SOUTH WALES

Late Winter 2019 

With spring within touching distance, February feels like a turning point in winter. For me it is always a month when a short break away feels particularly appealing. The weather can be somewhat unpredictable, but the sharp air that fractures the monotony of winter is gladly embraced. Out of season the people fall away like leaves to reveal the bare bones of a place. The beaches are empty and there’s nothing quite like the welcome of a blazing wood fire in a country inn. It happens to be my partner F’s birthday towards the end of the month, so we like to use it as an excuse to plan a trip. This year, we sought out rural seclusion in south Wales. 

‘Wild’ certainly has many nuances in Wales. The landscapes of its south are rich in beauty and antiquity, scattered with ancient earthworks, brooding castles and rustier remains from the Industrial Revolution. Our week was centred around our stay at Bryn Eglur. Tucked away in peaceful Carmarthenshire, it was the rustic Welsh cottage of my dreams. From here we explored the old pubs and culinary delights amongst the fertile hills of Carmarthen, took a poetic pilgrimage to Dylan Thomas’ Boathouse in Laugharne, ventured to the wild edges of the Gower Peninsula and roamed widely across the Brecon Beacons. After moving on from Bryn Eglur, it was in the Brecon Beacons that we spent a night bunking in a bothy that lies hidden in Mynyddoedd Duon, the Black Mountains. 

As with most of our trips to Wales, the Wild Guide Wales book was a prime source of inspiration.