Honorary Welshman Sean Fletcher wants you to discover Wales’s wild West
Claire Webb - 30 July 2020
Wonders of the Coastal Path
Thursday 8pm ITV July 2020
Wales was the first country in the world to have a footpath wiggling all the way around its coastline. Opened in 2012, the 870-mile Wales Coast Path stretches from Flintshire in the north to Chepstow Castle in the south. Countryfile and Good Morning Britain presenter Sean Fletcher has been sampling its myriad sights for ITV’s Wonders of the Coast Path (shown in May on ITV Wales).
“It’s very easy for us to lose sight of what’s under our nose,” says Fletcher, who describes himself as “an honorary Welshman” because his wife, documentary-maker Luned Tonderai, is Welsh and he’s learnt the language. “Particularly now, when lots of people don’t want to travel abroad or can’t afford to, we shouldn’t overlook the amazing places you can visit in the UK without having to fly. This series shows some of what Wales has to offer – breathtaking scenery, but also history, wildlife, adrenaline-fuelled activities and amazing food.”
From 3 August, pubs, cafés and restaurants in Wales should be able to serve customers indoors, and holiday accommodation is open. Now Wales is welcoming visitors again, why not follow in Fletcher’s footsteps and explore its coast path?
TIME THE TIDE AT WORM’S HEAD
“My parents-in-law live in south Wales and we do a lot of walking when we visit,” says Fletcher. “Our go-to spot is the Gower Peninsula and my favourite walk is to Worm’s Head, a long tidal island at the westerly tail of the peninsula. “It’s a really special place, but you can only reach it at low tide, so you have to time your walk carefully,” he warns. “The causeway is rocky and slippery, so it’s a bit of an adventure – especially on days when you’re battered by the wind! Apparently Viking invaders named it ‘Wurm’, which means ‘dragon’. because it’s shaped like a giant sea-serpent.”
Worm’s Head juts out from Rhossili Bay, which, with its three miles of sand, has been named the best beach in Europe. It’s a two-mile walk from the National Trust car park at Rhossili to the end of Worm’s Head and the causeway is only accessible for two and a half hours either side of low tide. Between 1 March and 31 August, the island’s outer “hump” is closed to protect nesting seabirds.
STEP INTO HISTORY AT HARLECH
“There are more than 600 castles in Wales and Harlech Castle on the Snowdonia coast is one of the most spectacular, especially if you’re there on a beautiful day,” says Fletcher. “Its battlements spring out of a near-vertical crag, like a scene from a movie. You feel like you’re stepping back in time as you walk around the battlements – and the view is amazing.” Harlech Castle is the most formidable of the four castles built by Edward I in north Wales and the setting for many an epic medieval siege. It inspired the rousing song Men of Harlech. The castle reopens on 6 August, for online bookings only: see cadw.gov.wales
GO DOLPHIN SPOTTING
“Cardigan Bay is home to Britain’s largest population of bottlenose dolphins and there are dolphinwatching boat trips from New Quay,” says Fletcher. “When I went out, a dolphin popped up less than ten metres from the boat, and genuinely looked at me and I looked at it. And then it swam off to join the rest of the pod and we kept up with them in the boat. That was a real highlight. I felt like I was in Florida.” Stretching from the hook of the Llyn Peninsula in the north to St David’s Head in Pembrokeshire, Cardigan Bay has 60 miles of coast, 30 beaches and more than 250 dolphins. It’s possible to see dolphins all year round and all along the bay’s coastline, but the best place to spot them is New Quay in summer – you can even see them from the pier. You may also spot grey seals and harbour porpoises and – if you’re very lucky – orcas and humpback whales.
GO STARGAZING ON THE LLYN PENINSULA
“With its volcanic hills and breathtaking beaches, the Llyn Peninsula is Wales’s Land’s End and a great place to see the starry night skies,” says Fletcher. “Our stargazing spot was a hill perched on the very tip of the peninsula, Uwchmynydd, which is one of the best places in Britain to photograph the Milky Way as it’s miles from the nearest village or streetlamp. I must admit, I thought stargazing might be a bit dull, but it was a really magical experience.” There are dark sky parks and discovery sites all over Wales, and Snowdonia and the Brecon Beacons have both been designated International Dark Sky Reserves. And places designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, such as the Isle of Anglesey and the Gower Peninsula, also offer fabulous star-gazing. What are you waiting for?
Wales was the first country in the world to have a footpath wiggling all the way around its coastline. Opened in 2012, the 870-mile Wales Coast Path stretches from Flintshire in the north to Chepstow Castle in the south. Countryfile and Good Morning Britain presenter Sean Fletcher has been sampling its myriad sights for ITV’s Wonders of the Coast Path (shown in May on ITV Wales).