This web-site is only run as a hobby. I don't have a lot of free
time to spend on it. Therefore, before you send me an e-mail for
further information, or you require an answer to a question, please
have a look through the following to see if it gives you the answer
you require.
If it doesn't then please contact me and I will endeavour to help you, though it may be a couple of weeks at least before I get back to you.
- Where is Wales?
- When was Wales?
- Wales is part of England isn't it?
- Where is the nearest International airport?
- I'm coming from the USA. What is the best way to get to South Wales?
- What is the best way to get around?
- Where can I hire/rent a car?
- How far is it to drive from the Airport to South Wales?
- Will I be safe driving?
- Will I be safe out and about in Wales?
- I'm coming to London for a vacation. Why should I bother travelling to South Wales?
- Can you send me some brochures?
- What's the weather like in January?
- What's the weather like in July?
- What's the weather like in November?
- My great-grandfather's name was Thomas, or Evans, or Jones and he came from South Wales. Can you help me find some information on him?
- Where can I stay in South Wales?
- What can I do?
- Where can I eat?
- Will you put a link to my web-site on your site for my restaurant, or pub, or hotel in South Wales?
- Why doesn't Wales seem to do well at Rugby - Wales' national game?
- Is the sea-water safe around South Wales?
- Are any of the South Wales newspapers on the Internet?
- I wish to advertise in a South Wales newspaper, how do I contact them?
- WHERE IS WALES? - Wales is part of the United Kingdom (which consists of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). Wales is not part of England. The UK is situated off the north coast of Europe. Wales is west of England approximately 150 miles from London.
- WHEN WAS WALES? - This is a really interesting question best answered by a book of the same name - "When was Wales" by Gwyn A. Williams. A good read if you want to find out more about Wales' history, people and culture.
- WALES IS PART OF ENGLAND ISN'T IT? - No, England is just one part of the United Kingdom, as is Wales. Referring to England when you mean the UK is the quickest way to upset the Welsh!
- WHERE IS THE NEAREST INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT? - Wales has it's own International airport - Cardiff,
Wales (CWL) with flights throughout Europe and the UK.
Transatlantic flights to North America are rare though there has
been a weekly service to and from Toronto in Canada in the past. The best way
to reach Wales directly by air is via Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS). There are
several flights a day to and from Amsterdam with a journey time of
1 hour. KLM and Northwest Airlines do combined fares across the Atlantic to Cardiff via Amsterdam. KLM quite often do good offers via their website.
The alternative is to fly to London Heathrow (LHW). This airport is only 150 miles from Cardiff and has worldwide connections. I've used Opodo a few times now to book flights and get some really good deals. Opodo is owned by the main airlines and gives you direct access to all their deals, without charging a premium like other agents.
- I'M COMING FROM THE USA. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET TO SOUTH WALES? - see question above. The best way is to fly into Cardiff via Amsterdam, or into London Heathrow. Arriving in Cardiff Wales airport you have the whole of South Wales within 2 hours drive away. From London or Heathrow the best way is to travel by high speed train either from Reading (there is a coach from the airport to Reading station) or from London Paddington (use the Heathrow Express to get to Paddington). One of the quickest routes is by Express Coach bus from Heathrow to Cardiff or Swansea. It's direct and takes about 3 hours.
- WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET AROUND? - you can manage without a car, by using public transport between Cardiff, Cowbridge, Bridgend and Swansea. However, most of the places mentioned in this web-site are inaccessible by public transport, you need your own car or use taxis.
-
WHERE CAN I HIRE A CAR? - You can hire a car at any of the major airports, London Heathrow, Gatwick or Cardiff Wales Airport, or in the main cities in South Wales.
It is best to book a car for your arrival. Car rental in Wales is like anywhere else. However, if you've never driven on the left before then see here for more information. Recently I've used easyCar. The prices are amazingly cheap. The downside is that you have no choice of vehicle, and that you have to wash and clean out the car before you return it, but if you want good value this is it. In my experience they do give you a choice of Manual or Automatic gearbox when you pickup but this is not guaranteed. There is also a great big Easycar sticker down the side of the vehicle which is totally naff. Here cheap does mean cheap. If you want to blend into the area then this car hire/rental company is not for you. However, if you don't mind the disadvantages and cost is all important then you can't do better. - HOW FAR IS IT TO DRIVE FROM THE AIRPORT TO SOUTH WALES? - Cardiff Wales airport is within 2 hours drive of all of South Wales. From London Heathrow its about 2 - 3 hours to get to the eastern part of South Wales and perhaps another 1½ hours to get to Swansea and beyond.
- WILL I BE SAFE DRIVING FROM THE AIRPORT? - it depends - if you are used to driving on very crowded, multi-lane highways with a manual gearbox (stick shift) then you will be fine. The evening rush-hour on the M4 and the M25 (the main routes that you would use to get to South Wales from London) can be manic. It is not unusual for the whole motorway to be going at 60 - 80 miles per hour yet be jam-packed with vehicles. Friday night heading towards Wales from London is to be avoided. If you are not used to manual gearboxes and driving on the left then the train is your best bet, then hire a car in Wales. The roads in South Wales are quieter. Pre-book your hire car and ask for an "automatic" if you're not used to a manual/stick shift gearbox. For further information on driving in the UK try this information page.
- WILL I BE SAFE OUT AND ABOUT IN WALES? - as long as you follow any normal common-sense precautions then you will be fine. For example don't walk through the rougher inner-city parts of Cardiff alone at night with your thousand dollar camera around your neck! You may think that you look unobtrusive but you don't. Personal attacks are quite rare.
- I'M COMING TO LONDON FOR A VACATION. WHY SHOULD I BOTHER TRAVELLING TO SOUTH WALES? - London may appear to have it all but after a few days you should get out and see the real country. South Wales is ideal. Its within an easy distance - about 2 - 3 hours. It's a real vibrant booming area with a real mix of modern facilities, and history and Celtic culture. From the coast to the mountains it has something for everyone, whether its walking along the coastal paths, browsing the museums, shopping or climbing the Brecon Beacons. You will not regret it!
- CAN YOU SEND ME SOME BROCHURES? - Unfortunately I can't. This web-site is just a hobby for me. However if you visit the Welsh Tourist Board web-site they have a brochure request facility.
- WHAT'S THE WEATHER LIKE IN JANUARY? - cold and wet.
- WHAT'S THE WEATHER LIKE IN JULY? - warm and dry - though often warm and wet!
- WHAT'S THE WEATHER LIKE IN NOVEMBER? - windy and very wet.
- MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER'S NAME WAS THOMAS, OR EVANS, OR JONES, OR WILLIAMS AND HE CAME FROM SOUTH WALES. CAN YOU HELP ME FIND SOME INFORMATION ON HIM? - I'm afraid not - there are many thousand of families in Wales with these surnames. Have a look here for more information.
- WHERE CAN I STAY IN SOUTH WALES? - see my Where to Stay page.
- WHAT CAN I DO? - see my Where to Go page.
- WHERE CAN I EAT? - see my Restaurant guide
- WILL YOU PUT A LINK TO MY WEB-SITE ON
YOUR SITE FOR MY RESTAURANT, OR PUB, OR HOTEL IN SOUTH WALES? -
it depends - I generally only put links in the main site that I find personally useful. If the link is useful for me,
then it will normally be useful for my visitors as well. However, I
will also add links to sites in my South Wales Directory that I think my visitors will find
useful, especially if there is a reciprocal link to this site -
http://www.south-wales.org.uk.
Link requests from large companies or large commercial sites will not be added.
You'll get on by making the grade in the usefulness stakes. If you intend to ask for a reciprocal link with the intention of later asking me to pay for the link on your site, please don't bother asking as I will NOT pay for any links.
If you think that your site makes the grade (don't be put off!) then add your site here. - WHY DOESN'T WALES SEEM TO DO WELL AT RUGBY - WALES' NATIONAL GAME? - if I could answer this question I'd be a rich man.
- IS THE SEA-WATER SAFE AROUND SOUTH WALES? - basically no. Swim in it if you're hard enough (it's very cold), but don't if you have any open cuts. And don't drink it.
- ARE ANY OF THE SOUTH WALES
NEWSPAPERS ON THE INTERNET? - yes, try
icwales.icnetwork.co.uk this is the site of the Western Mail
newspaper that covers all of South Wales. You can also try
www.thisissouthwales.co.uk. This is the site of the South Wales
Evening Post.
- I wish to
advertise in a South Wales newspaper, how do I contact
them? - try the Western Mail newspaper or South Wales
Echo. Contact details are:
Western Mail & Echo Ltd.
Thomson House
Havelock Street
Cardiff
CF10 1XR
Telephone 029-2022-3333
Fax
DX 122780 CARDIFF 13
Editor: Alan Edmunds +44(0)29 2058 3650
For back issues of newspaper, please contact newspaper sales team on +44(0)29 2058 3455 or email wednesday.morgan@wme.co.uk
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This site content © Bob Perryman, 2008.