Hiking has taken off in recent years in terms of popularity, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s a fun activity that doubles as a great way to exercise, and in a world where people are always looking for the next great fitness fad, hiking offers an option which is both timely and timeless. Add to that the fact that people are apt to look up those hiking fads while sitting in front of a laptop indoors, and hiking offers a natural outdoorsy alternative to that, and you have reason enough to tell your friend, ‘Hey, take a hike’—in the best possible way, of course.
Of course, one of the other advantages hiking offers is that it gives you the opportunity to visit new places. The United Kingdom offers many great areas in which to hike, and none are more invigorating than Wales. Why should you look to hike in Wales, and what are some of the better spots to do so?
Go Medieval
There’s nothing quite like a hike to really make you feel reinvigorated, and nowhere is that more the case than in Wales, where human and natural history combine to create a hiking experience like no other.
Wales is often associated with one of the great knights of King Arthur’s court, the legendary Sir Gawain, most famously depicted in the medieval poem ‘Sir Gawain and the Green Knight’ and whose name and character are seen as being drawn from the region. Gawain epitomises so much of what’s good about King Arthur’s court, from the gallantry and chivalry to its adventurous spirit, so if you’re interested in strolling the fields which may well have inspired one of the medieval world’s most memorable champions, a hike in the Welsh countryside may be just the thing. Add to that the chance to walk by real-life castles and landscapes which have remained green and unspoiled for centuries, and it’d be hard not to feel nostalgia for that grand sense of adventure while hiking in Wales.
The Natural World
One of the great advantages of going on a hike in Wales is the sheer gorgeousness of its natural landscape. Part of what sets Wales apart in terms of hiking locales is the fact that, for such a comparatively small country, there are a vast number of terrain choices when it comes to choosing where to hike. You can take a stroll on the aforementioned rolling fields of Welsh green. You can walk along the coast and take in the sea air, or travel to somewhere like Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and have the chance to maybe even see a whale or two while hiking. You can see St. David’s Peninsula, which not only offers grand views and hiking locations in its own right, but a view of Ramsey Island, which you can visit along with the bird sanctuary there.
There are so many different options to choose from when it comes to finding a place to hike in Wales, each wonderful in its own way.