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Showing posts with label visit wales. Show all posts
Showing posts with label visit wales. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Emma and Piers Welsh Odyssey - The Full Story


 Emma and Piers Welsh Odyssey - The Full Story

One man stuck on a sunlounger. One woman trying to drag him off it. One (smallish) country ready to step in and help. Follow Piers and Emma's Proper Holiday in Wales!

image depicting Wales wants Piers Bramhall!
Wales wants Piers Bramhall!
Episode 1: Piers and Emma make it over the Severn in style
180 miles west. A pint with Gareth Thomas. And a plane ride from Cardiff to Anglesey. So ends the first day of Piers and Emma's proper holiday. They're excited, we're excited - even the sun was excited. It made an appearance especially for them. Have a look at their first instalment of holiday here.
Episode 2: The good, the bad and the windy
After a cosy night at Ye Olde Bull's Head, Piers and Emma were set to go sailing on Plas Menai, but with the weather forecast predicting strong winds, we took them out on a ribride instead. They were accompanied by Olympic sailing hopeful Chris Grube, who looked happy to sit back and let the engine do the work. After getting soaked on the water, they dried off and relaxed at the five-star Plas Coch holiday village.
Episode 3: Campfires, casks and caves
Today Piers and Emma are in the Pederyn whisky distillery, sampling the best tipples in Wales. They've learnt the history of the distillery, how to smell the whisky with each nostril in turn and how to give the glass a "cuddle" before tasting. Bring on the cuddles.
image depicting Piers and Emma go surfing on Gower
Piers and Emma go surfing on Gower
Episode 4: Extreme sightseeing
It wouldn't be right to bring Piers and Emma here without letting them get stuck into our countryside. Doing activities are some of the best ways to see Wales. So we took them mountain biking in Afan Argoed, followed by surfing on the Gower Peninsula.
Piers and Emma swapped their casual clothes for wetsuits as we took them down to Caswell Bay. The skies may have been grey but the surf was perfect. Under the capable tutelage of Tom from Surf GSD, our novice surfers had a few wobbles and wipeouts but did remarkably well. They were natural, surfing like they'd been doing it for years. 
Look past the cutting rain, punishing mountains, brutal surf and grimacing faces. In their eyes you will see the glint of activity-sport triumph. And maybe a touch of exhaustion.
Episode 5: VIP treatment Welsh-style
VIPs are given luxuries and privileges that other mortals can only dream of... limos, entourages, handbags full of tiny, hairless dogs. Here in Wales we like to keep it real. So we gave Piers and Emma a bench looking out over Dunraven Bay, Southerndown. And we took them to a celebrity pub quiz at the Pelican in Ogmore-By-Sea.
Episode 6: The one where Piers and Emma went to Celtic Manor
It would have been wrong to deny Piers & Emma the chance to don some spikes and visors at the world-famous Celtic Manor. Piers was given the Lee Westwood locker, where he soaked up the awesome golf-pro power. We won't tell you who won, but it might just have worked.
Episode 7: Croeso I Caerdydd (Welcome to Cardiff)
Cardiff "fort on the Taff". As host to Piers and Emma for the weekend, Wales' capital gave them privileged access to some of its many highlights. Like getting to grips with singing lessons at The Wales Millenium Centre with The Welsh National Opera and mixing their own cocktails at Ffresh. And eating their own bodyweight in cheese at St. Fagan's food festival.
Episode 8: Pierstock
After The Isle of Wight Festival and Glastonbury comes the big one; Pierstock. As part of Piers & Emma's send-off weekend in Cardiff, Gwdihw held a micro-festival. Live music came from Johnny Cage & The Voodoo groove, T.R.O.M.B, Them Lovely Boys and Ukulele Nights. Food wasn't the usual festival fare -- there were no mystery meat burgers at Pierstock. There were oysters. Watch Emma tackle her first one here.
Episode 9: The end of the Welsh Odyssey
So this is it. It's been exciting, it's been emotional. At times, it's been surreal. Sunday afternoon managed all three. The trip ended with a feast at Cardiff Castle joined by Matt Tebbutt, Paul Potts & Colin Jackson. Everyone tucked into a meal by the Welsh Culinary Team. Speeches were made, Welsh cakes were eaten and then, they went home.
Diolch Piers & Emma, it's been epic.
What they thought of their Proper Holiday in Wales:
Piers: 'What a journey and an utterly humbling experience. We have quite honestly had the best experience anyone could ask for and we'd like to say a huge thank you to everyone for showing us really how much Wales has to offer. After seeing all the fantastic pledge videos, I appreciate despite all that we've seen and done in the past 7 days, we really have only scratched the surface of such a truly amazing country. We can't wait to come back if you'll have us. Diolch yn fawr!'
Emma: 'I can't believe it's actually over. What an amazing end to what I can only call the best week ever. Thank you again to everyone involved and everyone who followed the campaign, you have made this really special and shown us what Wales is really about.'
Have a look at the Visit Wales Facebook page for a detailed account of their holiday, comments and - best of all - the videos!

Friday, September 9, 2011

Gower Surfing Development had some VIP guests thanks to Visit Wales and 'We Want Piers' campaign

If you have been following the awesome tour that #VisitWales have been running @WeWantPiers

Well you then know that Piers and Emma plus the Visit Wales crew came surfing with us at Caswell Bay, Swansea. Here are some pictures plus an amazing video created by the guys at Visit Wales. My fave picture is of Emma making 'the claim' all surfers know how to make one of them! Thanks guys welcome to the surfing world... 4 pics below then the video, the last pic is my fave, sorry Piers!
Surfing lessons
1 to 2 surfing lesson
Up and riding at caswell bay
The claim in surfing yeehaa

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Thanks Swansea Council for the great support via VisitSwanseaBay website


One of the largest and most proactive tourism websites in the UK has the Gower surfers map available to download now the link is here Visit Swansea Bay Watersports

Hard copies will be available at TIC's in Swansea and Mumbles along with the following locations: The LC Swansea, Hot Dog surf shop in Kittle, Onboard surf & snow in Killay, Cafe Valence, Newton rd, Mumbles, 3 Cliffs coffee shop the only one on Gower, Surfside cafes located Caswell bay, Langland bay and Rotherslade beach more locations will be posted shortly.


Wednesday, February 23, 2011

GoWake Cable wakeboarding 2011 Season and beyond here in Swansea, West Wales


GOWAKE Swansea

South Wales’ first cable powered wakeboarding park opened in July of
2010 in Swansea’s SA1 development and became a key attraction for
water sports enthusiasts. In excess of 600 people came through the
doors to participate in the sport in the 3 months of operation.

In Wales there a two of these simple wakeboarding cable systems in
operation, and the same system was recently used at the prestigious
London boat show in January.

The Swansea facility cable line runs diagonally across The Prince of
Wales dock which surrounds the SA1 development project. This means
customers who visit have an opportunity to glide over the perfect flat
water conditions and back again to complete a 340m return trip on a
wakeboard. The wake park operated successfully last year and hopes  to
re-open in April 2011.

Wakeboarding - a variant of water skiing - is one of the fastest
growing extreme water sports, with parks under development all over
the world. Described as a combination of waterskiing, snowboarding and
surfing, wakeboard riders are traditionally towed behind purpose built
motorboats, using the wake to create the lift needed to carry out a
range of airborne manoeuvres and jumps.

Cable powered systems are a greener alternative to boats and are
ideally suited for enclosed waterways. The portable, straight-line
cable system is powered by a frequency regulated electric drive motor
and it is ideally suited for beginners enabling instructors to provide
one to one tuition.


The 'Go Wake' park is expected to be a key attraction for the region
this coming Summer with marketing support from Swansea County council
helping to raise awareness. We are keen to open in time for the Easter
holidays.


The plans for the Watersport Centre of Excellence on Swansea bay are
also progressing significantly, with this addition to the wide range
of water sports already available in Swansea Bay including, kayaking,
wind and kite surfing, stand up paddle boarding, yachting and jet
skiing this promotes Wales as a viable alternative to Devon and
Cornwall. It also endorses the region’s reputation as a fantastic
holiday destination.

Ieuan Wyn Jones, Minister for the Economy and Transport, said

“The fact the activity will be based in the Prince of Wales Dock,
which is just a short walk from the city centre, supports our vision
to develop SA1 into a thriving extension of the centre offering new
social, leisure and business opportunities.

“There cannot be many places in the UK where an activity like this is
on offer within a stone’s throw of a city centre – it makes it
accessible to all and will, I am sure, also prove to be a popular
spectator sport attracting visitors and residents into SA1. “