1. Canoeing Down the River Wye

One of the best ways to explore South Wales, in my opinion, is to travel the River Wye by canoe. Providing River Wye levels are good a trip downstream on a canoe or kayak is a great way for you and your friends to see the nature that Wales has on offer from a completely different perspective. Don’t worry if you’re lacking in the canoeing department, there are plenty of companies offering cheap rental with drop off and pick up services, so all you have to think about is the epic journey that lay ahead of you. A company that I’ve used for many years and would gladly recommend to anyone is Black Mountain Adventure (www.blackmountain.co.uk). You have the option to either take a day trip down the Wye or if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, a multi-day trip can be booked where you will do an average of 10 miles a day down the river stopping at campsites or wild camping bankside (with permission from the landowner of course) each night.

Personally, I prefer to take a multi-day trip. When hiring your canoe, you are provided with two watertight barrels that fit central and to the rear of the canoe. With these, you can store all the equipment and food you need for the days and nights ahead of you. I find this is plenty of room for tents, sleeping bags and food for two people over the course of 4 days. I’d advise packing as light as possible though, you’ll thank me when you have to drag your canoe and belongings up the bank to your camp spot after a day of rowing.

My favourite thing about canoeing down the wye is how close to nature you get and how your perspective changes while on the water. The amount of wildlife you see on these trips is amazing especially over a few days, sitting so close to the water you get a feeling of being with nature rather than observing it. The mornings are the best time to appreciate the river so I believe it’s essential to wake up with the sun, get your camp packed up and be ready to leave as soon as possible. Nothing compares to watching the sun rise over the water while you’re gently paddling downstream and this is the best time to see the wildlife. It’s not uncommon to see otters in the early hours and on one of my trips I was lucky enough to have one swim within an arm’s length of the canoe.

Along with otters swimming past the canoe in the early hours of light, it’s also not uncommon to have sand martins flying around you while they search for insects and larvae to eat. These small birds patrol the banks dipping in and out of the tunnels that they’ve excavated in the soft sand. You can’t get much closer to nature than this and that is why canoeing is one of my favourite ways to explore wales.

2. Take the Four Waterfalls Walk

The Four Waterfalls Walk is located just outside of Ystradfellte in the Brecon Beacons, South Wales. This is my favourite walk in the Beacons and a place I go back to time and time again, honestly, these waterfalls are breath-taking!

Parking for the walk (Cwm Porth) costs only £4.00 and is 3 minutes by car from The New Inn, Ystradfellte. From here you can begin the trail which takes you through the forest and into the valley where the waterfalls flow. The trail isn’t the easiest and gets quite narrow at times so it’s not for the faint-hearted or physically impaired. If you’re feeling fit and adventurous however then this is the perfect walk for you.

Here’s a list of the waterfalls in order of first – last:

3. Climb Snowdon

Snowdon is arguably the most famous landmark in Wales and there is definitely a reason for this. If it’s not already, climbing Snowdon should be at the top of your list of sights to see in the UK. Located on the north side of the country, Snowdon sits in the Snowdonia National Park and is the highest peak in Wales and England. It has many routes for many different hiking levels, and it is the only mountain in the UK where you can catch a train to its peak, making Snowdon accessible to almost everyone.

One of the easier walks to Snowdon’s summit is a trail called The Llanberis Path, the average climb time is 3.5 hours each way. This is one of the more popular paths up the mountain and it takes quite a light route up with plenty to see on the way. I took this route up Snowdon last year and found it to be a relatively easy walk to the summit, my hiking buddy Marley even managed to get up there and his legs are tiny!

Plan your route to Snowdon’s summit well. Be realistic with the route you plan, don’t select anything that will be out of your comfort zone, check the weather before your climb and make sure to do the hike at a sensible time of the year. Make sure you bring your lucky boots with you if you want to capture a clear view when you reach the top, sitting at 1085 metres, the summit sits up in the clouds for most of the year. Don’t let poor visibility put you off though, the climb is very rewarding with great views most of the way up and it’s likely you’ll get at least a brief break in the clouds when at the top.

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