It’s the count-down to the Summer holidays. Are you filled with delight or utter anxiety?
Here are our three must-explore destinations:
We love the summer as parents, and we love our kids. It’s just really hard to manage.
Suddenly our routines are out the window; the juggle (which is a juggle anyway) ramps up to supersonic.
I’ve been there.
Three years ago, I was working my butt off. The whole of the Easter holiday passed without me spending a day with my kids, I didn’t create time for them, and it showed, we were all walking on eggshells around each other. Snappy Crabby you name it.
I didn’t have a break, I was stressed out, and I felt so guilty when I dropped them back at the school gate two weeks later.
Some break I thought.
And I know it’s because at my core, and your core, we want our kids to run free, explore the world around them and have screen-free, unfiltered fun.
Since that god-forsaken holiday, I promised myself that I would plan better. Plan for a lighter workload and plan days out where we can escape away!
We also sneak stays at the yurts or cabin, there is nothing like a glamping experience (especially under canvas) for kids.
Picking up treasures of sticks, stones and pretty leaves, catching bugs, lugging wood in from the wood pile, helping to light fires, picking veggies and collecting eggs from the garden at the Country Yurt.
To top it all off you can run down the woods to find mysterious hidden animals, play sword fights with sticks, wade in the river, build up the dam or create another fort alongside our “Eyore” house.
In the evenings you layer on the fleeces and wrap up by the fire to toast marshmallows and star gaze. Before snuggling down for bed.
It’s the magical world of wild living with comfort, glamping.
But let’s say you’ve experienced all the Welsh Farm has to offer and you need to escape.
Fifteen minutes away is Llansteffan Beach
Llansteffan ticks a lot of boxes, get there early because parking can be tricky. The beautiful little village sits on the mouth of the estuary and boasts a playpark, fish and chips, pubs, beach, woods and a castle.
When the tide is out, we recommend walking around to Scott’s Bay and then back through the woods up to the Castle. If you want to make it a longer walk, head up the valley from Scot’s Bay and you have a round route back to the castle.
From the car park, head right along the beach, as you pass the slip that leads to the castle, there is a shell beach along the cliffs, where we crunch around and race to find the biggest shell, at low tide sea weathered cockle hunters seek their bounty.
From there, carry on around the beach and just past the first set of steps up the cliff, there is a natural paddling pool, perfect for splashing and cooling off in the summer heat.
The round walk to Scot’s Bay continues on, but you may just get stuck by the pool for the day!
If you can make it to the castle then don’t miss the chance to play hide and seek in the ruins. You can go almost anywhere, including up towers and into “dungeons”.
Car Park: SA33 5LW
Download 5 mile Scott’s Bay round walk map here.
Ffynone Waterfalls
Photo credit Andrew Dally @amdally
26 minutes away, this magical 1.5(ish) mile walk will make you feel like you are in a fairy glade. Or you can opt for longer circular routes listed at the end of this section.
This other-worldly waterfall is just South West of Cardigan, so you could pop by for a dolphin boat trip, or to explore the vibrant local independent galleries and antique shops that give Cardigan its boujee, laid-back artisan vibe.
It also boasts unrivalled culinary delights with Cwrst, The Copper Pot, El Salsa street food, Fforest Pizza Tipi and plenty of fresh fish.
Cardigan is a whole other blog post!
Do not visit Ffynone Waterfalls without a picnic - and we will get to why.
These waterfalls are little-known and far less popular than Cenarth Falls or the Gwaun Valley Falls. Local dog walkers are your company as you explore and we found everyone friendly and ever so helpful. If you do come across a local person, ask them about the legend of Ffynone…
According to the Mabinogi (legendary Welsh stories compiled in the middle ages), Ffynone Waterfall is the gateway to Annwfn, an underworld that lies much deeper than our own.
It is said that Pwyll, King of Dyfed, swapped places with Arawn, King of Annwfn (the underworld) for a year and a day using the portal at Ffynone Waterfall…
You can read the full story here https://www.mabinogi.net/pwyll.htm
There are two car parks as you reach SA37 0HQ, take the one on the right, on slightly higher ground. Towards the rear of the car park is a gate and a track, follow it past the old houses (don’t turn left) and you will get to Ffynone waterfall.
There is the perfect picnic spot, you can climb up behind the falls and leap or “bog hop” from mossy tuft to mossy tuft. If you ask me, the scramble up beyond the falls is the magic and the perfect place to get out your picnic.
However, the pool is deep enough for a wild swim. So rolling out a mat and enjoy a feet up mini-feast, or dipping in and out of the pool on a hot summer’s day may appeal more to you….
And you can leave the kids to scramble around and up behind the falls.
But be careful, you may feel like you’ve fallen into Annwfn, the underworld, after a few hours in this beautiful and remote treasure.
Ffynone Falls Walk map 1.56km use points 1 & 2 only here
Ffynone Falls Walk 11km map here
Rockpool at Wisemans Bridge
I think by now you have gathered that we like water.
Wisemans Bridge (SA69 9AU) is dog friendly all year round and has limited parking. So if you choose to spend a day here, leave early, settle in and enjoy yourselves!
My favourite thing about Wiseman’s Bridge is simple. It never gets overly busy. The car park is small, so direct access to the beach is limited.
Because it’s dog friendly all year round, many people come down to walk their dogs and leave or pass through from elsewhere, which makes it a very underrated beach.
There is a pub, beach shop, public toilets and beautiful walks from the beach. The beach itself is pebbled at the top and sandy with rocky areas as the tide goes out.
This makes it a perfect beach for rock pooling. So don’t arrive without buckets and nets! Or buy them from the little beach shop.
From Wiseman’s Bridge you can walk to Coppet Hall and the famous seaside town of Saundersfoot, also known as little Tenby. There you can indulge in delicious food, try your hand at crabbing and don’t forget to find decadent brownies on the beachfront! \
So, everything you could possibly want.
Oh! And this whole cove often has perfect conditions for paddle boarding. Either bring your own or hire one for around £12-15/hour from Coppet Hall here.
Which is the most exciting? Let me know!
Cariad Mawr
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