Wales Coastal Path
And now for something completely different.
I just found out this morning that this weekend sees the official opening of the Wales Coastal Path. This means that it’s now possible – if you have the time, the energy and sensible shoes – to walk the entire length of the Welsh coast. There’s a nice article here that picks out five particularly interesting stretches. One, around the Llyn Peninsula, is of particular interest to me because it includes this picture of ancient church of Saint Hywyn, which is almost on the beach in Aberdaron. The great Welsh poet R.S. Thomas was vicar here for a number of years.
Anyway, here’s a promotional video about the Wales Coastal Path, which gives an idea of some of the stunning views at various points around this beautiful country.
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In the Dark 
May 5, 2012 at 4:18 pm
I’ve walked around parts of the Welsh coast, particularly the area west of Cardiff and the Northwest. Much of this was before the work on the coastal path began, so I devised my own route.
Indeed, I walked along the length of the beach at Aberdaron last year, although the coastal path presumably sticks to the cliff tops in that area rather than extending along the beach itself.
May 5, 2012 at 4:27 pm
I recall a week-long astronomical conference being held in Cardiff in 1998, An “astrohike” was arranged on the free afternoon. The delegates were taken by bus to Llantwit Major and walked to Monknash via the cliff tops, past St. Donat’s Castle. Mike Disney advised the delegates that the tide was out at the time and that participants could walk at beach level if they were careful. Unfortunately, some young Dutch astrophysicists took the advice and arrived at the destination looking very wet: the tide had come in, forcing them struggle to get to safety as waves reached the cliff bottoms.
May 7, 2012 at 10:13 am
It’s probably a good thing that the Dutch contingent didn’t respond to the sea threat by trying to build a dyke. The timescale might have been a bit long.