Wales - Wales

Wales is part of the United Kingdom Great Britain and Northern Ireland and has its own government located in Cardiff. It is located on the island of Great Britain west of England and borders the Irish Sea. Wales has an area of ​​20,779 km² and a population of around 3.1 million. The capital of Wales is Cardiff.

Regions

Wales has been divided into six counties since government reform in 1974: Gwynedd, Clwyd, Dyfed, Powys, Glamorgan and Gwent. However, the division into counties, which was valid until then, is more widespread and accepted.

places

Cities

• 51.48-3.181 Cardiff - Capital
• 51.583333333333-32 Newport
• 51.616666666667-3.953 Swansea - Wales' "City by the Sea"

places

• 52.416666666667-4.06666666666674 Aberystwyth (University, seaside resort)
• 53.14-4.275 Caernarfon
• 53.187169444444-3.41571111111116 Denbigh - very cultural city
• St. Davids
• 51.671388888889-4.69944444444447 Tenby

Other goals

First and foremost, the three Welsh national parks are worth mentioning:

• The Brecon Beacons National park is north of Cardiff and is largely characterized by rather gentle hills.
• The Pembrokeshire Coast National park in southwest Wales follows the Pembrokeshire / Sir Benfro coastline.
• In north-west Wales lies the most spectacular and best-known of the three national parks: Snowdonia.

Also worth seeing are:

• the Gower peninsula west of Swansea,
• the island of Holy Island, which is off the island of Anglesey / Môn,
• the university town of Aberystwyth in Central Wales.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites:

• Castles and city walls of King Edward I in Gwynedd (Beaumaris Castle, Caernarfon Castle, Conwy Castle and Harlech Castle and the city walls of Caernarfon and Conwy)
• Industrial landscape in and around Blaenavon
• Pontcysyllte-Aqueduct: The aqueduct leads the Llangollen Canal across the valley of the River Dee

background

Some knowledge of key sections of the Welsh history are helpful to be able to correctly classify the testimonies of the past:

• Settlement of Wales probably began around 10,000 BC. Chr .; Human traces can be found in Wales especially from the Neolithic period (4000-2300 BC; especially grave sites) and the subsequent Bronze Age (2300-800 BC; menhirs).
• The arrival of the Celts in Wales is ascribed to the seventh century BC. The Celts have left lasting traces in Wales, which is particularly evident in the Welsh language.
• After the Celts, the Romans came to Wales. The conquest of Britain began under Julius Caesar and lasted into the first century.
• The Christianization of the Welsh population began early on; missionaries came to Wales from the 5th century. As early as 768, the Welsh Celtic Church subordinated itself to Rome. The beginning of many Welsh place names is "Llan-", which means "Church" in German.
• In 1066 the Normans conquered England. Wales had not yet been conquered at this point. The English occupation of Wales took place particularly in the 13th century. Opponents at this time were the English King Edward I, who tried to secure his power through a network of newly built castles, and the Welsh ruler Llewelyn II (the last). At the beginning of the 15th century there was a rebellion against the English under Owain Glyndwr, but this failed after a few years.
• Under Henry VIII, Wales lost in the Acts of Union finally its independence. Linked to this was the connection of the Welsh to the Anglican Church. The monasteries were dissolved and fell into disrepair.
• In the 19th century, the industrialization and the Growing a national consciousness a. The mining of coal, iron and copper left its mark, universities were founded, and in 1858 the first national iceddfod took place in the tradition of old bard tournaments.

language

In addition to the official language, English is also Welsh Cymraeg still quite common. Road signs and place-name signs, in particular, are often bilingual. About 575,000 residents still speak the language, mainly in the northwest around Caernafon (pronounced: K'na: wen) and in Anglesay (Welsh Mon). Wales means Welsh: Cymru, in Latin-Celtic Cambria. Welsh is known worldwide primarily for its sprawling place names, so it is true Llanfair P.G. in northwestern county Anglesey in its long form Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch as one of the longest place names in the world and the station sign as one of the most photographed.

The consonant combinations of Welsh, which often seem unpronounceable, are usually easy to decipher with a few simple rules:

• w: is pronounced like German "u". "Bus" is written in Welsh "bws".
• ll: roughly "ch" and "l" pronounced at the same time.
• f: is always pronounced individually like German "w". "Llanfair" is "chlan-Weiher"
• ff: like German "f": e.g. "Llan Ffestiniog"
• dd: like English "th"

getting there

If you want to drive to Wales with your own car, the journey is usually made by ferry to England (Dover, Harwich or southern England) and from there on to Wales. There are motorway and expressway connections in North Wales (Liverpool-Holyhead, A55) and in South Wales (London-Swansea, M4).

If you want to travel to Wales by plane, you will either be in Cardiff land or switch to an English airport (e.g. Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham). An alternative is the flight over Dublin if you also want to get to know the Irish capital. The express ferries from Dublin (City Port or Dun Laoghaire) to Holyhead takes between 90 and 100 minutes. A more leisurely journey with a conventional ferry is also possible.

You can also travel to Wales by bus or train.

mobility

In the street

Who Wales with the automobile has to be prepared for left-hand traffic. Apart from the very well developed roads in the south (motorway M4 to Swansea) and in the north (expressway A55 from Chester in England to the ferry port Holyhead), the larger roads (A three digits) are also very winding. There are seldom opportunities to overtake, which is primarily not due to the unfavorable seating position of the driver (on the left side of the road), but rather to the fact that there are hardly any opportunities. When planning your trip, you should make sure that you do not plan too long daily routes - there are also enough occasions to take a break between the actual destinations.

Away from the streets marked "A", you go much slower. These streets are often wedged between hedges and are not wide enough for two cars to meet. In such situations you will sometimes experience the typical British courtesy, which degenerates into downright competitions as to who will let the other person pass. Due to the hedges and the many curves, the side streets are very confusing, so that a slow driving style is required. Aside from oncoming traffic, you have to expect herds of sheep or cows.

The bilingual warnings "ARAF / SLOW" on the road are a real landmark of Wales and should be heeded. Otherwise, information and street signs are usually bilingual.

Just like in England Roundabouts are also much more common in Wales.

On foot

Open Access Land

The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 (applies in England and Wales) allows walking trails on designated land in mountains, moors, heather and downland as well as on registered common land. Walking, running and climbing are allowed. Cycling and horse riding are prohibited. If you want to camp, you need the permission of the landowner.

Right of way

Public right of way applies in England and Wales. Some of its origins go back to the Middle Ages. A total of 4 different types are distinguished, two of which are interesting for leisure activities:

• Public Footpath: may only be used on foot (including strollers and wheelchairs). They lead across private land, forests, meadows or fields. In many places there are stiles to overcome. The fact that strollers can be taken does not mean that the path is wide enough and level. Dangerous animals (e.g. bulls) may not be kept in pastures that have a public footpath.

• Public Bridle Way: the same conditions as the Public Footpath, but you can also ride a bike or ride. Even the Bridle Way is not necessarily wide and flat enough for a stroller.

Tourist Attractions

The sights of Wales can be mainly divided into two groups: landscape and historic buildings.

landscape

The landscape can especially be seen in the three national parks Brecon Beacons, Pembrokeshire Coast and Snowdonia as well as other regions. There are beautiful beaches especially on the peninsula The Gower (west of Swansea) and in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, but also in many other places along the coast.

Historical buildings

Historic buildings tell of Wales' long history:

• neolithic tombs such as Pentre Ifan east of Fishguard,
• Remains of Iron Age forts like Tre'r Ceyri on the Llyn Peninsula,
• Legacies of the Romans like the amphitheater in Caerleon,
• medieval castles as in Caernarfon, Harlech or Caerphilly (as well as many other places across the country),
• old religious buildings like St. David's Cathedral in Pembrokeshire or the ruins of Tintern Abbey in the Wye Valley,
• Places of industrial past like the Rhondda Heritage Park.

Neolithic tombs

The period between 4000 and 2300 BC is called the Neolithic. During this time, immigrants from mainland Europe came to Wales, bringing with them agriculture and livestock. Burial chambers from this period have been preserved in various places in Wales.

Lies east of Fishguard Pentre Ifan. This burial chamber is considered to be the best preserved. From Fishguard follow the A487 east, drive through Newport and follow the signs to a small car park. From here you walk about five minutes until you reach the burial chamber, which consists of five standing rocks and a cover plate supported by three of these stones. Pentre Ifan is located in the middle of green meadows and offers a beautiful view over Cardigan Bay.

On the Gower peninsula one can see the burial chamber Parc le Breos visit. It also comes from the Neolithic, but is very different from Pentre Ifan, which was built from a few large stones and then covered with a mound of earth. The burial chamber Parc le Breos was built from much smaller stones. This burial chamber can be reached by following the A4118 towards the Gower Heritage Center.
Also on The Gower is King Arthur's Stone, a Neolithic burial chamber with a 25-ton capstone.

Bronze Age menhirs

The Bronze Age (approx. 2300 - 800 BC) followed the Neolithic. The so-called menhirs, standing stones with cultic significance, have been preserved from this period.

Such a menhir can be seen, for example, south of Holyhead on Holy Island. Follow the small road east of the B4545 through the fields and see a rock about two meters high in a meadow west of the road.

Iron Age forts

The Iron Age is between the Bronze Age and Roman occupation. During this period forts were erected, one of which Tre'r Ceyri the most famous is. It is located on the Llyn Peninsula west of Snowdonia. It is hardly signposted and otherwise not accessible. Between the villages of Llanaelhaearn and Llithfaen, stop on the road (there are no parking spaces here) and walk up the meadow north of the road.

Roman times

The Romans stayed in Wales for the first four centuries AD and left their mark. The most important place for those interested in Roman history is the place Caerleon on the northern outskirts of Newport. The Welsh name Caerleon is derived from Castra Legionum (Fort of the Legions). The second legion was permanently stationed here.

Sights from this period are:

• the amphitheater, which could seat around 6,000 spectators and is located a little outside the town. The stone foundations of the stands have been preserved, which clearly show the dimensions of the amphitheater.
• the legionnaire's barracks opposite, of which only the foundations have been preserved and the floor plans of the former barracks can be seen. They are considered unique in the UK.
• the Roman Fortress Baths in the town center. They have been prepared as a museum and show the extent of the earlier fort, which is shown as a model.

Finally, the Legionary Museum shows archaeological finds from Roman times.

Sacred buildings

Christianization began in the 5th century. The Welsh national saint St. David was near the present day town St. Davids, the smallest cathedral city in Great Britain, and gave it his name. The cathedral there is the largest house of worship in Wales and dates from the 12th to 19th centuries. This cathedral is worth seeing not least because of its leaning columns and the floor, which is about 3.5 meters higher at the eastern end of the nave than at the western end. Opposite the cathedral you can visit the ruins of the bishop's palace. Both buildings are separated from each other by a small stream, the Alun.

If you are traveling to Wales from the southwest (i.e. from Bristol), you can turn right into the Wye Valley immediately after crossing the Mouth Of The Severn. Here you can reach the ruins of the monastery after about 15 minutes Tintern Abbey. The abbey dates back to the 12th century and fell victim to the annexation of Wales to England and the associated assignment of the Welsh to the Anglican Church under Henry VIII (16th century). Since then, Tintern Abbey has only survived as a ruin.

Castles

There are so many castles to visit in Wales, and to list them all is going too far. Most of the castles were built during the campaigns of English kings against Wales, either to secure the occupation or to fight against the occupiers.

Some famous castles of this time are:

• Caernarfon - The climax of the English buildings under Edward I.
• Caerphilly - after Windsor Castle, the largest castle complex in England and Wales
• Cardiff - Cardiff Castle is in the city center. In particular, the palace, the keep (worthwhile because of the view over the city) and the castle walls have been preserved. A part of the area within the walls is cordoned off because of Roman excavations.
• Castell-y-Bere - the ruined castle of the Welsh ruler Llewelyn the Great from the 13th century. Castell-y-Bere is located in the Dysenni Valley in the south Snowdonia and is worth a detour just because of the journey.
• Harlech - in the middle part of Snowdonia located on the coast. Originally built by the English King Edward I, this castle served as the headquarters of a Welsh rebellion in the early 15th century. The story of this rebellion is shown on some display boards in the castle. Behind the castle, one of the steepest roads in Wales (23% incline) descends from Castle Hill.
• Oystermouth Castle - the ruined "Austernmund" castle above The Mumbles on the Gower peninsula

other sights

• Opened in 1999, stands in the middle of Cardiff Millennium Stadium. It is the only stadium in Great Britain with a lockable roof and holds 74,500 spectators.
• Those visiting Holy Island should visit the lighthouse South Stack Not to be missed at the westernmost point of the island. It was built on a small rock in front of the island and can be reached via a large number of steps. Before you take this approach, you should definitely buy an entrance ticket in the building next to the parking lot, as this is not available directly at the lighthouse.
• The "Book Village" is on the border with England Hay-on-Wyeknown as the literature mecca. There are around 40 bookshops and second-hand bookshops in this small town with only a few thousand inhabitants.

activities

The three Welsh National parks (Brecon Beacons NP, Pembrokeshire Coast NP, Snowdonia NP) offer many opportunities for long hikes. Wales also has extensive cycle paths.

A large number of different options are available, especially in Snowdonia. First of all, you can also go hiking and mountaineering here - British Himalayan expeditions often use the area around Mount Snowdon for training. Those who want to climb Mount Snowdon have several routes of varying difficulty to choose from. The different starting points (e.g. Llanberis, Pen-y-Pass, Beddgelert) are connected to each other by buses of the "Sherpa Bus Service", so that you can easily choose a different route for the descent. The Mount Snowdon Railway is also available, although it does not run in bad weather.

There are many providers for a variety of activities spread across the national park - rafting, canoe tours, cave hikes, high ropes courses, etc.

Outside of Caernarfon there is a sports airfield, from which sightseeing flights into the national park or over the Menai Strait, the strait between Snowdonia and Môn / Anglesey, are offered. Anyone who would like to do their own flight lesson - even without any previous knowledge - has the opportunity here.

kitchen

Those who have accommodation with breakfast will usually enjoy a typical British breakfast in the morning, which usually consists of three "courses". First there are “cereals”, i.e. corn flakes or similar products. Then there is a plate of warm food, the "ham" (ham), "bacon" (bacon), "sausage" (a typical British sausage), "tomato" (tomato), "eggs" (scrambled or fried egg) and "mushrooms". Next, or at the same time, you can eat toast with mostly bitter jam. You can usually drink orange juice and coffee or tea.

So strengthened you will not be very hungry at lunchtime, so that - if at all - a lunch meal is sufficient, which can consist of a sandwich or a small warm meal, for example.

You can get dinner not only in restaurants, but sometimes also in pubs. However, not every pub serves "barmeals"; this can usually be recognized from the outside by means of a corresponding notice. Where there are bar deals, this is usually limited in time.

Welsh cuisine

Not different from in England in Wales you will always have the opportunity to eat “fish & chips”. One of the most popular dishes you'll find across Wales is lamb with mint sauce. In addition, you will usually find a certain selection of well-known dishes (steak, burger, etc.).

• Welsh rarebit. .(spoken Welsh rabbit) is a dish made from melted cheese and mustard, often seasoned with onions, ale, and herbs, and served on toasted bread.last change: not specified
  Type is group designation

• Laverbread. .(spoken lar-ver) is a puree made from seaweed (Porphyra umbilicalis, the same type used in Japanese nori). It is usually rolled into small flatbreads, mixed with oatmeal, and served with slices of bacon for breakfast. Another option is to serve it heated on buttered toast. This dish is known throughout Wales, but especially in the Swansea area, and can be bought raw at Swansea Market.last change: not specified
  Type is group designation

• Bara brith. .is a bread enriched with dried fruits, which is made either with yeast or with self-rising flour (self-raising flour, the raising agent has already been added to the flour). It is traditionally flavored with tea, dried fruit and mixed spices and served at tea time cut into slices and coated with butter.last change: not specified
  Type is group designation

• 

  Welsh rarebit

• 

  Laverbread

• 

  Bara Brith

Drink

Although wine is also available in Wales (there are even some Welsh wines), beer is of course much more widespread. Each pub has a variety of beers from the UK and Ireland to choose from; some famous brands are Carling and Guinness.

nightlife

Anyone visiting Wales will not do so primarily for its nightlife. However, one can find many good pubs in the larger and also in the smaller towns, some of which offer the possibility to eat (the so-called "bar deals", which are served for a limited time); In any case, you will be able to drink various beers from Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland - in addition to non-alcoholic drinks - and make contact with the local population.

security

climate

The climate in Wales is relatively mild, largely due to the warming of the air by the Gulf Stream. The risk of precipitation is much higher than in England.

trips

A trip to Wales - especially if you arrive by car - can be very well combined with a stay in southern England (e.g. Brighton, Bath) or London connect.

From Fishguard and Holyhead you can take express ferries to Ireland reach; who Snowdonia visited, can be a day trip to in this way Dublin include in his program.

literature

Web links

• Wales Tourist Board www.visitwales.de
• Accommodation options www.stayinwales.co.uk