by Andrew Guilford | Jan 8, 2023 | Buy Regional, Circular Economy, Features, Well-being Region
We believe that access to locally sourced food is more important than ever. The last couple of years has demonstrated the weaknesses in global supply chains, and with the uncertainties around climate change and the political landscape, this isn’t going to get any easier!
Barbecue chicken breast served with spiced wedges and seasonal vegetables as part of our Gower Field to Fork project
Our grandparents knew where their food came from, and probably produced at least some of it themselves. But somewhere along the line we lost that connection. How do we get back these connections to our food? How do we get healthy, sustainable, locally grown food to local communities?
How can we reconnect young people with farming and the land?
Our recent Gower Field to Fork project looked at just that. Working with Bishopston Comprehensive School, Castell Howell, Gower Farmer’s Market, Red Media, Western Slade Farm and Little Walterstone Farm, we brought Welsh food to Welsh school plates.
Gower has a proud history of being self-sustaining in farming and food production. Not long ago, “everyone” had a garden and grew vegetables, kept chickens and so on. But over the last hundred years this has dwindled to the point where only one farm was able to produce the quantities of food needed for our project.
Castell Howell ensured farmers got a fair market price for their produce in the hope that they will be encouraged to continue growing, keeping local farmers and future generations of local farmers working and shortening our supply chains.
Locally sourced potatoes, beetroot, cauliflower, leeks, and honey were converted into delicious, fresh, nutritious meals, chosen by pupils for pupils, with beetroot brownies for dessert! The pupils were amazed food in supermarkets is flown half way around the world, when much fresher and more nutritious food can be grown on their doorstep.
The new curriculum allows schools in Wales to access more creative and holistic resources, so any lesson could be themed around sustainable food and farming. Learning about food means children are more likely to try new food, have better diets, have a better understanding of nutrition, learn life skills, and accept responsibility.
School gardens restore the soil, and help children learn in authentic contexts, connect with nature and their communities, boost their immune systems, reduce obesity, moderate moods, reduce anxiety, develop empathy, and practice risk.
All these things apply to adults too, and research has shown gardening will also reduce your risk of health problems such as stroke, depression or Alzheimer’s. There’ll always be a benefit from growing your own food, even if it’s just knowing that for the next few days you don’t need to go to the supermarket!
So what can we do to feed ourselves and be as self-sufficient as possible?
Local networks and community activism are a key driver for change, putting the issue of healthy local food on the agenda and leading grassroots initiatives. The Sustainable Food Places movement believes a transition to a healthy, sustainable and more equitable food system requires not just strong national policy but also collaborative action between local policy makers, businesses and communities.
Bwyd Abertawe, whose interim chair is 4theRegion’s Co-Founder Dawn Lyle, is seeking to make Swansea a Sustainable Food Place. It has recently secured Welsh Government funding to grow the Good Food Movement in Swansea, which will build public awareness and active food citizenship around good local food.
Bwyd Sir Gâr Food is also a member of the Sustainable Food Places Network, and is beginning its own very exciting journey to make Carmarthenshire sustainable by ensuring equitable access to healthy, high quality local food.
Access to land is reportedly the biggest constraint to growing more food locally. What if we created a directory of available land, and called on businesses and landowners to lease it at peppercorn rates? What if new developments included community allotments and green space? A lot of public land is unused because no one knows who owns it. If in doubt, surely just make the land available?
Community supported agriculture (CSAs) are partnerships between farmers and consumers in which the responsibilities, risks and rewards of farming are shared. They offer a guaranteed fair income for growers throughout the year, because households subscribe in advance and growers know that whatever they produce, they have a market for. Locally grown food is provided directly to households with a very low carbon footprint, and the money spent is retained locally, creating worthwhile employment for local people.
Cae Tan CSA has successfully proven over the last few years that growers can create an economically viable business, produce a good amount of food, and have a wealth of benefits in terms of community cohesion, the environment, and education.
Cauliflower mac ‘n cheese as the vegetarian option for our Gower Field to Fork project
And of course we also need more urban and peri-urban farming!
Room to Grow are already repurposing tired old concrete gardens and under used land and turned them into vibrant “Grow Your Own” spaces packed full of nutritious herbs and vegetables. They will help build and maintain your garden planters and raised beds, share the produce and even learn some great new recipes to help you get the best from your garden.
Meanwhile, Biophilic Living Swansea will feature two south facing greenhouses on the roof of a mixed use development. The largest greenhouse will be serviced by an aquaponics system designed to produce up to 4.5 tonnes of fruit, vegetables, salad and herbs a year. The aquaponics system will create a continuous cycle where waste produced by fish, living in onsite tanks, adds nutrients to the water which feeds the greenhouse plants. The water is then filtered and recirculated back into the system. The plan is that residents will run the farm as a social enterprise.
Finance can also be a barrier to growing local food. The Sustainable Farming Scheme will only finance farms that have more than three hectares in production. This would exclude many CSA schemes. A recent study by Food Sense Wales has shown small scale investment can have a significant and positive impact on horticulture businesses, with sales of vegetables increasing on average by 74.5%. Food Sense Wales is calling on the Welsh Government to create a new infrastructure grant scheme for small scale horticulture that would speed up the growth of the sector and lead to more sales of locally grown vegetables.
And what about more traditional farms?
Many farmers don’t like CSAs and see people growing their own food as doing it for fun. But we don’t feel farms are in conflict with CSAs. In fact, farmers in Pembrokeshire have already given access to growers. And with fifty hectares of land needed to provide a community with the horticultural produce it needs, clearly there’s going to be a need for larger farms. How do we proactively engage with existing local farms and farmers to understand their challenges and how they can be better supported? It’s clear we need more and better facilities for processing locally grown produce, such as abbattoirs, bottling, washing, packaging, distribution, processing and manufacturing facilities.
Community food hubs are another way to connect people to where food comes from. It’s a great model for suppliers and producers, because it creates a guaranteed marketplace that will generate vital incomes. Food hubs can’t compete with supermarkets on price for some foods such as pasta, but you’ll find your overall weekly shop should cost less. And it’s more nutritious! Despite this food hubs have experienced difficulties getting people to shop there. FarmCo found they needed to spend a lot of time and effort on marketing and customer retention, and ultimately market themselves as an online food shop, rather than a hub.
What can we do to support local producers?
Swansea Food Partnership aims to create a vibrant and prosperous food offer for Swansea, strengthen and shorten supply chains, enhance food tourism, and bridge the gap between rural and urban food. They have also carried out a feasibility study to map local produce and shorten supply chains, run in partnership with Urban Foundry and Afallen.
The Welsh Government has also launched a new online resource, “Buying Food Fit for the Future“, to encourage more local spending on food by the NHS, schools and local government to help support Welsh producers, create more jobs, and boost prosperity in local communities.
If you’re a business, do you serve locally sourced, seasonal food on your menus and promote its provenance? Do you have an ethical purchasing policy? Do you have land that can be made available for community growing?
As an individual, do you still shop at supermarkets or do you buy as much as you can from local retailers and producers? When you go to a restaurant, do you ask them whether the food is local? Whether the gin is local?
And we could go further. The Scottish Government recently passed the Good Food Nation Bill, which commits to making Scotland a country where people from every walk of life take pride and pleasure in, and benefit from, the food they produce, buy, cook, serve, and eat each day. Is this something we should be campaigning for here in Wales?
Access to locally sourced food is more important than ever. Our grandparents knew where their food came from, and we need to get that connection back!
On January 17th and 18th we’ll be hosting Food for the Region, sharing updates, explore emerging projects and encourage collaboration on all things relating to growing, producing, distributing, sharing and caring about food in South West Wales.
If you eat, grow or buy food, this event is for you! We’re inviting farmers, producers, distributors, processors, caterers, retailers, public procurement, regulators, communities, campaigners, and people who care about what we eat and how it’s produced, to come together once again to talk about what we want for our regional food system. You can register here
Gower beetroot brownies for dessert!
by Andrew Guilford | Sep 23, 2022 | Buy Regional, Circular Economy, Features, News
Community is essential to human wellbeing. Real community can’t be designed from above. We have to do it ourselves. It’s about taking responsibility for doing things in your local area to build and sustain community. The instinct to be social animals can’t really be stifled. Community will always try to return.
Camp for Climate Action, Murton, Swansea (Pic: Climate and Community)
The cost of living crisis, rising energy prices, and supply chain issues may create a context where people are more likely to conserve materials, reuse items, share things, and create circular economies. So how do we build a sense of community around practical climate solutions?
From tomorrow, communities will come together for the Great Big Green Week, the UK’s biggest ever celebration of community action to tackle climate change and protect nature. And everyone’s invited! In this blog post we’ll look at some of the events during the week in South West Wales, where you will have the opportunity to learn new skills, reconnect with nature, and develop the circular economy. You can see details of some of the events here.
Throughout the week, Climate and Community will be hosting a Camp for Climate Action. They are setting up carbon negative food growing using woodchip as a growing substrate and biochar as a soil amendment. The growing area will be an alley cropping system, long beds and perennial beds where trees and shrubs are planted next to swales (shallow, broad and vegetated channels). The site is full of wildlife and needs work to lay hedges, control bracken, dig swales for water conservation.
The camp is open to any volunteers interested in working and learning new skills, eating together and talking with one another. Most of us have lost connection with the cycle of production of daily objects. By harvesting and processing natural materials, then making useful objects with them, you can experience the entire production process, with which comes a recognition of what it takes to make things and an appreciation of the value of resources.
You can learn how to scythe! Compared to machinery, you have no pollution, no fossil fuels, less embodied energy in the manufacturing process, a longer life, less noise and soil disturbance, and wildlife have more time to get out of the way! Scythes can be used in (almost) any weather. And with a good technique, it’s good physical exercise and can be meditative and peaceful.
You can learn to restore hedges! In the past hedges protected livestock from wolves and bears. Today they provide food for humans, food and shelter for wildlife, and blossom for pollinators. They store carbon and prevent soil erosion. In cities, hedges are also better than trees at combatting pollution, because their leaves are at exhaust level, rather than up in the canopy.
You’ll also have the opportunity to learn about tools and sharpening, basketry, spoon making, and field cooking.
How far could you go? Well you could build your own home! There are real savings from self-building, as natural materials can be obtained free or at very low cost. Simon Dale did just that, and it cost him £3,000. His beautiful earth sheltered roundhouse, Berllan Dawel, sits in nine acres of rewilded forest garden and a plant nursery, all powered by off grid hydro-electricity.
Berllan Dawel is part of the Lammas Ecovillage, which aims to demonstrate a thriving example of low impact development, pointing the way for the truly sustainable rural developments of the future. Residents explore alternative models for living on the land, broadly in line with the Welsh Government’s One Planet Development policy. The homes are private, but some residents will welcome visitors who come with an open mind to learn more about low impact sustainable living. During Great Big Green Week you will have the opportunity to visit Berllan Dawel, and Hafan y Coed, where Keith Burgess specialises in plants and growing furniture.
For many people, growing your own produce, building your own home, and living a low impact lifestyle is appealing, but daunting. Only sixty three One Planet Development applications were made between 2010 and 2021, of which thirty nine were approved. However, on the whole these developments, many of which are in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, are over achieving in terms of their low impact objectives and have contributed to their communities through open days, tours and employment.
At any rate you don’t need a lot of space to grow your own produce. If you’ve got a wall, then you’ve got space for a vertical farm that can grow salad items and otherwise expensive herbs. You can pick (and donate) seeds at seed swap events. These events are important. It’s illegal to sell unusual seeds that are not on official national lists, so seed saving is a way of guaranteeing their survival.
And how about creating a community food garden?
The community of Monkton is no stranger to suffering and poverty. It’s in the lowest 5% in Britain in the index of multiple deprivation. But it’s in the top league for community power! At Dezza’s Cabin everyone skill shares at the weekly garden building club, whether it’s carpentry or cookery, healing, digging or food processing,. Recent learners teach onlookers. They are reclaiming a green future. If we want a world after fossil fuels this is where and how to start. To save the earth from being destroyed these young people will take the spirit of resilience and community shown by the gang of all ages and abilities, and none, building Parc Dezza, so that people might grow, eat and live.
Dezza’s Cabin was founded when a fourteen year old boy Dezza (Derek) hung himself at school. His mother founded Dezza’s Cabin within weeks. That was seven years ago. It now has shops and warehouses and a community centre. This is the community of Monkton’s first land claim. Many more young people have died, but a greater number have been saved by the actions of the Dezza’s Cabin volunteers.
And what else can we do to make local places work?
On September 27th, Dr Ben Reynolds, director of Urban Foundry, will share his expertise on twenty minute neighbourhoods. The goal is for cities and towns to be places that connect us to each other and what we need, where everyone can thrive without having to use a car, and quality of life is boosted for everyone. The idea is to ensure that it’s easy for people to meet most of their everyday needs by a short, convenient and pleasant twenty minute return walk. At a minimum everyday needs should include food, education, healthcare, financial services, employment, public open space, entertainment, a regular bus, tram or train service, walking and cycling infrastructure, and a mix of diverse housing types including genuinely affordable and social housing.
We’re passionate about repairing and reusing our everyday items. We believe that South West Wales must move away from our linear economy (make, use, dispose), closing the loop to conserve resources and ensure long term sustainability. A circular economy is restorative and regenerative by design. Because repairing and reusing means less waste is sent to landfill and we can all save money at the same time.
Repair cafes, run by The Environment Centre, The Stebonheath Centre, and the National Botanic Garden of Wales, will repair your bike, household items, gardening tools, clothes, jewellery, toys, ornaments, and even furniture.
There’s also a Zero Waste Scrap Store at The Stebonheath Centre. What have they got? Wool, ribbons, paint, material, ink, brushes, thread, papers, and lots more. It’s an Aladdin’s Cave of treasures for crafters and makers!
Fancy something more creative? Join Volcano Theatre’s Climate Change Action Community Arts Festival on September 24th, where there’ll be plenty of art, music and movement! You’ll have the opportunity to make a groovy belt, and a bug hotel from recycled items. You can also donate unwanted CDs to Beyond Recycling, which Smile Plastics turn into chopping boards, soap dishes, counter tops, and even furniture! They’re also looking for DVDs, batteries, corks, broken mobile phones, and wellies.
There’ll also be repair cafes and workshops, and opportunities to make better use of unwanted or seldom used items.
Swansea Library of Things is a new low cost borrowing initiative. Instead of buying a new item that ends up never being used again, members can pay a small fee to borrow it, use it and return it when they’re done with it!
Meanwhile, Matthew’s House will be collecting your unwanted good quality waterproof coats, trousers, socks and sleeping bags, and Swansea Underground Network’s Baby Bank will allow you to donate and receive baby items with no referral or paperwork.
And don’t forget, the XR Rebel Bus Tour comes to Swansea on September 28th. They plan to move about several locations talking to people, giving out leaflets and inviting them to a People’s Assembly at the National Waterfront Museum in the evening, where you can hear Ousmane Toure from Côte d’Ivoire talk about climate justice in West Africa.
Community is essential for human wellbeing. And everyone’s invited!
XR Rebels on the Bus Tour (Pic: XR Swansea)
by Andrew Guilford | Sep 21, 2022 | Buy Regional, Circular Economy, Creative Economy, Development Investment, Features, News, Travel Transport Tourism, Well-being Region
Considering self-employment? Want to grow an existing business? Did you know there’s a range of support available for you?
So far ninety five grants have been awarded to pre-starts and new businesses (Pic: RODNAE Productions)
It’s not always easy to know what support is available for businesses. But if you’re in the Swansea area, Business Swansea could help you. Business Swansea is the new name for business support within Swansea Council.
Got a new business? Looking to start one? Business Swansea manages Start Up Grants. So far ninety five grants have been awarded to pre-starts and new businesses. You can get financial support of up to £1,000, with no requirement for match funding. This scheme is designed for you if your business is under two years old. And you can be in any sector, from dog grooming to high end manufacturing, and anything in between! The funding can be used for the equipment, as well as the training and consultancy, you may need when starting your new business.
And what if you’ve got a more established business? The Growth Grant came online earlier this year. This is the grant for you if you’re an established business that wants to grow. Funding is available up to £1,500, with a match funding requirement. There’s also a Green Innovation Grant, if your business is working towards net zero, and a Digital Development Grant if you want, for example, to improve your online visibility or undertake a digital marketing campaign.
Both the grant schemes will require you to produce a business plan and a cashflow forecast. Not sure how to do this? Don’t worry! Where appropriate, you can be signposted to support from Business Wales and/or Business in focus to help produce the documents you need.
And it’s not just grant schemes! Business Swansea also offers business support workshops, including a Start-Up Enterprise Club, which has engaged with over two hundred people. They also run “Power Hour” workshops, which have attracted around a hundred and fifty attendees. You can watch all the previous workshops here. The facilitators for the workshops come from local businesses, including Peter Lynn & Partners, Alan Brayley from AB Glass, Bevan Buckland, Urban Foundry, Purple Dog, DJM Solicitors, Real Inbound, and Copper Bay Digital.
And what if you’re unemployed? Business Swansea run an Introduction to Self Employment Course, which covers all elements of self-employment, including what the impact would be on your unemployment entitlements. The next course is coming up in November.
A key priority for Business Swansea is to collaborate with local stakeholders and partner organisations, to assist local businesses navigating the business support available. Part of this includes quarterly meetings with around twenty four business support organisations operating in Swansea. This means all partners know what other organisations are doing. It avoids duplication and ensures everyone is working together to signpost businesses to the right support.
Want to receive regular updates on the all various support and events for businesses across the country? You can sign up to the Business Swansea e-newsletter here!
Want further information on the grants? Please visit the Swansea Council website, or contact:
Business Swansea: business@swansea.gov.uk
Growth Grant: growthgrant@swansea.gov.uk
Start Up Grant: startupgrant@swansea.gov.uk
Want to attend a Business Swansea event? You can find details of their exciting upcoming events here!
by Andrew Guilford | Sep 5, 2022 | Creative Economy, Features, News
South West Wales is home to lots of creative people and businesses. We are a region of poets, artists and performers.
The creative economy is everything that relates to human creativity and ideas, IP, knowledge and technology. So how do we support creativity and innovation in the region? What shall we create? (Pic: cottonbro)
Just look at Gwen John, Dylan Thomas, Richard Burton, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Bonnie Tyler, Michael Sheen, Catherine Zeta Jones, Rob Brydon, and Rhod Gilbert (and five of them are from the same town!).
It’s these strengths we need to build on as we set out to develop our creative economy. The creative industries are one of Wales’ top performing sectors. They have the potential to provide exciting, rewarding and attractive career opportunities, and contribute significant wealth into our regional economy.
So what do we mean by the creative economy? We mean everything that relates to human creativity and ideas, IP, knowledge and technology.
Our own membership reflects the diversity of the sector, from pianist and composer Ify Iwobi and arts and events venue the Queens Hall Narberth, through to multi-media production company Telesgop and 3D visualisation specialists iCreate, to name but a few!
Places with a strong creative economy are also more exciting places to be. Creativity makes life more beautiful and more interesting. By investing in creativity we can breathe new life into our high streets and town centres. Access to creative expression is also a great tool for improving our wellbeing, making us happier and connecting us with others.
So how can we support more creativity and innovation across our economy?
Storyteller Carl Gough believes we are the stories we tell to ourselves about ourselves. So what stories shall we tell? What shall we create?
There’s lots of creative opportunity in the region, but we don’t always shout about what we have. How do we increase apprenticeship opportunities? How do we ensure young people have the opportunity to develop their skills in a working environment? How do we ensure people looking for creative talent are target local creatives? What are the gaps that companies are experiencing? What innovators do they need? How do they find them?
Probably one of the most exciting things to happen to Swansea this year was the opening of the new Arena, the most significant element of the wider Copr Bay Phase One development. Swansea Arena will have up to two hundred performances a year, covering music, comedy, theatre and e-sports. And it’s a flexible and multi-purpose venue. 4theRegion are very proud to have hosted the first major conference there in March.
Swansea’s creative quarter is arguably centred around High Street. As late as 2019 The Sun was claiming it was one of the worst high streets in Britain. But brick by brick, it’s become one of Swansea’s smartest streets. Swansea Station has been enhanced with new benches and planters in a project led by renowned Swansea artist Owen Griffiths.The iconic Palace Theatre, which once played host to Charlie Chaplin, Anthony Hopkins and an elephant that was winched on stage, is being restored and will become a digital centre for for tech start-ups and creative businesses. Walk along the street and you’ll find the Elysium Gallery, a contemporary arts space that is the biggest studio provider in Wales, Galerie Simpson Artists, a project supporting and promoting young artists, Volcano Theatre, an innovative theatre company based in a disused supermarket, live music venues such as Jam Jar, and a host of (mostly independent) bars, restaurants and shops. Close by you’ll find the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery, Cinema & Co, Swansea’s only independent cinema, and Swansea College of Art, which was founded in 1853 and is part of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.
Narberth is also a flourishing creative town with many independent businesses, having been transformed by an influx of creative people in the seventies. It’s now a distinctive and vibrant place but it’s not well connected and many people don’t know what’s on offer.
Elsewhere in the region you’ll find venues such as Torch Theatre, the only theatre producing venue in West Wales, Theatr na nOg, which for thirty years has been letting young people experience the magic of live theatre, and Theatr Gwaun, an independent theatre rescued from closure by the local community.
The region also has an important role in film and TV production. Da Vinci’s Demons, and Michael Sheen’s film Last Train to Christmas were filmed at Swansea Bay Studios. You may not have heard of Tinopolis, but you’ve probably heard of Question Time, Hell’s Kitchen, Robot Wars, and RuPaul’s Drag Race? Tinopolis Group founded, and is still based, in Llanelli in 1990, produces 4,500 hours of content each year, owns thirteen production companies and a distribution company, has production bases in Cardiff, London, Glasgow and LA, and has won twenty six BAFTAs and eight Emmys.
We also have a vibrant music scene ranging from post-punk from Adwaith to traditional folk from VRï. At a time when many regional radio stations are scaling back their operations, it’s good to see XL:UK Radio’s commitment to Swansea. What sets them apart from other radio stations is the diverse programming schedule hosted by diverse and talented presenters.
In terms of festivals, Fishguard Music Festival is taking place right now. The Swansea Fringe returns in November, although for now that’s all we know about it! Next year you’ll be able to experience Westival, an underground music and arts festival deep in the Pembrokeshire National Park, rub shoulders with the artists and performers at the Laugharne Weekend, feel good in every way at the Big Retreat Festival in Lawrenny, or celebrate the expansion of consciousness and unearth something that lies deep within us at the Unearthed Festival in Solva.
Art doesn’t have to involve expensive buildings, especially when you can paint something on the outside! On frosty morning, just before Christmas in 2018, a new artwork appeared on a garage wall in Port Talbot. It showed a boy sticking his tongue out to catch what appeared to be snowflakes, but were actually flakes of ash. Banksy’s “Season’s Greetings” would quickly became a tourist attraction. Sadly, four years later, it was taken away to “a temporary highly secured undisclosed storage unit” and it’s not yet known what will happen to it.
But the artwork inspired Port Talbot’s community, thanks to their determination the subways, houses and walls of the town are more colourful than ever before! In the six months after construction workers came to take the Banksy away, sixty murals were painted in the town, some of which form part of ARTwalk Port Talbot, a street art trail app. Some of the most influential graffiti artists in the UK have been commissioned to paint murals of Port Talbot icons such as Michael Sheen and Richard Burton. Other works are by local artists such as Tassia Haines, who has inoperable breast cancer. Despite not having painted before, she covered the side of a local house with a huge neon pink dragon to raise awareness of breast cancer. She was inspired to paint the mural so that it can live on and remind people of what she was capable of doing.
And it’s not just Port Talbot. Fresh Creative painted seascapes and animals onto electrical cabinets across Swansea during lockdown. And more mysterious is the artwork depicting seagulls that’s appeared around Tenby. Unlike Banksy, the unknown artist is using transfers rather than paint. The images show a number of seagulls standing on top of each other in a raincoat, a seagull attacking a child by attempting to take off their hat, a seagull holding a balloon in its mouth, and seagulls surrounding a box marked “food bank” which is full of chips.
The creative economy is everything that relates to human creativity and ideas, IP, knowledge and technology. So how do we support creativity and innovation in the region? What shall we create?
At 4theRegion, we really believe the creative sector has a big role to play in creating opportunities for young people, making the region a vibrant place to live, and pooling skills and talent for the benefit of local communities!
On September 6th, join us to hear from a number of experts in the industry from around South Wales, including Helen Bowden, Ffion Rees from Telesgop and Rachel Wheatley from Waters Creative. Book here
by Andrew Guilford | Jul 29, 2022 | Features, Travel Transport Tourism, Well-being Region
Summer’s here! For some people there’s nothing better than to lie on the beach. Maybe you’d like something a bit more active? Or maybe you just want to cool off? Either way, everything’s better with water!
Three Cliffs Bay (Pic: Rhiannon Elliott/Unsplash)
Did you know being near water is great for our health and wellbeing? Over a decade of research shows being close to the water, especially the sea, has measurable benefits for our physical and mental health, benefiting everything from our Vitamin D levels to our social interaction. Maybe it’s the quality of light, the soundscape, or the ebb and flow of the tides? Being around water puts us in tune with natural forces, whether it’s understanding the movement of wind and water as you swim, surf or sail, or simply thinking outwards to your natural environment as you walk along the beach.
We’re spoilt for choice with beaches. Whether it’s the breathtaking Bracelet Bay with its rocky shore, cave and fossilised coral reef to explore, the eight miles of sand and shipwrecks at Cefn Sidan, the seclusion, pristine sands and crystal clear waters of Barafundle Bay, Rhossili Bay’s dramatic views and beautiful sunsets, or having a great family day out along the promenade at Aberavon.
There are some amazing places for beach yoga. Take advantage of the sheer mass of water to channel its energy to meditate and reconnect with nature. Adopt the majestic tree pose while surrounded by a lost and submerged Bronze Age forest, which surfaces at Freshwater West when the tide is at its lowest point. The UK’s largest beach yoga class, Womankind Yoga, takes place on Swansea Beach. Discover inner peace, balance and true relaxation, even in the city.
And our coasts can feed us! Learn how to find clams, cockles and oysters and sea vegetables (edible seaweed) on a foraging course. Your guide will show you what to eat (or not), how to harvest it sustainably and, if you’re lucky cook you a meal from the food you’ve foraged.
If you’d prefer to get your local seafood a bit more quickly there are plenty of options available. For amazing street food check out Cafe Môr and Gower Seafood Hut. If you’d like the chance to forage for your food and then have a chef serve it to you in a restaurant, check out Annwn.
Our coasts offer great places for walks. Follow in the footsteps of medieval saints around St David’s Peninsula, or pass bone filled caves and a winding river to watch the sun set over Three Cliffs Bay. Have you ever wanted to tame a dragon? Walk out to Worm’s Head (the name comes from the Old English wyrm, meaning serpent or dragon), but be careful you don’t get stuck there! Worm’s Head is a tidal island and you’ll only have about two and a half hours to get there and back.
The region is perfect for surfing. Freshwater West has the best waves in Wales, although its strong rip currents means it’s only suitable for experienced surfers who are strong swimmers. For beginners and children, check out Caswell Bay and Newgale. Llangennith and Manorbier are great for surfers of all abilities, with enough space for everyone.
And what about swimming? Wild or open swimming offers a sensory experience like no other, and there are some amazing places to swim. Please be aware of the hidden risks such as cold water, waves and undercurrents, even in places that look ideal for swimming. Beginners are best sticking to lifeguarded beaches such as the amazing sandy beaches at Caswell Bay and Whitesands. More experienced swimmers can try out beautiful, quiet beaches like Tor Bay or Blue Pool Bay.
How about land yachting? Imagine a buggy with a huge sail that can be propelled by winds of less than 10mph and reach speeds of over 60mph. Try them out on Pendine Sands, where many land speed records were broken. You’ll be so close to the sand you’ll feel like you’re racing too!
Want to do a sport invented right here in the region? Coasteering was created by TYF Adventure and Coasteering in St Davids in 1986. Basically it’s where the foreshore becomes your eco-adventure playground. Scramble across the shore, climb rocks, jump from cliffs, and swim in rock gullies, ride waves and explore caves. The North Pembrokeshire coast is perfect for coasteering. The most popular spot is the Blue Lagoon, a flooded former quarry, where the slate turns the water a brilliant sapphire blue.
Lighthouse view from Bracelet Bay
And what about wildlife?
Seals love Pembrokeshire! Its nutrient rich waters make it one of the best places to see all kinds of marine wildlife. There are about 5,000 Atlantic grey seals in the waters in Pembrokeshire. Seals can be seen all year round, and you may be able to see their fluffy white pups on undisturbed beaches between August and November.
The best way to see marine wildlife is by boat. In fact this is only way to see a whale. Dolphins are easier to find because they’re inquisitive and usually come to find you. Pods of 500 are common, and if they choose to follow your boat you’ll only be a few inches away from them. You may also see porpoises and even sharks. If you go on a boat trip, your guides will know where the seals are snoozing, the porpoises are feeding, and the seabirds nesting. They’ll also be able tell you about the rich history of the coast, from prehistoric caves to smugglers coves.
Skomer Island is particularly famous for its large breeding population of seabirds. It’s home to half the world’s population of Manx shearwaters, and the largest Atlantic Puffin colony in southern Britain. You’ll also find guillemots, razorbills, great cormorants, black legged kittiwakes, European storm petrels, common shags, Eurasian oystercatchers and gulls, birds of prey such as short-eared owls, common kestrels and peregrine falcons, and a unique mammal, the Skomer vole.
Our wild coastline, rivers, lakes, and even canals are perfect for canoeing, kayaking and paddleboarding, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned expert. If you’re going out in open water it’s best if you go with an experienced guide, particularly if you go any distance from the shoreline. You’re also more likely to see more wildlife this way.
The Afon Tywi is the longest river flowing solely through Wales. It has a thriving population of otters, and grey seals can be found in pursuit of sewin and salmon. Paddling along the river takes you through some of Carmarthenshire’s most stunning attractions, including the National Botanic Garden of Wales, Aberglasney Gardens and Dinefwr Park.
For a magical family paddle, get out onto the Afon Teifi. Start in the deeply wooded valley and look out for otters, herons, buzzards and kites. You’ll glide past Cilgerran Castle, through a gorge and then into wetlands where water buffalo graze.
Llys-y-Frân is a very special place in the foothills of the Preseli Mountains. The reservoir was opened in 1972 to supply clean water to Pembrokeshire. The dam is a feat of engineering, but it has also preserved the landscape as a haven for nature and wildlife. It offers a whole range of activities on land and water, including stand up paddleboarding, an offshoot of surfing where you stand up on the board and use a large paddle to propel yourself. It offers a fantastic all over body workout, especially the core muscle groups, and provides improved agility, co-ordination and an enhanced lifestyle. Or how about stand up pedal boards? They combine the fun of paddle boarding, with the comfort of handlebars. You step on two pedal pads on the board, so you can literally walk on water.
Have you heard of ‘the waterfall effect’? When water bashes against itself it releases zillions of negative oxygen ions into the air. Breathing them in makes you happier and more alert.
Discover our very own ‘Waterfall country’, where natural forces have combined here to create a highly concentrated area of waterfalls, gorges and caves. At Sgwd Gwladus ten metres of water gush into an idyllic forest pool. Splashing about or swimming under the waterfall is great way to cool off on a hot day! The waterfall is named after Gwladus, who fell in love with a man called Einion. Her father wouldn’t allow them to be together, so Gwladus’ sadness became so overwhelming she transformed into a waterfall. Einion threw himself into the river and became a waterfall too, Sgwd Einion Gam, one of Wales’ most spectacular but least accessible waterfalls (which means you’ll probably have the place to yourself). Now their spirits flow together as one.
4theRegion is a movement to create a happier and healthier South West Wales. Our amazing natural environment is a big part of that.
What are your favourite places to be by the water in South West Wales? We’d love to hear and see what they are! Don’t forget to tag us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
Regency Project, National Botanic Garden of Wales (Pic: Tim Jones Photography)
