MG
A three day camping trip to Pembrokeshire in the company of PJ and AT, both fearless swimmers… or at least eager to be forced into swimming by me with the assistance of Daniel Start (books). First stop, the Coed-y-Rhaiadr ("waterfall woods") on our way westwards from Hay – 45 minutes up the riverside track, an almost impossibly perfect column of water plunges into a coca cola pool, in a natural amphitheatre of oaks and stone. One of my top three swims of all time, made even better by seeing the kindling of wild swimming obsession in AT, who leads the charge and is last out.
(AT modelling the perfect post swim outfit!)
On the way back down the river; the Little Canyon, difficult to photograph, but equally glorious – as it sounds, a short, deep channel between two granite walls, but totally unscary with the sun shining on glass clear water through to jagged shards of rock below. Very good pearl diving opportunities. Further pools upstream which we are saving for next time.
Annoyingly we missed a chance to swim at Manorbier Castle (I seem doomed never to swim here, missing a chance with JJ a few years ago too) as it was getting late and we were starting to have palpitations about finding somewhere to camp, but my heart lurched as it flashed by, a perfect beach at high tide beneath the shadow of the ruined castle. I could even see some swimmers and was plunged into a rage, only abated by our fortuitously stumbling on a campsite called "Creampots". Ideal.
But we made up for the missed swim on Friday as we braved torrential rain to try the Blue Lagoon, north of St David's, changing in the misted up car before bursting out in bikinis and macs to the horror of surrounding onlookers. An incredible place – blue water in the slate quarry, bottomless, echoing and perfect jumping opportunities (only embraced by AT who reported that the 15 foot plunge left her feeling reborn).
Having dropped PJ back at home, AT and I couldn't resist one more and made a stop off at Llangynidr on the river Usk. We bushwhacked our way down the path and eventually came to what was unmistakably the pool, lying still and inviting. There was some trepidation as it was hard to tell how fast the current would be once in, but I eventually made the plunge and of course it was fantastic, and an ideal location to practise our synchronised swimming.
Perfect holiday.
