Wales has been a focal point for outdoor action for over a century, from Victorian climbers in hobnailed boots clattering around the peaks of Snowdonia, to 21st Century wakeboarders skimming across the waters of nearby Abersoch Bay during the annual Wakestock Festival. There are endless opportunities to get your outdoor kicks year round.
From November to Februaury, you have the perfect opportunity to discover the wintry grandeur of Wales’ hills and mountains, perhaps in Snowdonia, the Berwyn Mountains or Brecon Beacons. If you don’t have the experience to tackle the demanding conditions, get up to speed with a winter skills course first.
When winter subsides and thoughts turn to shorts and T-shirts, Pembrokeshire is the place to be – the combination of mild Gulf Stream waters and quality waves means that May will probably see the annual Welsh National Surfing Championships taking place at spectacular Freshwater West.
And even if splashing around on a boogie board is as close as you ever get to surfing, both Pembrokeshire and the Gower Peninsula have got to be worth a visit for their surf scenes.
If you’d prefer to paddle your own canoe – or to be technically correct, kayak – Pembrokeshire summers offer a great chance to explore magnificent offshore islands such as Ramsey and Skomer. Back up in North Wales, Anglesey provides kayakers of all levels of ability with a fine mix of wide sandy bays and dramatic sea cliffs.
OK, maybe water isn’t your thing? No problem – just hop on two-wheels for superb year-round mountain biking at one of the country’s world class purpose built sites – wherever you are in Wales, you’ll never be far from some quality off-road action. Or you could explore Wales from an angle those Victorian mountain climbers probably never imagined – coasteering.
Invented in Pembrokeshire and exported worldwide, this mix of climbing, cliff jumping, swimming and scrambling around the rugged coastline shows that Wales is never short on new ideas for making the most of the great outdoors. Though perhaps that other great Welsh invention of bog snorkelling is pushing it a bit…
Bill Crews is General Manager at the Wolfscastle Country Hotel.
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Hotels in North Wales
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