Welsh Vacation Recommendations & Advice Needed

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Re: Welsh Vacation Recommendations & Advice Needed

Post by jkbarnes »

Lots of great advice, as I suspected I’d get. Thank you all!

And I’m glad I asked about potential alternatives to Heathrow. I’ll investigate Cardiff, Manchester, and Birmingham to see what the options. We’d talked about flying out in the evening so that we arrive in the morning. I’ll see what we can find.
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Re: Welsh Vacation Recommendations & Advice Needed

Post by Richard D »

Amor Vincit Omnia wrote: Sat Dec 17, 2022 11:21 am ^^^ I might be very wrong, but I would be surprised if you got a direct flight. It might involve transfer at somewhere like Schiphol or Paris. Or perhaps a transfer in the US? I really don’t know.
It would involve a one stop transfer. The other option is Bristol, Virgin fly into that airport. Heathrow would be my return choice, good choice of duty free watches to be tempted by.
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Re: Welsh Vacation Recommendations & Advice Needed

Post by jkbarnes »

Richard D wrote: Sat Dec 17, 2022 12:52 pm It would involve a one stop transfer. The other option is Bristol, Virgin fly into that airport. Heathrow would be my return choice,
That’s the bugaboo. From the US, Heathrow is probably the easiest with the most options. A quick scan of flights revealed multiple transfers getting into Cardiff with extended travel time - not our preference.
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Re: Welsh Vacation Recommendations & Advice Needed

Post by exHowfener »

I'd suggest that you take a look at North Wales, Perhaps around the Conwy valley area, Somewhere like Rowen https://rowenconwy.org.uk/ might suit (Very good pub in the village). You may be able to fly into Manchester and it's a short drive on very good roads (A55 expressway) to the area. Valley and low level walks if that's your thing, plenty of history. Bodnant gardens. Easy access and short drives to plenty of things to occupy your days.You can even get the train down to Blaenau Ffestiniog and connect with the narrow gauge railway through to Porthmadog with a bit of planning for a car free day out - visit "The Australia" pub if you like real ale.

OS Landranger 115 will be your guide.
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Re: Welsh Vacation Recommendations & Advice Needed

Post by jkbarnes »

Four nights booked in the Mumbles - an old fisherman’s cottage!

Now we’re thinking perhaps a few nights in the Cotswolds (or something similar) before returning to London to fly home.

Thank you all for the recommendations and suggestions.

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Re: Welsh Vacation Recommendations & Advice Needed

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Andrew, are you taking a detour to CW HQ? :)
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Re: Welsh Vacation Recommendations & Advice Needed

Post by welshlad »

If you are to be based in the Mumbles (lovely spot!) for four nights, then forget any recommendations to explore North Wales - it will be too far. You'd spend all your time driving.

There is loads of coastline to explore around the Gower, which will be on your doorstep. Rhossili Bay is my favourite beach there, with its shipwreck and the view of Worm's Head.

You will also have a castle very close by in the form of Oystermouth Castle, which is good to explore. Nearby Swansea Marina also houses the tallest building in Wales, with a nice restaurant at the top.

If you fancy a day trip away from the Mumbles/Gower, then Pembrokeshire is the obvious bet - a multitude of castles and beaches to explore. The best castle IMHO is Pembroke Castle. Or, a little nearer would be Laugharne, the home of Dylan Thomas. It's a beautiful village with its own ruined castle, plus you can visit the old Boathouse where Thomas used to live and the shed/garage where he used to write. Well worth a visit!

On the way to the Cotswolds, if you have time, I would recommend stopping off in Cardiff Bay, which is an interesting regenerated area for a walk around for a few hours. The road connections are excellent too.

In the Cotwolds, there are many lovely places to stay or visit, e.g. Lower/Upper Slaughter, Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold, Broadway, Chipping Campden, etc.
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Re: Welsh Vacation Recommendations & Advice Needed

Post by JAFO »

Hi Andrew

If you are in the Cotswolds area, and driving from there to London, note that there is a high end designer outlet village at Bicester, near Oxford.

Outlet shopping centres sell branded goods at reduced prices, often end of ranges, and clearance stuff. There are numerous shopping villages of this type in the UK, and a lot of them offer decent bargains - but the one at Bicester (pronounced Bister) is rather high end, including clothing, watches and jewellery. Many Japanese and Chinese visitors make a beeline to Bicester, and spend a lot of money.

It's worth noting that if you want to buy legally, these shops should sell to foreign customers such as yourself, VAT free - which means 1/6 off the displayed SP. The VAT is 20%, but that means 1/6 of the total displayed price, not 1/5. ie - An item listed at £120 including VAT is £100 plus 20% VAT, and they don't charge you the VAT. Unlike the US where sales tax is an add-on to the displayed price, I believe. However in order to give you this, they are not supposed to let you take the goods personally. They are supposed to mail them to the US and then you pay US import duties - which as we know would be zero for under $800 (I think). Taking stuff in to the UK without declaring it is probably contraband/smuggling. I imagine it;s the same in the US.

A lot of Brits think the stuff at Bicester is overpriced, but clearly a lot of overseas shoppers don't.
It might not be worth wasting spending a day shopping instead of sight seeing, but there you go. I certainly enjoyed looking, and I came away with a reduced Montblanc key ring.

I don't know if anyone has used Bicester more regularly and can comment.

Finally on the north edge of the Cotswolds are places like Warwick Castle, and Stratford-on-Avon. I can do without the castles to be honest, but Stratford may be worth a visit. It's not all Shakespeare themed by any means, and the River Basin is an attractive part of the town.
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Re: Welsh Vacation Recommendations & Advice Needed

Post by Amor Vincit Omnia »

^^^ And if you are going to pass through Oxfordshire from the Cotswolds into the Thames Valley, then the chance to visit Oxford itself should not be passed up. :D
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Re: Welsh Vacation Recommendations & Advice Needed

Post by jkbarnes »

This is shaping up to be a wonderful trip, and it’s developing rather organically without out a lot of grand planning.

Thank you everyone for the recommendations and suggestions!
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Re: Welsh Vacation Recommendations & Advice Needed

Post by Bahnstormer_vRS »


JAFO wrote:Hi Andrew


It's worth noting that if you want to buy legally, these shops should sell to foreign customers such as yourself, VAT free - which means 1/6 off the displayed SP. The VAT is 20%, but that means 1/6 of the total displayed price, not 1/5. ie - An item listed at £120 including VAT is £100 plus 20% VAT, and they don't charge you the VAT. Unlike the US where sales tax is an add-on to the displayed price, I believe. However in order to give you this, they are not supposed to let you take the goods personally. They are supposed to mail them to the US and then you pay US import duties - which as we know would be zero for under $800 (I think). Taking stuff in to the UK without declaring it is probably contraband/smuggling. I imagine it;s the same in the US.

.
NB>. The bit in bold is the important bit. :wink: :wink:

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Re: Welsh Vacation Recommendations & Advice Needed

Post by RichM »

Some great advice here, the best travel agency there is!

I agree stick to the South of Wales and save the North for another trip. Pembrokshire alone needs 4 days!

Yes to Oxford, Stratford and Warwick Castle but would warn against rushing about to tick things off. As you say let it happen organically!

I rate Bicester Shopping Village if you like retail shopping esp. clothes it's a great environment and potential for some fantastic bargains or indeed sometimes coming away empty handed.

And then there's London...
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Re: Welsh Vacation Recommendations & Advice Needed

Post by Richard D »

jkbarnes wrote: Sat Dec 17, 2022 4:04 pm Four nights booked in the Mumbles - an old fisherman’s cottage!
Perfect cottage with a gem of a pub nearby. Good to know you have your priorities in order.
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Re: Welsh Vacation Recommendations & Advice Needed

Post by RichM »

exHowfener wrote: Sat Dec 17, 2022 1:20 pm I'd suggest that you take a look at North Wales, Perhaps around the Conwy valley area, Somewhere like Rowen https://rowenconwy.org.uk/ might suit (Very good pub in the village). You may be able to fly into Manchester and it's a short drive on very good roads (A55 expressway) to the area. Valley and low level walks if that's your thing, plenty of history. Bodnant gardens. Easy access and short drives to plenty of things to occupy your days.You can even get the train down to Blaenau Ffestiniog and connect with the narrow gauge railway through to Porthmadog with a bit of planning for a car free day out - visit "The Australia" pub if you like real ale.

OS Landranger 115 will be your guide.
We were in all those spots over the summer!

I like that the Purple Moose Brewery shop has a better location on the high street in Porthmaddog now only a couple of doors up from the Australian.

We had a lovely meal in Dylan's restaurant in Criccieth too.👍
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Re: Welsh Vacation Recommendations & Advice Needed

Post by jkbarnes »

Pt. 2 of the Welsh getaway is booked! We’ve got 3 nights at a cottage in the in/near the Brecon Beacons. The plan is to stock up on food and park ourselves there for a few days to relax, take in the views, and enjoy the hot tub!

Pt. 3 will be two nights in London before flying home. A post seeking hotel recommendations will be forthcoming - small, quaint, cool neighborhood

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