Family cycling on the Mawddach Trail

For a scenic family cycle, the Mawddach Trail is unbeatable. It runs for nine traffic-free miles (15km) from Dolgellau to Barmouth along an old railway line, with glorious views of the mountains around Cader Idris and the shimmering waters of the Mawddach Estuary. Spring is the loveliest time to visit. The verges burst with wildflowers, and birdlife twitters in the two RSPB reserves you’ll pass along the way: Coed Garth Gell and Arthog Bog. There’s a grandstand finish along the iconic wooden railway bridge into Barmouth, where tea and ice creams await on the beach.

Barmouth bridge at sunset looking towards the sea.
Bikes on railings in Barmouth, North Wales

Barmouth, Mid Wales

White water rafting in Eryri (Snowdonia)

The upper reaches of the River Tryweryn are magical in spring: wildlife is at its most active and the river is canopied with fresh oak leaves. Although dam-releases make this a year-round rafting river, spring sees the Tryweryn at its most punchy. At this time of year, the National White Water Centre's Olympic-grade white water runs like The Graveyard and Ski Jump deliver their biggest hits. According to some guides, chilly water adds to the excitement. It's a good thing modern wetsuits are wonderful.

Bird watching on Skomer Island

From May to June, this wild island off south-west Pembrokeshire is not just a nature reserve – it's a Welsh safari. Around a third of a million birds breed on its cliffs: puffins, fulmars, razorbills, guillemots and up to half of the world’s Manx shearwaters. The waters around Skomer and neighbouring Skokholm are also great for seals, dolphins and porpoises. Wildlife at close-quarters is guaranteed and with the island carpeted in wild flowers, so is scenery.

Check out the The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales' YouTube channel for live streaming from their wildlife cameras during the main breeding season.

Atlantic Puffin with grass in its beak.

Puffin on Skomer island, Pembrokeshire, West Wales

Salmon fishing in the River Usk

Although summer is beautiful for lazy days and warm nights, spring is the fishing season to raise the pulse. From March to May, high water levels disperse large fish to spawn upriver from the estuaries. River beats and tributaries of the Usk, probably the best freestone river in the country, teem with wild brown trout, while 20lb salmon bite in the Wye, even above Builth Wells. The scenery’s at its best at this time of year too.

River Usk, Brecon in low light.

River Usk, Brecon, Mid Wales

Watch ospreys fishing for their supper

Our magnificent ospreys spend the winter in West Africa but they come home each spring to breed, usually arriving in April. They’re a thrilling sight in the skies above North Wales, especially if you spot one fishing: they can snatch fish up to 2kg in weight from the rivers and lakes. You’re pretty much guaranteed a sighting at the Dyfi Osprey Project reserve near Machynlleth, Glaslyn near Porthmadog, and Llyn Brenig in Cerrigydrudion: all have visitor facilities with prime viewing spots. And the best thing is the chicks from previous years are now returning as adults - hopefully to start new families of their own.

During the spring and summer months, you can watch the ospreys and their chicks via live stream:

Dyfi Osprey Project YouTube channel

Glaslyn Wildlife YouTube channel

Glaslyn Ospreys

Glaslyn Ospreys

Attraction
Porthmadog
Dolbadarn Castle
Dyfi Osprey 2020

Dyfi Wildlife Centre

Attraction
Machynlleth
dam and resevoir.
Llyn Brenig Lake & Visitor Centre

Llyn Brenig

Attraction
Corwen
Dolbadarn Castle

Walk the Pembrokeshire Coast Path

If you only walk one trail all year, make it the Pembrokeshire Coast Path in spring. From late April the 186 miles (300km) of Britain’s favourite footpath are at their best. The cliffs and hedgerows are bursting with flowers, and the birdlife is at its most active. It’s easy to break down into short hops by using the excellent coastal bus services; if you walk the whole thing you’ll have climbed the equivalent of Mount Everest.

Beach at Marloes Sands.
view across to Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire.

Marloes Sands and Skomer Island, Pembrokeshire - some of the views along the Pembrokeshire Coast National Path, West Wales

Towering headlands blanketed with spring blooms.”

Stay on a Welsh farm

With the spring lambs on the hills, and the young calves taking their first steps outdoors, it’s the perfect time to escape to the country by staying in a lovely old farmhouse or cosily converted cowshed. There are many farms where you can stay. Farmers open their homes to provide top quality B&Bs with superb Welsh farmhouse breakfasts. They also have lots of self-catering options in barn conversions, bunkhouses, and camping and caravan sites.

Three cows looking over a gate.

Meet the locals on a farm stay holiday

Jess's pod

Abbey Farm Glamping

Accommodation
Rhuddlan
Dolbadarn Castle

Dolgelynen

Accommodation
Machynlleth
dam and resevoir.

Afan Forest Park (NRW)

Attraction
Port Talbot
Aerial view of a harbour, two beaches and pastel coloured houses.

Try mountain biking at the Afan Forest

Wales has some of the best (and most challenging) mountain biking facilities in the world, but we want everyone (even total novices) to be able to have a bash. The Rookie Trail at Afan Forest is a great place to start: it’s unscary enough that the whole family can hire bikes and get acquainted with this fabulous sport.

A taste of cycling in the Afan Forest Park

When you’ve mastered the basics, you can venture up into the 60+ miles (100km) of flowing trails that wind through a forest which, at this time of year, will be alive with spring flowers.

Two mountain bikers on a trail at Afan Forest Park.

Mountain biking in the Afan Forest, West Wales

Walk in a bluebell wood

The purple haze of bluebells is one of Wales’ greatest natural wonders, and they peak in early May. It’s hard to pick a favourite place to see them, because they look spectacular in any ancient woodland setting - of which we’ve got plenty. The Woodland Trust and Wildlife Trust can point you in the right direction. Incidentally, the bluebell has a couple of lovely Welsh names: bwtsiasen y gog means ‘cuckoo’s boots’ while cloch yr eos is ‘nightingale’s bell’. Oh, and our ancestors used bluebell-bulb glue to stick feathers to their arrows.

Female and male walkers in field with bluebells.

Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales' Brynna Woods Bluebell Walk, South Wales

Walk the Carmarthenshire Fans

The Carmarthenshire Fans, that’s ‘fans’ pronounced ‘vans’, is on the wildly wonderful western edge of  the Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) mountain range, and the least visited of its peaks. It’s a good family walk from the car park near Llanddeusant: hard enough to feel like a proper mountain, but easily doable in a morning. At the top, the jagged escarpment of Picws Du plunges down into the depths of Llyn y Fan Fach, home of the legendary Lady of the Lake. And if you don’t see a multitude of red kites along the way, we’ll give you a piggy-back down. Honest.

Llyn y Fan Fach , Brecon Beacons National Park,  West Wales.
View of the lake and mountains.

Moody skies over Llyn y Fan Fach, Bannau Brycheiniog (Brecon Beacons) National Park, Carmarthenshire, Mid Wales

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