Wales

Rural charms and natural wonders in Great Britain’s smallest member

Wales’ capital Cardiff is no longer a dreary coal-exporting port; the old industrial city has been replaced by a progressive, inviting modern port, as exemplified by the new waterfront. Cardiff can also be your launching pad for the treasures of South Wales which in recent decades has turned a bright, new face to the world.

In fact, it is imbued with some of the great beauty spots of Britain: the Brecon Beacons National Park, 835 sq. km (519 sq. miles) of beauty and pleasure grounds with nature reserves; Gower Peninsula, an area of outstanding natural beauty stretching for 23km (14 miles) from the Mumbles to Worms Head in the West; and, finally, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, one of the smallest national parks of Britain (only 362 sq. km/225 sq. miles) but an area acclaimed for its coastal scenery. Wales is home to one of the most scenic train routes in Great Britain, giving riders a eyeful of nature as they travel along the coast between Swansea and Carmarthen

© 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.