that take a decade off one's life, but points out the sky is blue, the sun is shining, and the beer garden is calling. Rather than sweating in Benidorm, she is having a wholesome summer at home: camping, paddleboarding, hiking, swimming, living off ice cream and sipping Pinot in pub gardens, living her best hot girl summer life without any airport queues.
The Summer of Staycations
Jones is calling it: this is officially the summer of staycations. She advises readers to cancel their Ryanair flights and have the summer they deserve in Wales. For too long she has taken the epic mountains, old-school boozers, rocky coastlines and castles for granted, but no longer. She shall endeavour to summer there, like it's the Hamptons.
For a classic Welsh summer, there is so much to do, sunshine or not, like relaxing on golden sand beaches, having fish and chips in seaside towns, exploring medieval fortresses like Conwy or Pembroke Castle, and traversing sections of the Wales Coast Path. Families can also enjoy open-air events, festivals like Green Man, and visits to St Fagans National Museum of History, or the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea.
Language, Culture and Castles
Jones notes it's easy to fall in love with Wales, with its unique mix of towering mountains, medieval castles, thriving cities, historic market towns and characterful locals. She hopes visitors develop a newfound love for the language, as everything always seems more brilliant when the sun is out. She quotes the phrase "Cenedl heb iaith cenedl heb galon", which roughly translates as "a nation without language, is a nation without heart". More than a fifth of the population of modern Cymru can speak or use Welsh, and it is spoken over steaming cups of tea, in busy shopping streets and even pubs.
Wales has over 600 castles, including massive fortresses built by Edward I, romantic ruins, and impressive Gothic Revival palaces. Some of the best historical offerings include Conwy Castle, Cardiff Castle, Caerphilly Castle, Pembroke Castle and Caernarfon Castle. The country also has an exceptional arts and culture scene, with many icons hailing from the land, including legendary poet and writer Dylan Thomas and extraordinary actor and Welsh activist Michael Sheen.
Natural Beauty and Quieter Peaks
Wales has outstanding natural beauty, from towering ridges to pristine lakes and sandy beaches. From the rocky crags of Eryri to the undulating peaks of Bannau Brycheiniog and the cascading waters of Aber Falls, there is an impressive range of National Parks and ANOBs to discover. Jones personally thinks Wales has deftly capitalised on its natural offerings, offering exciting hiking and biking trails, kayaking, outdoor swimming, and world-class outdoor attractions.
While places are busy in the summer, alongside tourist hotspots like Yr Wyddfa and Pen y Fan, there is an impressive range of lesser-known beauty spots and mountains. The 467m (1,532ft) high Tyle Garw in the Brecon Beacons, which is 3 miles from the nearest road, is a good shout for a peaceful summer trek. Another favourite is Craig Cerrig Gleisiad, a circular ridge-and-valley walk with the option to take a short detour to the trig point on Fan Frynych. The panoramic views from the summit of remote Pumlumon Fawr in Mid Wales are also extraordinary, with views as far as Cadair Idris, Snowdon and Aran Fawddwy to the north, and the full sweep of Cardigan Bay from Pen Llŷn in the north down to Pembrokeshire in the south.
Beaches and Festivals
Wales' craggy coastline is amongst the most beautiful in the world, with a vast range of sandy shores, secluded bays and pebble-strewn beaches with clear waters for swimming. From Pembrokeshire's golden sand beaches and tiny coves to the windswept Llŷn Peninsula and the Vale of Glamorgan's Jurassic coastline, there is plenty of choice for sandcastle building, sea dipping, paddleboarding, or simply lazing on a sun lounger.
Dreamy Barafundle in Pembs is one of Jones' top picks. Found amid the verdant Stackpole Estate, the bay is secluded because it can only be accessed on foot over the grassy cliffs. The three miles of sandy beach and the famous Worm's Head, which overlooks Rhossili Bay, often top lists of the best beaches in the UK and worldwide. The Worms Head Walk is an incredibly scenic 6-mile trail that starts near the National Trust Shop, allowing visitors to take in stunning views across Rhossili Bay and venture out to Worm's Head – two small islands joined to the coast at low tide by a causeway. Nearby, Rhossili Sunflowers on the Gower Peninsula offers fields of gold for gorgeous shots.
If a quieter beach is preferred, the secluded Monknash Beach is on the Heritage Coast in the Vale of Glamorgan, only accessible by foot and just down the road from a lovely campsite. Heritage Coast Campsite offers peaceful adults-only camping in an idyllic countryside location near the secluded beach. Summer is also a brilliant time for festivals and to experience arts, culture and heritage.
After spending all her free time this summer exploring Wales' best offerings, Jones has realised you don't need to pay a king's ransom for a holiday abroad. She suggests camping right here in Wales, indulging in a spa break, having a caravan stay, or taking a day trip to the beach with your own picnic and enjoying a summer free from airport queues and Ryanair gate agents. She admits she'll go abroad again, but for now she's enjoying the endless summer before the flood warnings start.
