Travel log: Our trip to South Wales
Featuring 3 spectacular hikes in Brecon Beacons and Pembrokeshire
If you’d asked me how K and I would have ideally spent our first true vacation in two years, I probably would have said in Italy on the beach or perhaps hiking our way between wineries in Slovenia. In other words, a five-day jaunt to Wales was not high up on the charts. But with my in-laws offering to take our dog while we got away, somewhere in driving distance of their home in Shropshire—about three hours away from our home in London—became increasingly appealing. After spending a night with them, we left Macaroni behind and after a short drive, we were in another country.1
Though part of the UK, the Welsh have a distinct identity and language that a growing number of its citizens speak. To get us in the mindset of the historical divide between England and Wales, we listened to an episode of the always-delightful The Rest Is History, which helped contextualize the millennia-long tension between England and Wales. The Welsh, as guest Martin Johnes explained, see themselves as descendants of the original Roman inhabitants of the island, who were suppressed by the Normans (aka, the English). But this divide isn’t so obvious as you cross from Herefordshire into Wales. Most noticeably, the accent is different and there are red dragons symbolizing Cymru, or Wales, everywhere.
We lucked out with gorgeous blue skies dotted with puffy clouds—unusual for these parts—and spent our days hiking and eating fantastic pastries. Below, I share our itinerary, plus recommendations for what I’d do differently if I were to return.
Day 1: Crossing into Wales via Hay-on-Wye
Hay-on-Wye is famous for the annual Hay Festival, a book fair that now has outposts around the world. I was glad to be able to stroll around the town without the hoards that would have come with the festival, which allowed us to poke into the cute shops. We ate at the Hay Castle Café, which had shockingly good food for a museum cafe. K and I both ordered Welsh croque rarebit: a white milk loaf toastie (basically a grilled cheese) topped with Welsh rarebit, a ultra-savory cheese sauce flavored with beer, mustard, and/or Worcestershire sauce. This set the stage for a general rule for food in Wales: lots of dairy and bread, very little veg.
Had we been in Hay-on-Wye on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday, I would have booked a table at Chapters, a tiny restaurant with a Michelin Green Star to recognize its focus on sustainable cuisine. We loved popping into the stationary store Bartrums, a dreamy spot for pen and notebook nerds like me. If you do follow my advice below and rent a house for your visit, the lovely Hay Deli was full of locally made products to stock your kitchen.
Days 2-3: Hiking in Brecon Beacons National Park
We started with two nights at Felin Fach Griffin, a pub with rooms in the tiny hamlet of Felin Fach (pronounced like VAY-lin VAH-kh) that sat at the foot of the Brecon Beacons, South Wales. You can stay with dinner and breakfast included or just breakfast, and I’d recommend skipping dinner and instead driving to Hay-On-Wye, instead, or only staying one night. The breakfast was fantastic, with a yogurt bar with homemade granola and stewed fruits followed by a full breakfast. I learned the hard way that their offering of such a hearty breakfast is not sadistic—you’ll want to load up to sustain your climb up the steep slopes.
Our first full day began with a visit to Abergavenny, a cute market town that has two fantastic bakeries, Ty Mêlin and The Angel Bakery. We bought sandwiches and pastries at both and stuffed them in our backpacks for the climb from the ruins of 900-year-old Llanthony Priory up to a section of Offa’s Dyke Path. This 177-mile trail runs along an earthwork boundary dyke believed to have been ordered to be built in the 8th century by Offa, King of Mercia, an Anglo-Saxon kingdom. This is one of the most spectacular hikes I’ve ever done. After a steep climb to the path, you are greeted with views over both England and Wales, with sheep and horses as your companions and a soft, carpet-like grass path that spans the width of the dyke. Now, my goal is to hike the entire path, descending to sleep in the inns and pubs that dot the borderlands.
What I’d do differently next time:
By the end of our trip, we were sick of rich food and not enough vegetables. I’d start with renting a house (what’s called self-catering here) and make breakfasts and dinners at home with sandwiches and pastries for hikes. This gorgeous rental was already booked but is on the top of my list for next time (though I just spotted it for sale on The Modern House…).
Our second full day we left for Pembrokeshire with a hike en route up the highest peak in Brecon Beacons, Pen Y Fan (penny-VAN). I’m glad we did this simply to say we did, but the trail was goes STRAIGHT UP the mountain, ending in a harrowing climb next to a sharp drop off. I get a vertigo-like feeling in these situations so I was basically crying and scrambling up the last bit (very demure) while K and the much calmer sheep around us walked calmly to the summit. 👍
Days 4-5: Exploring Pembrokeshire
Our final two days were spent at the Grove of Narberth in Pembrokeshire, which was a welcome dose of luxury. They’re famous for their restaurant Fernery and its many-course tasting menu. Old me would have insisted we go, but by the time we arrived in Narberth I couldn’t bear the idea of such a big meal. That’s why, if you do this trip, I’d recommend self-catering in the early days and waiting to enjoy Fernery at the end. Our first day we spent on a breathtaking coastal path near Barafundle Bay. We followed a route on Komoot, but Walk My World has a good guide with much better photos. This walk takes you from lily ponds through a pasture with grazing cows down to the gorgeous beach at Barafundle Bay. Then, you walk back along the cliffs (see the picture up top), feeling like the heroine in an early 19th century novel.
Rather than eat another dinner at the hotel, we found Top Joe, a truly fantastic pizza spot in nearby Narberth and snarfed down slices in a pleasantly exhausted silence.
For the ideal end to an active vacation, we spent our final full day lounging about the hotel. We popped up to Narberth to check out the shops, but they were stuffed with a lot of tat that wasn’t local and my dream of finding special Welsh pottery like Toast sells never materialized. (P.S. if you don’t know the British word tat, meaning cheap, useless, or low-quality, it is worth adding to your vocabulary.) However, it did give us an opportunity to split something from Rock’n’Dough Bakehouse, which makes exquisite patisserie as good as those I’d had in Paris two weeks before. Skip the Instagrammy flavors like cookie dough and salted caramel and go instead for a classic.
Our final treat was afternoon tea back at the Grove. It was good, but not as special as many I’ve had (the best so far was at The Bath Priory in Bath). However, if you’re into black tea, I do recommend ordering the brand they serve at the hotel, JING Tea, which puts my daily cup of Yorkshire Red to shame.
Day 6: Drive back through Herefordshire
En route back to K’s parents in Shropshire, we stopped for Sunday lunch at The Bull’s Head in Craswall, Herefordshire. K navigated like a champ down two-way roads the width of our car, which were socked in with thick fog and mist. We were rewarded upon arrival with a crackling fire next to our table and one of the best roasts I’ve had in a long time. On my cooking agenda: recreating their roasted hispi cabbage with a buttermilk herb dressing. You can stay in tiny cabins next to the pub, and if I were going to redo this trip, I’d end with a night there to hike up to Offa’s Dyke again.
As most of you reading this are based in the US, I imagine that a trip to Wales might seem like a silly way to spend limited vacation days or a less magnificent way to spend your time in the British Isles than Scotland or Cornwall. Having been to neither, my case is partial, but I’d say the untouched beauty is worth the visit. Many fewer tourists make it out this way, and that is to your benefit on the wonderful trails. Let me know if you go, I’d love to hear what you think!
Driving straight from our place in London, Hay-on-Wye is just under 4 hours away.
Now I want to go to Wales..it looks so beautifully green and lush! And everywhere you went looks so quaint. Thanks for the write up.