Wonderful Wales

Karla Baker reconnects on a coastal tour of the south-west, discovering easily accessible beauty spots along the way

Rhossili Bay

When I was a child, I went on a comically disastrous family holiday to Wales. It involved two weeks of relentless rain, sickness and an infestation of frogs in our accommodation – yes, frogs. It was the kind of holiday that still gets talked about 25 years later; the kind that leaves your whole family scarred.

As an adult I was ready to blot out that bit of history and return to Wales, taking in the sweeping sandy beaches, characterful ruins and colourful coastal towns that give this country its undeniable charm.

My husband and I began our coastal tour of south-west Wales at Pembrey Country Park Club Campsite in Carmarthenshire. As the name suggests, it‘s right on the edge of a sprawling country park, boasting 500 acres of parkland, eight miles of golden sandy beach and an endless supply of things to do. Plus, if great walks, cycling, a restaurant, crazy golf, disc golf and a dry ski slope on your doorstep isn’t enough, there’s plenty more to explore in the surrounding area.

Here we gow!

Mumbles Lighthouse

A great way to start a holiday in this beautiful region (and somewhere suitable for all weather) is a driving tour of the spectacular Gower Peninsula, which lies to the east of the site. We explored the UK’s first designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (now a National Landscape) in a clockwise direction, taking in the lovely beaches and wild moors as we went. The quaint coastal village of Mumbles was our first stop, before we wound along forest-lined roads, the scent of wild garlic filling the car. It wasn’t long before we reached Rhossili, where a National Trust car park sits on the headland, offering breathtaking views over the coast, and a wheelchair-friendly path stretches for 1km out into the peninsula.

After heading inland and stopping at the Arthur’s Stone car park for elevated 360º views of the moors, we ended our drive in the best way – with locally sourced gelato from GG’s in Penclawdd, enjoyed looking out over the estuary. Perfect.

If you’d like to spend more time exploring the peninsula, Gowerton Club Campsite, which sits about seven miles to the west of Swansea, is an excellent option. This well-presented, family-friendly site boasts 128 pitches (of which 58 are hardstanding) as well as a playground and on-site dog walk. Golf fans will no doubt be drawn to the course at The Gower which offers tee times from as little as £20 during peak season.

Back to Pembrey Country Park, which is well situated for those who prefer walking or cycling to driving. As well as being within easy reach of the main Wales Coast Path, the park marks the start/end of the shorter Millennium Coastal Path. I was particularly excited about this 13-mile cycleway eastwards, as not only does it pass scenic beaches, harbour towns and wetlands, but virtually all of it is on a flat, smooth, asphalt path – making it an absolute joy to discover for wheelchair users.

The route goes all the way to Loughor, but we explored a small section of it from Burry Port, famous for being the landing site of Amelia Earhart, the first woman to complete a transatlantic flight. Parking by the marina, we set off eastwards, stopping at various monuments and ponds along the way. On our return walk we spotted a slipway down onto Burry Port East Beach and, upon discovering the sand was firm enough to support my chair, covered the remaining 300m along the beach, to another slipway at the end. It’s such a rare occurrence to find a wheelchair-friendly beach, so my husband and I take every opportunity to enjoy the sand together.

Sand and castles

Near Freshwater East Club Campsite. Photo by member Richard Simcock

As it turns out, there are a number of accessible beaches across Wales, with Pendine Sands being one of the best I’ve ever come across. Reachable from Pembrey Country Park Club Campsite in under an hour, we discovered a car park at the top of a shallow slope, leading down onto the hard-packed sand.

It’s known for being a practice location for the Second World War D-Day landings, but more so for its historic land speed records, which you can learn more about in the appropriately named Museum of Land Speed. I didn’t break any records myself, but with such a wide, flat expanse of sand, it was tempting to try. The sense of freedom I had while enjoying the views of Carmarthen Bay was indescribable.

On our way back to the campsite we stopped at Laugharne Castle, where we had a great time exploring the ruins, and were reminded once again why we love this slow method of travel. Being able to go at our own pace and stop whenever the mood strikes is priceless.

It was soon time to hit the road and head for our next Club campsite – St David’s Lleithyr Meadow, around two hours’ drive to the west in Pembrokeshire. If you’re prepared to take a detour on the way, you could consider Freshwater East Club Campsite (around 35 miles to the south-east of St David’s). Located within the bounds of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, it sits just minutes away from the golden sands of Freshwater East beach itself, while Tenby and the castles of Pembroke and Manorbier are great for day trips. Another stop-over option if you’re looking for a peaceful, rural break is the excellent Windy Hill Farm Certificated Location near Saundersfoot and its flat, sandy beach.

Our journey to St Davids offered another moment of spontaneity when we rounded a corner to be greeted by the postcard-perfect sight of Newgale Beach under gloriously blue skies. It would have been criminal to simply drive past, so we quickly decided to pull into the next lay-by for lunch-with-a-view, before continuing onwards.

The landscape had grown steeper and more rugged as we journeyed into Pembrokeshire, so we weren’t surprised to find St David’s Lleithyr Meadow at the foot of the jagged Carn Llidi and surrounded by rolling greenery. All the pitches are on grass and the campsite blends in beautifully with its surroundings.

It may be more remote than Pembrey Country Park, for example, but there was plenty to see and do nearby. Walkable in 20 minutes (drivable in three), for example, is the beautiful Whitesands Bay, with its Blue Flag beach, cafe, and fantastically equipped accessible toilet. And only a little further – reachable by car, bus or foot – is the city of St David’s itself.

Little wonder

Time for a selfie – Karla and husband Stephen

St David’s is well known as the smallest city in the UK – in fact it feels more like a village or modest-sized town. Despite its size, it’s packed with historical and cultural attractions, boutique shops and independent eateries.

I highly recommend you begin your visit to the city at the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Visitor Centre at Oriel y Parc. Here you can eat, shop, pick up inspiration for places to visit, and even borrow beach wheelchairs and all-terrain scooters to use across the National Park, thanks to the pioneering Outdoor Mobility Scheme.

We learnt that a ‘must visit’ is the cathedral that gives St David’s its city status. The paths surrounding it are steep, but I managed fine in my powerchair, and soon the hubbub of the centre gave way to echoed footsteps and hushed conversations inside the building. As far as we could tell, only the lowest level was step-free, but we loved wandering between the pews and soaking up the ambience as a kaleidoscope of colours beamed through the stained glass windows.

Vivid colours continued throughout the evening, when we were treated to one final, spectacular sunset from our west-facing pitch. As the sky burned a fiery orange, I thought back to that childhood holiday, and how different my recent experience had been. Thankfully there was no sickness, we actually saw plenty of sunshine, and there were certainly no frogs inside our caravan! Instead, I’d learnt that Wales is a wild and wonderful country full of wild and wonderful things, and that one bad experience should never prevent me from making new memories.

     Illustration by Louise Turpin