W is for... Wales!

Only four more letters left! I can't believe how quickly this month seems to have gone! Well, it's been mentioned a few times now that Jamie and I are both Welsh, so what better choice for the letter W than to talk about my homeland.



Nothing puts a smile on my face like driving past this sign.



Jamie and I are both from the south of the country, although he was a lot closer to civilisation, living as he did in a big town. I grew up in the countryside.



Haverfordwest Castle, partially destroyed by Oliver Cromwell's
forces during the Civil War

Being so far from civilisation (we were at least 30 miles away from the nearest M&S!) had it's upsides, of course. Less than 15 miles in three directions, and you hit the coast. What a wonderful coastline at that! It's a National Park, and has 186 miles of path you can walk along.



On the coast path



It's full of coves and cliffs and small coastal villages, full of history. Events like the last invasion of Britain by the French in 1797. We are also home to the birthplace of Bartholomew Roberts, the infamous pirate.



Newgale Beach

We have beaches for surfing on, like Newgale above, and Whitesands Bay. Then there are the beaches for swimming, and exploring rock pools, and clambering over the bottom of cliffs on.

Druidstone Haven

And then there are the really random coves, full of weird things. Like St Govan's, where there is a chapel built into the cliff-side.



St Govan's Chapel

But mostly what I love the coast for is how beautiful it is.

The Green Bridge of Wales

Of course, it would be wrong of me to only extoll the virtues of my part of Wales only. The North is also very beautiful. They have one thing we simply don't get in Pembrokeshire - proper mountains! I love Snowdonia. I first went there as a kid, and I keep going back. I've stood on the summit of Snowdon (the highest point in Wales) numerous times, although I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that at least twice I cheated and went up on the train. But we climbed it most recently last year.



Here's the view from half way up.



And here's the view from the top, of the path we climbed.

And one more shot, a nod to Jamie's home area:


He's got a castle too. Mine's bigger.