SEVENDAYSWales on Sunday 9 December 2012

SEVENDAYS9 December 2012 Wales on Sunday

10 11AWAYDAYSSHORT BREAKSJERSEY: ModernHotels (01534 735511) offers threenights’ B&B atthree-star MayfairHotel, St Helier, fortwo adults andtwo children (agedtwo-11) for £629,ex-Poole Dec 30 byCondor Fastcat andwith transfers.Package incl NewYear’s Eve galabuffet and fullentertainment.MOROCCO:www.vhip hotels.co.uk (0844 5732460) offers fournights at KasbahTamadot from£899, with flights,private transfersand breakfast.Prices are perperson basedon two adultssharing a SuperiorRoom. Priceincludes all taxesand fuel surchargeswhich are subjectto change.DUBAI: Hayes &

Jarvis (0844 415 1918) offersthree nights’ half-board fromJan 13 at Le Meridien MinaSeyahi Beach Resort & Marinafor £699, saving £195. Thepackage includes five-staraccommodation, returnEmirates flights ex-Gatwickand transfers.

LONG-HAUL TRAVELMAURITIUS: Hayes & Jarvis(0844 415 1918) offers sevennights’ half-board at five-starParadise Cove Hotel & Spafor £995, saving £600.Boutique hotel is 15 minutesfrom Grand Baie on a northcoast cove. Package inclflights ex-Gatwick byEmirates Jan 20 and transfers.MALAYSIA: Hayes & Jarvis(0844 415 1918) offers sevennights’ B&B from Jan 9 atHard Rock Hotel Penang for£899, saving £326, in luxuryresort along beaches of BatuFerringhi. Package inclSingapore Airlines flightsex-Heathrow and transfers.

NEW YEARCORNWALL: Cornish Cottages(01326 240 333) offers seven-nights’ self-catering at first-floor apartments sleepingfour in Old Cellar Houseon Mullion Harbour overChristmas/New Year for £545,saving £209, incl bed linen,electricity, central heating.Balcony views overlookingharbour and along the highcliffs, and easy access toSouth West Coast Path.LAKELAND: CumbrianCottages (01228 599 960)offers seven nights’ self-catering from Dec 20 for£390, saving £65, in well-planned apartment sleepingtwo. Ambleside’s restaurants/shops nearby.CUMBRIA: Sykes Cottages(01244 352 300) offers classicLakeland stone cottage withdouble and twin bedroomsfor £492, saving £51, forseven nights’ self-cateringfrom Dec 22. Lindale villageoffers a pub and shop.

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A visit to Pembrokeshire can be as adventurous or asTUMBLING downhill strappedinside a giant transparent ballwasn’t quite how I’d imagined

my peaceful weekend break inPembrokeshire would start.

I was keen to chill out with a fewwalks from our base at theWolfscastle Country Hotel, admirethe fantastic countryside, maybetake in a pub lunch or two – butwhen my wife discovered zorbingwas available nearby she made sureit was top of our to-do list.

Downhill Revolution West Wales,at Nolton Stables, East Nolton wasthe venue for our sphericaladventure. Their staff, who wearT-shirts claiming they have the‘biggest balls in Wales’, explainedthe basics of zorbing. You and yourpartner slide into the inflatable orbvia a side hole, harness up and waitto be pushed off the platform at thetop of the 100-metre slope. Gravitydoes the rest, until a grass bank atthe bottom halts the ball and youcrawl out.

Judging by the screams andwailing of zorbers who careereddown ahead of us, this was similarto braving a high-thrills amusementpark ride – a touch of Alton Towersset among Pembrokeshire fields.

Then it was our turn and althoughthe experience probably lasted onlyabout 25 or 30 seconds, it seemedlonger, especially by the last few

revolutions when, my eyes clampedshut through sheer terror, I feltutterly disorientated.

Minus the water and soap subs,this is probably the closest I’ll cometo being spun around inside awashing machine. As I flopped outof the sphere at the finish I had tosit down, take some deep breathsand regain my composure and somecolour in my now-pallid cheeks. Ifelt like I’d had the stuffing knockedout of me but my crazy wife waswhooping and hollering, demandinganother go.

Not wanting to appear a wimp, Iagreed to join her, and how brave Ifelt as I completed a secondhead-over-heels challenge. Brave,that is, until I heard DownhillRevolution has plans for asuper-long, 250-metre slope. Nowthat really would test your mettle!

I also had my first encounter witha segway at Nolton Stables. This is atwo-wheeled, battery-poweredvehicle which you drive standing up.The sensitive machinery responds toyou shifting your weight (to goforward and reverse) and thehandlebar (for left and right).

After only a minute or twopractising I was tearing around acourse that had been set up in theindoor riding arena, slalomingaround cones and doing 360-degreeturns on the sand surface. I may nothave matched the poise andelegance of an Olympic dressagerider in this horsey setting – in fact Iknocked over the odd cone – but Iwas surprised how easy it was to getthe hang of it thanks to the segway’sself-balancing technology.

Sadly we didn’t have time to trythe horseriding at the stables but itwe had we could have foundourselves cantering through the surfon the picturesque Druidstonebeach nearby. Beginners andexperienced riders are catered for.

The following day I was ready forsomething a little lessadrenalin-pumped. Pembrokeshireis famous for its coastal walks but,as we found, staying inland can bejust as rewarding.

Our circular walk, starting atWolfscastle village, took in enoughsites of archaeological interest tohave the cast of Time Teamdrooling. First we came across theremains of a Norman motte and

bailey castle tucked away inwoodland; then we followed a

river and strolled alongquiet lanes before

finding St Dogwells

Church. In the grounds among theheadstones was an Ogham stonefeaturing obscure Irish inscriptionsfrom early medieval times, a clue tothe area’s historical links with thatpart of the world.

We carried on past a farm whichwas selling fresh eggs from anhonesty box, then a little wanderingoff the beaten track revealed aNeolithic burial chamber thought todate to about 3,500BC.

On the county’s south coast isanother great walking site:Bosherton Lily Ponds on the NationalTrust-run Stackpole Estate. Theman-made lakes were created about200 years ago and are home to arich variety of wildlife includingotters and dragonflies.

The water lilies were not in bloomwhen we visited but the aquifer-fedlakes provided a beautiful backdropas we headed through woodlandand down to Broadhaven SouthBeach.

We were lucky enough on our finalday to view things from a newperspective thanks to a pleasureflight with Fly Heli Wales.

The plan had been to take off fromHaverfordwest’s small airport in thenimble Bell Jet Ranger helicopter andhead out to historic St Davids andback. But some nasty weather wasclosing in and, for safety reasons, ourfriendly pilot Sven decided on a

curtailed journey a bit closerto the airport where the skieswere clearer.

I’m not normally the keeneston flying but this wasexhilarating.

Top speed was about 140mphbut it never felt more than aboutwalking pace as we peered downat the roads, fields and villagesbelow.

The chopper flew over BroadHaven before sweeping round toMilford Haven and its sprawlingrefinery, with views across theestuary towards Pembroke Dock,and back to the airport.

A flight with Heli Wales wouldmake a great birthday or

anniversary treat.Pembrokeshire’s countryside can

match anywhere in the UK andyou’re far less likely to encounterthe big holiday crowds other, more

WHERE TO STAY

hyped, destinations attract. And aswe found during a single weekend,there’s something for everyone, nomatter how adventurous, or not, youare.

■ Downhill Revolution WestWales, Nolton Stables, East

Nolton near Haverfordwest. Tel01437 710360, www.zorbingwales.co.uk. Zorbing costs £25 forone run, £45 two runs, £60 threeruns; two people take part ineach run. Price for an indoorsegway session £12.50.

■ Fly Heli Wales,Haverfordwest; tel

01437 779944,www.flyheliwales.co.uk.Pleasure flights start from£39 per person.

■ For more information onPembrokeshire:

www.visitpembrokeshire.com

James Potts was a guest of TheWolfscastle Country Hotel, just offthe A40 between Haverfordwest andFishguard, well placed for visitorswho want to explore Pembrokeshire.

Our double room with en suite wasspacious and had all the mod consyou expect, but the best feature wasthe amazing view out across thevillage towards Treffgarne Rockswhich dominate the immediatelandscape.

We found the staff friendly andhelpful throughout our stay, and onthe day of our local walk thereceptionist, without us asking, kindly

printed off a detailed map from theinternet.

Dining in the Allt yr Afon restaurantwas a pleasure and you can see whythe hotel has earned AA rosettes inrecognition of its cuisine. You get achoice from two evening menusfeaturing local produce (the Brasserie,featuring traditional favourites, andthe Fine Dining, which changesfrequently). The desserts especiallywere delicious and very imaginative.The high standard was maintained forthe breakfasts too.■ The Wolfscastle Country Hotel is inthe village of Wolfscastle, near

Haverfordwest. Tel: 01437 741225,www.wolfscastle.com. Prices startfrom £118 for a double/twin room pernight for two sharing and £154 withdinner.

tranquil as you want, as James Potts discovered