Wales: The country that gets forgotten
A mini guide from a Welsh Person’s perspective
If you know of Wales and you are not British, I commend you. From personal experiences, I feel that a lot of non-UK residents have a belief that Wales is somewhere in England and let me tell you, that royally pisses us off. So What is Wales? Wales, believe it or not is its own independent country. It is one of the 3 countries that make up Great Britain. These 3 being England, Scotland and Wales.
Wales has its own language, breath-taking beaches, 600 castles and the Flag itself has a freaking Dragon.
We are no stranger to a bit of rain, we have more sheep than people and the majority of the views are mountainous but it is still one of the most beautiful countries you have probably never heard of.
So here are a few things you might want to know about this small independent country.
Food, glorious food!
You’ve all probably heard of Jack Daniels but I bet you never knew that his Grandfather emigrated to the US from Aberystwyth, West wales, in the 18th Century. You’re Welcome.
Guinness although associated with Ireland, is rumoured to have actually been invented by the Welsh. Again, you’re welcome. The claim of some welsh historians is that the Recipe of the black stuff supposedly came about when Arthur Guinness asked for the recipe from the owners of a Welsh inn. The origins of Guinness however, is up to you.
Wales produces some of the best cheeses but to give you an insight into how good welsh cheese is, it was once used as part of divorce settlements. Crazy!
The Welsh traditional eats consist of Cawl; A welsh take on your average stew, Welsh Rarebit; literally cheese on toast, Laverbread; not bread but rather pureed seaweed and Bara Brith; Welsh Tea bread. It’s also common to have a welsh breakfast on some menus, which include your basic sausage, bacon, eggs and a side of cockles.
A personal favourite of all traditional welsh foods however is the very delicious, Welsh cake. A cross between cookies, pancakes and scones but with a unique taste you wont find elsewhere.
So What is there to see?
The Gower peninsular, located south of Wales boasts a total of 30 unspoiled beaches. One of which made the top 10 list of worlds best beaches - Rhossili Bay. its not your average sunbathing beach but rather a haven for those after an alternative hiking path. Despite being a remote area, it is not inaccessible. A firm favourite for dog walkers alike.
We also have a number of coastal towns and villages that can be found along the edges of wales. A regular seaside resort and one of my favourite places to visit for weekend breaks is Tenby. It has 3 beaches which have been given a blue flag. In UK beach terms, that’s a pretty big deal as it means that the beaches are recognised as having the highest level of cleanliness and water quality.
The town, although quiet, has plenty of ice cream parlous, cafes, and bars to pay visit. Just off the coast of Tenby, you will also find Caldey Island. A small holy island with a varying number of Cistercian monks, known as Trappists. A quick boat trip from Tenby (weather permitting) will get you to Caldey Island where you can purchase handmade chocolates and perfumes made by these Monks.
It is often said that Wales has the most castles per square mile than anywhere else in the world. Wales has 600 castles in total, although most are barely ruins, there are some castles that are still lived in. one example is ‘castell coch’, or in English ‘Red Castle’. Like a vision from a Fairytale, the rich furnishings and highly decorated interiors make it a spectacular masterpiece. Found near the capital city of Wales, Cardiff, it’s easy to see why this is regularly voted by the locals as being one of their favourite buildings in Wales.
As for the landscape, the majority of it is made up of Welsh mountains. Carved out in the ice ages, their peaks and views attract mountaineers far and wide. Snowdonia for example, is one of the highest mountains in Wales and the third most visited attraction, with over half a million visitors each year. It again boasts some of the most breath-taking views. If your not into walking all that way — they also offer a train to take you right to the top. perfect.
The Landscape has also been used as a back drop for a number of well known films and TV shows that include, The Dark Knight Rises, Tomb Raider, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1 and 2 , Snow White and the Huntsman. as well as Doctor Who.
Are there any famous Welsh people?
Singing is a significant part of welsh identity which is why it is sometimes known as “the land of song.” Our most famous singers include Katherine Jenkins, Charlotte Church, Duffy, Dame Shirley Bassey and of course the wonderful Tom Jones.
A number of famous actors and actresses from Wales include Catherine Zeta-Jones, Vinnie Jones, Rhys Ifans, Micheal Sheen, Christian Bale and Anthony Hopkins.
I have only touched base on a few things, but Wales has so much more to offer. All in all, Wales is a pretty unique place to live and a beautiful place to visit. We hope to see you in the near future.
“Hwyl Fawr”, Goodbye
