Autumn Walks in South Wales

Autumn is undoubtedly the best season for country walks.  Perhaps it's the quality of the light, the absence of crowds or the promise of nature's hedgerow harvest.  And it's not only the colours that are mellower: people seem friendlier and the pubs and cafes seem cosier.  

But most of all, the dying days of summer lend a wistful retrospection that I find so conducive to appreciating landscape.  Like tunes, I find that the best walks are in the minor key.

So it was my good luck that last week's visit to South Wales gave me an opportunity to further my quest to walk every section of the National Trust's 200 miles of Welsh coast.  And appropriately enough, both of them are featured in our Great Welsh Walk, which runs until the end of October.

The view of the secluded cove of Pwll Du, on Gower's south coast

The first walk, which takes you past this wonderful viewpoint to the hidden cove of Pwll Du on Gower's south coast, rewarded me with a glimpse of a kingfisher - darting up the stream in Pwll Du Wood - and gave amazing views of the south Wales coast as far as Porthcawl to the east and north Somerset and Lundy to the south.

Video clip of my description of the Pennard to Pwll Du walk:

The second walk was in Pembrokeshire's wonderful Cleddau woods, near the picturesque village of Lawrenny.  This walk had the benefit of starting and finishing at one of the cosiest of cosy autumn cafes, the Quayside Tearoom at Lawrenny Quay.  I had been told that it was one of the best in the county, and I was not disappointed.

The perfect combination: Lawrenny woodland walk and afternoon tea at the Quayside

To follow in my footsteps and sample the hidden delights of these two walks click the links:

Pennard Cliffs, Southgate, Pwll Du and Bishopston Woods

Lawrenny Woods

If you've enjoyed these walks as much as I did, why not use this blog's 'comment' facility?