Some of Wales' most well-known beauty spots have finally caught the eye of one corner of the internet, with Reddit users describing Pembrokeshire and the Gower as "underrated". Despite the areas being well renowned as some of Wales's most beautiful assets, it seems as though some internet users are only just catching on.
Described as the "front page of the internet", Reddit brings users together based on their interests, hobbies, location and just about everything else. But in recent years the online community has turned its attention to travel, using the experiences of its users to offer travel tips for people around the world.
So much so, the site has seen a 34% increase year-over-year in conversations about UK travel destinations and holidays. And with more and more users turning to the site for recommendations, some baffling posts about some the UK's best holiday destinations have come to light.
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Research done by Reddit, who have partnered up with Airbnb, English Heritage, Rough Guides, and Trainline, sees a list of which destinations users of the site find most "underrated". And among the surprising list which, includes Yorkshire and the Orkney Islands, Welsh favourites Pembrokeshire and Gower feature as fourth and fifth most "underrated" by Reddit users.
"Who needs holidays abroad when Wales exists?" exclaims one Redditor - boasting about their recent trip to Pembrokeshire. Not that us Welshies need telling twice, but Pembrokeshire really is God's Own. From the miles and miles of coast, to quaint seaside towns like Tenby - which if you've visited in the summer it's impossible to imagine it as "undiscovered" or "underrated" - Pembs is one of Wales' gems.
One user even said Pembrokeshire is 'the UK's best-kept secret'. And if we had already had the beautiful area to ourselves - which let's face it, we haven't - then it seems as though others are catching on, with insight from Trainline shows travel to Tenby has shot up by more than 50%.
From the resort town, the coastal road passes through Penally with its wonderful beach and continues past idyllic coves, the lily ponds at Bosherston and the remarkable and ancient St Govan’s Chapel, squeezed into a rock cleft above the crashing waves, it doesn't seem as though Pembrokeshire will be "underrated" for long.
And perhaps more surprising, it seems as though Reddit users are also only now discovering the wonderful world of Gower. A 15-mile-long finger of undulating sandstone and limestone, Gower is Wales's very own Gold Coast, pointing into the Bristol Channel to the west of Swansea.
With it being home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, there is nothing "underrated" about Gower. On a post asking for holiday recommendations in the UK, one Reddit user said: "If you're looking for scenery, I'd recommend the Gower coast in South Wales. Some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, plenty of walking trails in the national parks, etc.
"The Mumbles is a cool little holiday town with loads of places to stay, eat (it's actually getting a bit of a reputation as a foodie destination), and drink. It's a good mix of old-school pubs and modern bars, has a very cosmopolitan, street café vibe rather than turning into a club destination at night. There are loads of other places nearby to stay around the coast as well.
"You can get there from the Midlands by train to Swansea (maybe have to change at Cardiff) and there are buses that run up and down the coast regularly. There's not a huge amount of culture in terms of museums, etc. but Cardiff is only a 30-minute train journey from Swansea."
Gower's entire peninsula is fringed by sweeping yellow bays and precipitous cliffs, with caves and blowholes to the south, and wide, flat marshes and cockle beds to the north. Bracken heaths dotted with prehistoric remains and tiny villages lie between, and there are numerous castle ruins and curious churches lurking about - definitely something to write home about.
Here are the top 'underrated' staycation spots this summer as judged by Redditors:
1. Bedfordshire, England
2. The Highlands, Scotland
3. Orkney Islands, Scotland
4. Pembrokeshire, Wales
5. Gower Peninsula, Wales
6. Yorkshire England
7. Lancashire, England
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