Coasteering on the St. David's Peninsula

Pembrokeshire, and St. David’s in particular, likes to claim that it ‘invented’ coasteeering. Whilst purists will argue that the whole notion of exploring along rocky foreshores is something kids have been doing since seaside holidays first began, there’s no doubt that St. David’s-based TYF Adventure took the whole notion one step further, with the development of coasteering in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and it’s now one of the most popular visitor activities in the St. David’s Peninsula, particularly at this time of year. It couldn’t be more simple – squeeze into a wetsuit, safety helmet and old trainers then scramble, climb, swim and cliff jump your way around the spectacular rocky coastline. The BBC’s ‘Holidays Out’ programme called it ‘the best liquid refreshment you can get’ and even Everest mountaineer Chris Bonington has given it a go, finding it ‘immensely enjoyable’. All the local routes are graded to ensure you don’t get in too deep and a qualified coasteering guide will also ensure that things never get too testing. And it’s not just about thrills and spills: the inter-tidal environment you’re passing through is one of the wildest and harshest environments on the planet, and this is a rare opportunity to examine it in detail, taking in various points of interest, varying from long lines of kelp to playful seals.