Surf a guaranteed wave in Snowdonia
Love to surf or want to learn? Not so keen on the early mornings and hanging about waiting for the right conditions? Head to northwest Wales, home to the world’s first inland surfing lagoon, Surf Snowdonia. The setup here means that a manmade wave is generated every 90 seconds – plus, there are wave types for every level, including absolute beginners. All this, surrounded by the glorious scenery of Wales’ mountainous region. It’s around one and a half hours by car from Manchester and Liverpool, or you can catch a train from London Euston (with several route options) to Betws y Coed in under four.
Attend a spoken word night at booklover’s haven Hay-on-Wye
With more than 30 second-hand and antiquarian bookshops, and a festival with a peerless international reputation, the bijou town of Hay-on-Wye, with its narrow streets lined with bookstores, is a literary hub all year round. If you can’t time your visit with the festival, there are many other events throughout the year, including author readings and spoken word nights, and many local bookshops to explore. To truly rediscover the joy of the written word, a stay in Hay guarantees three things: outstanding beauty, true Welsh hospitality and a very, very long “must read” list when you leave. Hay is half an hour by car from Hereford, which is also where one of the closest train stations is located.
Catch your own breakfast at sunrise with local fishermen in Pembrokeshire
The clean and serene waters off the Pembrokeshire coast are home to a veritable fruits de mer of piscine pleasures, including lobster, bass, plaice, crab and Dover sole. Join a local fisherman– if you have your sea legs, of course – and set sail for a sunrise trip on the bay to catch your own breakfast with the experienced crew. In Saundersfoot (just over an hour’s drive west along the coast from Swansea) Four Brothers offers various fishing trips, both for beginners and those with a little more experience.
Have a festival (and more) in Portmeirion
At Festival No 6, the host town of Portmeirion is a big attraction. Taking place over several sites across this gorgeous Italianate village (nearest train station: Bangor), the festival not only has a stellar line up of music acts – this year sees the The, Don Letts and Horsemeat Disco perform – but also offers access to some incredible experiences that you won’t find elsewhere. Try a run through the Gwylit Woodlands, joining a torchlit procession, or hopping into a wood fired hot tub with magical Portmeirion as your backdrop.
Bounce on the gargantuan cave trampolines inside the Llechwedd slate caverns
If you manage to delve far, far below the mountains of Snowdonia in north Wales, you may be surprised to find three immense underground trampolines in the Llechwedd slate caverns (nearest station: Blaenau Ffestiniog). The cavern is twice the height of St Paul’s Cathedral, reached only by a train that takes you down to subterranean depths. This utterly unique playground beneath the earth also has an immense 18-metre (60-ft) slide to hurtle down.
Get high in Pontcysyllte
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, near Wrexham in north-east Wales, is a Unesco world heritage site, otherwise known as the stream in the sky, because it carries the Llangollen canal across the River Dee. At 18km long and 38 metres high it makes for an unmissable walk, with lots of excellent photo opportunities of the surrounding river valley. Or, if you’d rather be on the water itself, you can also cross by canoe.
Get to know the emerging street art scene in Cardiff
Cardiff’s streets have long lost their traditional grey exterior in favour of a technicolour array of murals. The works have been created by an ever-expanding line up of emerging talent, contributing to what is fast becoming one of the UK’s most exciting street art scenes. Must-see works include the animal parade on Crwys Road created by artists HB and Colour Doomed and the immense skeletal beast by artist Phlegm outside Cardiff Central station. For a brilliant introduction, take a self-guided street art walk around the city, created by the Ramblers. If you’d rather get creative yourself, The Boiler House runs graffiti art workshops for all ages.
Visit some of the region’s coolest craft breweries
The flourishing craft ale scene in Wales presents a fine excuse to sip your way through an ever-expanding range of porters, stouts, bitters and lagers. Go straight to source and pay a visit to the breweries themselves, taking in artisan operations ranging from the Great Orme Brewery in Llandudno on the north coast (which also hosts its own comedy and music nights) to the distinctly more urban Crafty Devil brewery’s bar which is pioneering a #cannedincardiff campaign for the Welsh capital.
Up your high tea credentials by taking a lesson in traditional Welsh bread making
You can’t say you’ve truly tasted Wales until you’ve bitten into a buttered slice of bara brith. Made with tea, dried fruits and spices, it’s a great companion to any afternoon tea from Anglesey to Abergavenny. Courses across the country offer you the chance to learn to bake your own, along with other national classics such as the eponymous Welsh cakes – made with cinnamon and nutmeg, dusted with caster sugar and completely irresistible when served hot. Try the Culinary Cottage near Abergavenny for half-day baking courses.
Drive one of the Wales Way routes
If you want to slow down and get headspace, a drive along one of the three Wales Way routes could be just the ticket. Each offers a different view of the country: the Coastal Way spans 180 miles with a sea view extending around the west coast and Cardigan Bay; the Cambrian Way is a 185 mile route that cuts between Llandudno and Cardiff taking in the Brecon Beacons; and the North Wales Way is a shorter 75 mile trip across the north of the country that culminates on the Isle of Anglesey. Whichever you choose, you’re guaranteed to return refreshed.
From craft beer tours to spoken word nights, plan your next trip to Wales by searching for nearby homes on Airbnb
