Great Escapes - Wales

It doesn't surprise me to read that Wales has been voted the top country in the world to visit in 2014 by readers of one of the planet's leading guide books.  Rough Guides readers cited 'some great mountain ranges, lush valleys, a ragged coastline and ancient castles' as their reasons for putting Wales at the top of their list.  Here is a selection of images that will more than demonstrate what the readers had discovered.

Abereiddi

Snowdonia

Lllyn Fan Fach

 These are some of the places I'm lucky enough to walk each day with my dog, Tyler.

Laugharne

Amroth

And sitting right at the far west of Carmarthenshire, we're just a stone's throw from Pembrokeshire with its sweeping beaches and quaint villages to lily ponds and ancient stone churches.  These images could be mistaken for being any number of places around the British Isles, from Cornwall to Cumbria, but they were all taken in a single county.

Barafundle

Bosherston

Marloes

Pentre Ifan

Porthgain

To celebrate the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s 60th anniversary, they have published photographs they hope will inspire people to get out and visit one of these special views.  You can visit the authority's website to see more and to download some walks around these beautiful sights.

And hidden away far from the pages of Lonely Planet and often known only to the native or the inquisitive are some gems every bit as exciting as Caernarfon Castle or Broad Haven beach.  Here are a few that you can discover for yourself.

Ceibwr Bay

Pistyll Rhaeadr

Llanthony Priory

And because we're proud of our Welsh heritage and association we've got the perfect hat for your little 'un too!  Check out our Red Dragon.

We hope to see you soon.

www.cobwebknits.co.uk

Days Out - Holkham Nature Reserve, Norfolk

If you're looking for endless beach and big skies, the beach on the Holkham Nature Reserve which is part of the Holkham Estate is just the ticket.

Marshes, dunes, beach and wooded areas, what more could you really ask for, totally unspolit.

Wellies might be useful so you don't have to worry about dodging all the riverlets that run down the beach.   

And twitchers won't be disappointed as the area is great for birdwatching. 

If you keep walking towards Wells-next-the-sea you'll be welcomed by the sight of a row of beautifully painted beach huts.  

Wells itself is small, with about twenty shops that will cater for most of your needs, especially that all important crab line.

Days Out - Priory Park, Reigate

Spent a great afternoon in Priory Park, Reigate last weekend. As well as the Priory after which the park is named, there's a lot going on. 

There is a fantastic wooden play area that will spark the imagination of would-be pirates.

A skate park and tennis courts for the more adventurous and fit or croquet lawn for the genteel.

You can wander round the formal gardens in the Priory grounds, stroll round the pond or meander through the woodland area.

And possibly something you wouldn't expect to see. The newly built Pavilion which appears to hover above the grass.  Inside the floor to ceiling windows there's a cafe and in good weather you can sit outside and enjoy the view.

Days Out - Bluebell woods

It may be a little early but this is the time of year when bluebells should be carpeting woods with their ultraviolet colours.

Having lived in Marlborough for several years I was spoilt by the local West Woods and enjoyed many early morning walks, midday picnics and evening strolls amongst these flowers contrasting beautifully with the vibrant green beech leaves.

The Woodland Trust have a great website with suggestions of woods around the country and list their top ten.

Ashridge Estate in Buckingham;         Calke Abbey, Derbyshire;

Garston Woods, Dorset;                    Heartwood Forest, Hertfordshire;

Burroughs Wood, Leicestershire;       The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire;

Hardcastle Crags W Yorkshire;           Glen Finglas, Trossachs National Park;

Coed Cefn, Powys;                          Carnmoney Hill, County Antrim.

And for other suggestions try the National Trust, Woodland Trust or RSPB.

Days Out - Laugharne, Wales

I've managed to sneak a weekend off.  Having explored many parts of Wales, I've never been to Laugharne, home of Dylan Thomas and the village on which he based his poem Under Milkwood, calling the place Llareggub (read it backwards!

The boathouse where he lived for the last four years of his life with wife Caitlin and children is now open during the summer months and has been reinstated to look as it did when he was alive.

A little further along the path is the writing shed where he did his work and again this has been left as it would have looked when he worked there.

And Laugharne itself is pretty too.  You can walk around the foot of one of the many castles in Wales and enjoy the view of the estuary.

 

And if you're going to make a weekend of it, why not try The Cors for dinner.  The old rectory has been transformed into a restaurant, with local specialities such as salt-marsh lamb served in a herb crust on the menu.

Days Out - Hengistbury Head, Dorset

© www.quarrart.com 

As wonderful as the Jurassic Coast is, my favourite beach in Dorset has always been Hengistbury Head, near Bournemouth.  Less popular with sunbathers, probably due to the pebble beach, it's loved by dogwalkers and anyone wanting to breathe in the sea air.

© www.geograph.org.uk 

We like to walk along the beach towards the Isle of Wight and skirt round the Head to Mudeford Spit, with its pretty beach huts.  Rarely up for sale, they can exchange hands for silly sums of money, but with lovely views of Christchurch harbour it's easy to see why they are so popular.

© www.redbubble.com

Continuing the circular walk along side the Site of Special Scientific Interest twitchers may be rewarded with sightings of some of over 300 species of bird.  I've also seen adder, natterjack toads and the land's diversity within such a small area is quite amazing - woodland, heathland, coast, saltmarsh, scrub, ponds and watermeadows.

© www.paulhaynesphotography.co.uk

As I've been visiting since childhood, I remember when the Beach House Bistro was just a cafe and though many will probably love it's more contemporary design, I now prefer to wait until the end of the walk when I return to the car park and reward myself with coffee or bit to eat at the Hiker Cafe.

Day Trips - Compton Abbas Airfield, Dorset

With young children eager to get out and do stuff Compton Abbas airfield, nearby, is just perfect. 

As long as the weather's good, there's always something taking off or landing and with a great viewing platform from the cafe's terrace, they can see all the action in safety.  They often have classic cars and motorbikes parked up in gleaming rows too.

My son loves seeing the pilots when they're all dressed up and I know he'll be begging for a trial flight or lesson when he's old enough.

Lunches are great and it's an ideal spot for coffee and cake too.

And you don't need to take off to enjoy the view.  Just across the road there's a parking spot where you can leave the car, burn off those excess calories and breathe in the stunning scenery from Spread Eagle Hill across the Dorset countryside.