Welsh rare bits
Wales is definitely getting away from it all, achieving that desirable state of being somewhere different, hearing different accents, breathing different air. And for once, it’s easy to get there. Cork-Swansea (www.fastnetline.com) is ideal for exploring South Wales. For those living in the south-east, Rosslare-Pembroke (www.irishferries.com), or Rosslare-Fishguard (www.stenaline.ie) will bring you to the wild beauties of the Gower Peninsula. And of course Dublin-Holyhead (www.irishferries.com), couldn’t be easier for dwellers in and around our capital city.
What takes you aback about Wales is the sheer variety of experience you can find within its borders, whether you’re looking for a romantic weekend a deux, a demanding hike, or a family fun trip. Lose yourself in Swansea’s shopping Nirvana, take the kids to a water park, get healthy in the hills, or try to fit all of these into one weekend. You’ll find more than enough to satisfy. Beautiful beaches, bustling towns, winding lanes, wild stretches of remote moorland, whitewashed farmhouses, waterfalls, cosy tearooms, castles, forests — Wales has it all. Their version of Gaelic, though, looks very different on the signposts. Every place we would put a ‘c’, they throw in a handful of ‘ls instead. Try pronouncing them with a ‘chl’ hiss in the back of your throat and you’ll be fine.
No shortage of accommodation, including all the big hotel chains. Why not make a change, though? Eschew the predictable modern block with Identikit rooms, and go for something magnificently old and beautiful with so much atmosphere you have to push it back with both hands. Like Bodidris Hall at Llandegla near Wrexham, surrounded by the trees and parkland of a vast estate. Built in 1465 it’s a Gothic romance come true. Creaking staircases, panelled halls, stone fireplaces, owls calling across the magnificent gardens in the dusk. Ghosts too, probably. And not very expensive to stay. Downton Abbey, eat your heart out. Website www.bodidrishall.com.
If you stay at Bodidris, dining in the baronial hall will be part of the experience, as will the simply superb food prepared in their kitchens.
Fresh organic produce, subtle herb and spice flavourings (red amaranth was a new and delicious discovery), and an excellent wine list make it very difficult to even think of leaving next morning.
Elsewhere, you’ll find no shortage of gastronomic opportunities. Wales is fast developing a reputation among gourmets for fine dining amid fine scenery, with indigenous cheeses, fresh fish, local beef and lamb. If you get a chance to try laver bread (not bread at all, but a cooked seaweed), do. And did you know they manage to make their own wines in Wales? The Glyndwr vineyard in the Vale of Glamorgan produces fine vintages that have been served in the House of Lords and at European state banquets (www.glyndwrvineyard.co.uk).
Plenty, and then some. If you really must shop on your weekend away, then Swansea has all the big high street names plus specialist stores, boutiques, and traditional arcades. While you’re flexing the credit card, the rest of your group can visit the National Waterfront Museum, or the oldest museum in Wales right next door, housing dinosaur bones and Egyptian mummies. Swansea Leisure Complex has an amazing water park where you can even surf indoors.
Wales is known as the castle capital of the world, so take your pick. Cardiff, Caerphilly, Powis, Harlech — do a bit of planning in advance or you’ll be driving half way round the country. Visit Trefriw Mill (www.t-w-m.co.uk/ in Conwy, not only to buy tweeds and travel rugs, but also to see the old machinery still working and discover the plants traditionally used for dyeing, in their lovingly-tended garden. Fibre fiends would do well to head for Colinette at Llanfair Caereinion to stock up on the most exquisitely hand-dyed knitting and crochet yarns.
Don’t miss Gigrin Farm near Rhayader and the spectacle of the red kites being fed each afternoon. To see these beautiful birds, once extinct in Britain, wheeling and swooping over the grassy fields, is a breathtaking experience and a priceless photo opportunity. www.gigrin.co.uk. And you still haven’t explored the Brecon Beacons, hiked in Snowdonia, tried that quaint little pub you saw by the hump-backed bridge… Better make plans to go back before Christmas.
Getting there (based on car + 2 passengers during November): Cork-Swansea with the Fastnet Line from €196.50; Rosslare-Pembroke with Irish Ferries from €234; Rosslare-Fishguard with Stena Line from €294; Dublin-Holyhead with Irish Ferries, from €309.
Staying there: Double room with breakfast: Bodidris Hall, from €58. Best Western, Swansea, from €85.
Dining there: Three course dinner at Bodidris Hall from €32 per person. Elsewhere, as varied as within Ireland, but at slightly lower prices — yes, even allowing for the currency differential.
Do remember that it’s quite a big region, and apart from the Swansea-Cardiff-Bristol motorway (M4), it is almost all narrow twisting roads. Journeys take twice as long as you thought they would, and at popular weekends, traffic jams are common. But the people are friendly and welcoming and prices have not spiralled as they have here at home. It’s the perfect place for a relaxing weekend. The Wales Rally GB takes place in Cardiff on November 10-13.
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