I can’t remember a summer when my plans haven’t included hopping through multiple European cities. From weekends returning to visit friends in my favourite place – Lisbon – to exploring Bordeaux or relaxing on a Greek Island, I’ve historically seen summer as a time for travel and adventure. But recently, something has shifted. Perhaps it was getting married in May and needing to decompress afterwards, or maybe it’s that I’ve started escaping the UK cold and gloom in the early months of the year instead.
To me, the UK is at its most enchanting in late-spring and throughout the summer months. I live in London, where there’s a new event or festival almost every weekend, and there’s no better way to while away a sunny afternoon than in one of the many nearby parks. Knowing all this, why do I spend the country’s sunniest months missing out on the fun at home? So I vowed that this year, I would stay still a little longer to enjoy what’s so readily available on my doorstep.
But, of course, working at Condé Nast Traveller means the itchy feet never really go away. So while I knew I wanted to travel overseas less, that doesn’t mean dropping travel altogether. I grew up spending family holidays in North Wales, which was the closest coast to my hometown, and I always loved the wide stretches of beach and gorgeous national parks. I’ve been dreaming of visiting the south of the country for some time, but it’s not easy to reach from London (even via train) and without my own car it felt more difficult than just boarding a flight to Spain or France. So when I heard my colleague, Lucy, talking about a recent camper van trip she took via Goboony, a motorhome rental site that allows you to lend a van from a network of owners across Europe, it seemed perfect. After some research and figuring out what was important to us (a toilet, a shower and a comfortable sleeping space) we settled on Raymundo, a beautiful blue Renault Trafic that had plenty of room and looked both cool and comfortable.
Where we went
We drove from the outskirts of London to Pendine, a spot not too far from Swansea with a seven-mile stretch of beach where drivers once set world speed records. This satisfied my need for some sea air and also put us in a perfect position to take scenic drives through the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. I love using public transport, but there’s no denying that t some corners of the UK are more difficult to reach than others, and this was definitely one. I cherished seeing parts of the country I never would from a train, and taking last-minute detours when we found something that caught our eye.
The South of Wales is a beautiful, rugged spot with endless history and culture. My highlights included a boat trip to Caldey Island: a monastic island owned by the Cistercian monks of Caldey Abbey, where we bought handmade chocolate from the island’s small factory and walked along pristine beaches, plus a wonderful, seafood-heavy lunch at the Hope & Anchor in Tenby, where we enjoyed fresh, meaty lobster and crab with fat hunks of bread (it’s hard work driving all day, you know).
