Day tripping in Wales
 

I am going to be spending 4 nights in Wales, and was wondering about a
strategy. I would prefer not to drive - lack of confidence on driving on the
opposite side of the road! - and would prefer to go to a city like Swansea
or Cardiff and just do day trips via coaches from there, perhaps switching
cities once instead of spending every night in a new place. Is there a list
of such day trip opportunities or perhaps a company web site I could browse
to see what trips are available?

Thank you,
Scott

Re: Day tripping in Wales
 

On Wed, 16 Apr 2003 16:29:14 -0400, "Scott Stoecker"
wrote:

    >I am going to be spending 4 nights in Wales, and was wondering about a
    >strategy. I would prefer not to drive - lack of confidence on driving on the
    >opposite side of the road! - and would prefer to go to a city like Swansea
    >or Cardiff and just do day trips via coaches from there, perhaps switching
    >cities once instead of spending every night in a new place. Is there a list
    >of such day trip opportunities or perhaps a company web site I could browse
    >to see what trips are available?
    >Thank you,
    >Scott

Have a search on our site, or post a message on the forum... if you do
go on a trip from one of those places... see if you can take in
Pembrokeshire on one of them - there's a superb coastline to be
enjoyed there...

Aaron

Chat about any travel on http://www.aardvarktravel.net/chat or
submit your travel site to our travel search engine... FREE!!
( http://www.aardvarktravel.net and click on 'Add Your Site'.

Re: Day tripping in Wales
 

"Scott Stoecker" wrote in
news:[email protected]:

    > I am going to be spending 4 nights in Wales, and was wondering about a
    > strategy. I would prefer not to drive - lack of confidence on driving
    > on the opposite side of the road! - and would prefer to go to a city
    > like Swansea or Cardiff and just do day trips via coaches from there,
    > perhaps switching cities once instead of spending every night in a new
    > place. Is there a list of such day trip opportunities or perhaps a
    > company web site I could browse to see what trips are available?
    >

I have recently moved to Cardiff. There's plenty here to keep you
entertained for a couple of days. There is a very good local bus service
to places such as Castle Goch and the St Fagans Heritage Centre.

There's also a good museum/art collection in the civic centre.

We have been basking in a heatwave for some weeks now. 25C today. 22C
predicted for tomorrow. I went for a walk in the huge Bute Park this
afternoon. So nice to have a huge open space in the city centre.

Have a look at www.cardiff.gov.uk

As others have said, the scenery in Wales is spectacular. Pembroke Coast,
Brecon Beacons, Snowdonia and on & on. Go on, hire a car, you will not
regret it.

--
[email protected]

BMW R1150GS

Re: Day tripping in Wales
 

sgwennodd "Scott Stoecker" yn neges
news:[email protected]...
    > I am going to be spending 4 nights in Wales, and was wondering about a
    > strategy. I would prefer not to drive - lack of confidence on driving on
the
    > opposite side of the road! - and would prefer to go to a city like Swansea
    > or Cardiff and just do day trips via coaches from there, perhaps switching
    > cities once instead of spending every night in a new place. Is there a
list
    > of such day trip opportunities or perhaps a company web site I could
browse
    > to see what trips are available?
I probably wouldn't come to Wales for the cities - apart from St David's -
which is _tiny_. It's the countryside + scenery! By sticking to just Cardiff
and Swansea, you're limiting yourself to south Wales really. The Penrhyn
Gwyr/Gower Peninsula by Swansea is well worth going to, as is the far
south-west - Pembrokeshire national park and the Preseli mountains.
I don't know what coach trips there are down there - but I do know that
you'll get lots of them up in north Wales from Llandudno! Off the top of my
head there's usually Snowdonia/Eryri national park, a few castles
(Caernarfon, Conwy, Biwmares), Anglesey/Mon, and there's no trouble finding
them - except on the web of course!

hwyl!
geraint.

Re: Day tripping in Wales
 

Scott Stoecker wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I am going to be spending 4 nights in Wales, and was wondering about a
    > strategy. I would prefer not to drive - lack of confidence on driving on
the
    > opposite side of the road! - and would prefer to go to a city like Swansea
    > or Cardiff and just do day trips via coaches from there, perhaps switching
    > cities once instead of spending every night in a new place. Is there a
list
    > of such day trip opportunities or perhaps a company web site I could
browse
    > to see what trips are available?
    > Thank you,
    > Scott
Its been a while since I lived in the area, but I don't think its really the
sort of place to get around on public transport. I would hire a car - its
not that hard - just drive on the same side as everyone else ;-).

If you have your own transport you could explore the Gower Penninsula,
Brecon Beacons and the ex-coal mining valleys (much nicer than they sound.
You'll also get to meet more people than on a coach trip - Welsh people can
be charming.

Re: Day tripping in Wales
 

sgwennodd "John Stolz" yn neges
news:[email protected]...

    > You'll also get to meet more people than on a coach trip - Welsh people
can
    > be charming.
What do you mean "can"? We _are_ charming.
    :-P

hwyl!
geraint.

Re: Day tripping in Wales
 

"geraint" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

    > I probably wouldn't come to Wales for the cities - apart from St David's -
    > which is _tiny_. It's the countryside + scenery! By sticking to just
Cardiff
    > and Swansea, you're limiting yourself to south Wales really. The Penrhyn
    > Gwyr/Gower Peninsula by Swansea is well worth going to, as is the far
    > south-west - Pembrokeshire national park and the Preseli mountains.

I agree with what you've said and would add Monmouth and Tintern Abbey to my
short list of places in south Wales. I spent a lot of time visiting Cardiff
when I lived in London and would recommend that a first-time, 4-day visitor
spend one day in Cardiff (only if they *really* want to, otherwise I'd avoid
it completely), one day on either the west coast or in the central/eastern
parts, then the remaining 2 days exploring north Wales.

I don't blame you for not wanting to drive on the unfamiliar side of the
road. I was overconfident and crashed my BF's car into a house in Dylan
Thomas's hometown. One of those centuries-old cottages that stick out into
the middle of the main street in the village, constricting traffic flow to
one lane, taking turns passing through. Yes, find a coach option.

Cate

Re: Day tripping in Wales
 

Hi Scott -

I can understand your reluctance to drive in Wales - I scraped the car while
driving there.

Still, be sure not to miss out on the northern castles. I spent four months in
Caerleon (near Cardiff) but my absolute favorite experience in Wales was
visiting the northern Castles - Caernarvon and Conwy. (Sorry if I butchered the
spellings). Harlech and Beaumaris are OK - less touristy, I suppose, but great
examples of fortresses.

Wales is wonderful. Enjoy your trip!

Christine

    >I am going to be spending 4 nights in Wales, and was wondering about a
    >strategy. I would prefer not to drive - lack of confidence on driving on the
    >opposite side of the road! - and would prefer to go to a city like Swansea
    >or Cardiff and just do day trips via coaches from there, perhaps switching
    >cities once instead of spending every night in a new place.

Re: Day tripping in Wales
 

In article , Scott Stoecker
wrote:

    > I am going to be spending 4 nights in Wales, and was wondering about a
    > strategy. I would prefer not to drive - lack of confidence on driving on the
    > opposite side of the road! - and would prefer to go to a city like Swansea
    > or Cardiff and just do day trips via coaches from there, perhaps switching
    > cities once instead of spending every night in a new place. Is there a list
    > of such day trip opportunities or perhaps a company web site I could browse
    > to see what trips are available?

You have foresight, Scott. Outside Cardiff all the roads are very
narrow and twisty.

Caerphily Castle is near Cardiff and is keen.

    > Thank you,
    > Scott
    >

--
Dan Stephenson
(remove nospam to reply by email)
Grand Tour photos and video: http://homepage.mac.com/stepheda

Re: Day tripping in Wales
 

Following up to Scott Stoecker

    >I am going to be spending 4 nights in Wales, and was wondering about a
    >strategy. I would prefer not to drive - lack of confidence on driving on the
    >opposite side of the road! - and would prefer to go to a city like Swansea
    >or Cardiff

I go to Wales (from London) quite often. Cardiff and Swansea are at
the bottom of my list. Snowdonia, the Pembrokeshire coastal path and
the Edwardian castles are at the top.

Bear in mind driving on the other side of the road is easier than you
may think, remember the car controls are reversed making it much more
natural than you may think. But its for you to judge. Wales is
excellent driving country, with many winding mountain roads, for those
who *enjoy* driving and are good at it.
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
London "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/london.htm"
Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" (see web for email)

Re: Day tripping in Wales
 

Wales is our favorite area in the U.K. If at all possible go north. We
have visited there twice and will return again this year. I believe
that if you are based in Conwy or Bangor you can achieve much via
public transport. Previously we stayed in Bangor and took buses to
Conwy, Beaumaris and Caernarfon with no problem at all. From Conwy you
can take the train down the Vale of Conwy (it's grand), past
Dolyddelan Castle to Blaenau Ffestiniog, change to the little mining
train to Portmadog and bus to Harlech Castle. We did the reverse of
this a few years ago and it was a nice day trip. We enjoyed meeting
numerous Welsh folks and ejoyed hearing them converse in their
language. We're driving this time and from past experience driving in
Scotland, southeast Wales and middle England
I have learned to concentrate, be patient and go with the flow. For
the most part, these are the traits I admire in British drivers. If I
can do it, most anyone can. It has amazed both my wife and I how much
more we can see this way without rushing around and constantly looking
at the time.

Hope this is helpful. Have a fantastic time.

Re: Day tripping in Wales
 

Following up to Jim

    >middle England

Jim, as I see your enjoying UK, you might be interested to know (if it
wasnt just a typo) "middle England" here denotes those people thought
to be of the mainstream view, in other words not trendies or
intellectuals, as in "middle America" (which I assume is used in US?)
Rather than the Midlands. Hope thats of interest ( a little anyway!).

Second your views on what to do in Wales BTW. + climb Snowdon.

(glad to hear we concentrate, are patient and go with the flow, you
obviously never met me in a hurry :-) )
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
London "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/london.htm"
Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" (see web for email)

Re: Day tripping in Wales
 

The Reid wrote in message news:...
    > Following up to Jim
    >
    > >middle England
    >
    > Jim, as I see your enjoying UK, you might be interested to know (if it
    > wasnt just a typo) "middle England" here denotes those people thought
    > to be of the mainstream view, in other words not trendies or
    > intellectuals, as in "middle America" (which I assume is used in US?)
    > Rather than the Midlands. Hope thats of interest ( a little anyway!).
    >
    > Second your views on what to do in Wales BTW. + climb Snowdon.
    >
    > (glad to hear we concentrate, are patient and go with the flow, you
    > obviously never met me in a hurry :-) )

Ho The Reid!

You're right, I used the wrong term - I meant the Midlands . . . and I
did notice a sense of urgency with the drivers when I approached
Birmingham and thereabouts. Thats when I "went with the flow".
According to your "never met me in a hurry", you may have been among
the drivers I encountered there. But for the most part, I drive in
rural areas where most of the other drivers are extrodinarily polite
by U.S. standards. Two years ago in Scotland I was following a young
lady on my way to Oban from Glencoe. The road was good but a bit
twisty in places. Apparently she was practicing for Silverstone
because my wife finally said, "Let it go - you'll never keep up with
her."
Lastly, you may enjoy this: A year ago we arrived at Heathrow bound
for Colchester. I credit jet-lag for immedia†ely losing us in the West
London burbs. When we finally got to the M25 we had smooth sailing
all the way around London, but I now know why it's referred to as the
world's largest parking lot. The west-bound lanes were at a dead stop
for miles and miles. For a similar experience try the Chicago Skyway
during construction season.

Re: Day tripping in Wales
 

Following up to Jim

    >Apparently she was practicing for Silverstone
    >because my wife finally said, "Let it go - you'll never keep up with
    >her."

Perhaps we are more used to winding roads?

    >Lastly, you may enjoy this: A year ago we arrived at Heathrow bound
    >for Colchester. I credit jet-lag for immedia†ely losing us in the West
    >London burbs. When we finally got to the M25 we had smooth sailing
    >all the way around London, but I now know why it's referred to as the
    >world's largest parking lot. The west-bound lanes were at a dead stop
    >for miles and miles.

good innit? :-(
--
Mike Reid
"Art is the lie that reveals the truth" P.Picasso
London & the British hills "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk"
Spain, food and walking "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" (see web for email)