I was talking to a friend recently trying to explain why living and working in West Wales is so good (I moved from England 18 years ago). You may have tried this sort of exercise before and know that sometimes a seemingly trivial aspect can encapsulate an idea. As part of my job at West…
Our secret beaches
I am lucky enough to live one mile from Penbryn beach on the West Wales coast of Cardigan Bay. When I first moved here some years ago it was an irresistible attraction. I swam almost every day in the summer, sometimes from a deserted beach and sometimes watched by an early morning dog walker or…
Everest and the Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire Coastal Paths
I’m sure that we all have somewhat vague and sometimes not very serious ambitions. Mine tend to the physical – climb Everest, cross the Greenland ice cap and other long (and tiring!) walks of various kinds. Since I’ve lived in West Wales and have aged considerably, the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path seemed to be in the…
St David’s Day
The sun is shining, the daffodils are out, it’s March 1st and St David’s Day in Wales. People here wear a daffodil or leek to commemorate Dewi Sant or St David, the patron saint of Wales and there are many events and parades with Welsh flags and the distinctive black and gold flag of St…
My chiropodist, jobs in West Wales and limekilns
My chiropodist, in common with many people in West Wales, has at least two jobs – the other one I know about is being a supply teacher. The economics of living here have always been more difficult than some areas of the UK so residents tend to be versatile and enterprising. Not many years ago…
In Wales we are surrounded by the past
I may be a slow learner but I have to confess that it was relatively late in life that I realised that people can be quite so different. An example of this is that while history excites me, to some people (like Henry Ford) history is ‘bunk’. I like to see a landscape in the…
Cwmystwyth is a must see place!
The valley of Cwmystwyth is a must see for anyone visiting mid Wales. The mountain road from Rhayader to Aberystwyth winds through the valley carved by the River Ystwyth and its solitude and beauty is a joy for anybody who loves wild places. Silver, lead and zinc were mined here from at least Roman times…
A Sunday stroll in January
One of our favourite walks by the sea near our home is the Ceredigion Coastal Path from Penbryn to Llangrannog. It’s only two (quite hilly) miles each way but with the lure of the delights of the Patio Café at Llangrannog we do it as often as we can. Today, Sunday 30 January, was glorious,…
Where is Ceredigion?
A visitor called me recently at our offices at West Wales Holiday Cottages because she wanted to stay near a friend who had already booked a holiday cottage. All she knew about this was the name of the cottage and the fact that it was in a small village called something like Cerdig. She was…