Beneath The Dragon
Wales is compact, but full of surprises. Mountains, forests, and coastline all sit close together, separated only by winding roads and stone-walled lanes. You can stand on a hillside and see snow-capped peaks behind you and open sea ahead. Few places give you that feeling.
The landscape changes quickly here. In the north, you’ll drive through the heart of Snowdonia. High ridges, slate-coloured cliffs, and valleys where sheep graze on steep fields. Roads dip and climb through quiet villages with chapels, old post offices, and names written in Welsh. It’s not dramatic for the sake of it — it’s real, lived-in, and strong.
You’ll see castles. Some towering above towns, others half-crumbled into the hills. They’re not polished. They’re proud. And they sit naturally in the land, like they’ve always been there. Nearby, old train lines still run. Slow-moving carriages through forests and hills, with wide windows and no need to be anywhere fast.
Out toward the west, the mountains fall back and the sea takes over. The coast is open and wild. Flat sands stretch for miles, framed by dunes and cliffs. Some beaches feel like they’ve been forgotten. Others welcome you in - with harbours, warm cafés, and boats pulled up onto the shore. It’s the kind of coast you can drive along with the windows down and the scent of salt and woodsmoke in the air.
You’ll pass through farmland too. Quiet fields, smallholdings, and kitchen gardens. Sometimes there’s a roadside stand with eggs and jam, an honesty box tucked under an overhang. You stop, take what you need, leave a note if you like. That’s the pace of things here.
You stay in small hotels or old houses that know what they’re doing. Stone walls, real fires, soft beds. Nothing excessive. Just the kind of comfort that comes from things being done properly. Breakfast cooked by someone who lives there. Supper made from what’s growing nearby. You sleep deeply.
The people are warm and straightforward. They don’t push. But if you ask, they’ll tell you stories about the land, the names, the history in the hills. You’ll leave knowing more than you expected.
Wales doesn’t try to impress. It just is. And by the time you leave, you’ll feel like you’ve travelled further than the miles suggest.
