Former historic coastal port Parrog beach, on the south side of the estuary, is now a popular spot for recreational boating.
The small sandy beach is close to the town’s galleries and independent craft shops that the area is renowned for.
History buffs should explore the remains of Iron Age forts and cairns, plus Pentre Ifan, one of the most significant Neolithic monuments in Wales.
HIDDEN GEM
Steeped in history, The Sailors’ Safety at Pwllgwaelod Beach on the Pembrokeshire coast is an old smugglers’ pub dating back to 1593.
The menu highlights the best of local Pembrokeshire seafood with a focus on foraged ingredients from the local shores and hedgerows.
Dine in the cosy restaurant or relax with a drink in the bar while soaking up centuries of maritime history.
The city has some very cosy pubsCredit: AlamyThe Pembrokeshire coastline is one of the UK’s most beautifulCredit: Alamy
BEST VIEW
Ancient volcano Carningli, also known as the Hill of the Angels, rewards walkers for the half-hour climb to the 1,138ft summit with stunning 360-degree views.
On a clear day it’s possible to see over the Pembrokeshire coastline and even towards the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland.
RATED RESTAURANT
At the heart of Newport, the Golden Lion has been serving drinks to travellers since the 1600s.
It is now a cosy pub with an extensive menu making the most of the local fare including Welsh beef and freshly caught local seafood.
The historic atmosphere and quality ingredients make it a favourite with both locals and visitors.
BEST BAR
Whether a keen golfer or not, The Cat Rock Cafe is the place for sundowners and stunning coastal views.
Located at the 18-hole Newport Links Golf Club, designed by pro golfer and course architect James Braid, it’s a three-minute walk from Newport Sands.
COTTAGE PICK
Set on Main Street, in the heart of the bustling town, Welford House sleeps six and features a stunning Mediterranean-style paved courtyard.
A seven-night stay starts at £680.
For something more rural, Ty Top is a delightful two-bedroom end-of-terrace stone cottage set on an ancient track beneath Carningli mountain.
A seven-night stay starts at £535. See coastalcottages.co.uk.
The guide was adamant. “I’ve picked human teeth out of there and I’m not doing it again.” The small group of tourists looked suitably aghast, except the boy. He was jiggling the wellington boots on his feet and singing to himself. He looked about 14. I sensed that he was the catalyst, the one to make things happen.
“So, if anyone is planning to leave human remains in this ancient place,” went on the guide, throwing the boy a stern look, “I say, DON’T.”
We had arrived on the visitor centre bus from nearby Knowth, the first stop on our tour of Newgrange Neolithic site, 30 miles (50km) north of Dublin. I was on a circuit of the Irish Sea, a ferry and road trip to see the best ancient sites that ring this salty mere at the heart of these islands. It was here, around 5,100 years ago, that a new people arrived and, capitalising on the sea as a cultural superhighway, constructed a dazzling array of stone monuments. Some of Europe’s finest Neolithic passage tombs are here, notably at Newgrange, the only one you can enter. But as the guide was sternly pointing out, some modern folk are irresistibly drawn to leave the ashes of deceased relatives inside, especially at Newgrange.
Newgrange is more than 5,000 years old. Photograph: Ruben Galvez/Alamy
The plush visitor centre had been informative but had not conveyed the deep atavistic intensity that drives such tributes. There was magic here. I wanted to feel it. I had a hunch this boy was in touch with it.
“As for pets,” said our guide, “I want no dog or cat ashes either.”
The boy was drumming his hands on his knees, hearing an unheard rhythm. We were about to walk up to the hallowed tumulus with its 19-metre-long passageway that leads to the central chamber, but our guide was determined to get that boy’s attention. “There,” she shouted. The boy’s head shot up. She was pointing at a set of wheelie bins in the corner. “I can promise you,” she went on, grimly, “that if I find your granny’s remains inside my Neolithic chamber, then her last resting place will be that green wheelie bin.”
There was a stunned silence among the tourists. But not the boy. He immediately ran over to the bin, opened the lid and stared inside.
“Nothing,” he reported, slamming it down. “She’s not there.”
The guide looked nonplussed, then marched away towards the hill that is a tomb. “Follow me,” she commanded. “Do not leave the path.”
Everyone obeyed, except the boy. He ran in a great arc off the path, arms flapping like shamanic wings.
We had started our huge circular journey around the Irish Sea at Pentre Ifan, a magnificent tomb from 3500BC, sited on the same Pembrokeshire ridge that provided the bluestone for Stonehenge. I was travelling with my partner, Sophie, and our dog, Stevie, who had gone through complex hoops to prove he was not carrying either rabies or tapeworm into Ireland. He liked the first ferry, from Pembroke Dock to Rosslare; it had an excellent pet lounge, but what fascinated him was the sea. He could not stop staring. His reaction made me pay more attention to him. Could dogs, I wondered, also help connect us with the deep past? After all, their wolf heritage is 30,000 years old, yet they relive it every minute of their lives. If anyone could remember the Neolithic age, it was Stevie.
He had been well cared for initially. We stayed near Wexford, in a dog-friendly hotel, Marlfield House, with superb gardens. Then we toured the ruins of the greatest Irish saint of them all, Kevin. His sixth-century seat at Glendalough, in County Wicklow, is now a busy pilgrimage site. Twelfth-century Trim Castle in County Meath was next, followed by the Hill of Tara with its ancient standing stone, the Lia Fáil. Here all the pagan kings of Ireland were crowned, so the legend goes.
At its base, visitors had laid a collection of apples, flowers and coins. That puzzled me. Were the apples significant? Or had that gang of girls carrying hurling sticks just donated their unwanted snacks? Some people, it was clear, wanted such places to mean something, not simply be dusty artefacts.
I persuaded Stevie to lie down on a nearby grassy mound. Under us was the Mound of the Hostages, a chambered tomb that was already ancient when the Great Pyramid was built. Time slipped away. Those Neolithic people are so distant and mysterious. What we know for certain is almost nothing. They had cows … and dogs. I opened one eye. Stevie had gone. He’d given up communing with the stone age and gone after the hurling sticks.
That night, we stayed in another excellent dog-friendly hotel, Bellinter House, and visited Marcie Regan’s in Trim, a vibrant, dog-loving pub. Not until Newgrange did we meet the dreaded sign, NO DOGS. I’d been forced to leave him in the car, my dæmon, my conduit to the ancient.
Our guide stopped us at the entrance to the great megalithic structure, a turf-topped hill walled with white quartz. Discovered largely intact in 1699, the entrance was guarded by the same five-tonne stone that sits there now, covered in mysterious swirling patterns. Behind was a narrow entrance and a passage that lay under 200,000 tonnes of stone and earth.
Pentre Ifan tomb in Pembrokeshire, which is on the same site that provided the bluestone for Stonehenge. Photograph: Paul Williams/Alamy
“If you get claustrophobic,” said the guide, “you can leave at any time. Do not touch the carvings.”
Out the corner of my eye, I saw the boy come running. He had done a lap of the monument, chanting to himself, his little sister close behind. The guide bowed her head and disappeared inside. The boy ran his fingertips over the carvings and followed. I went in next. My unsatisfied desire for stone age magic was about to be fulfilled.
The tunnel is slightly kinked and rises imperceptibly. You don’t see the final chamber. The mystery grows. There are patterns on some stones. A deep silence descends. I thought of Stevie back in the car. They found the bones of a dog in here, and its DNA showed traces of wolf from both Europe and Asia. Stevie’s Neolithic moment, however, would have to wait.
At the end of the corridor, we arrived in a small chamber. Above, the roof was made of massive stones. In more than 5,000 years, it has not leaked. It looks haphazard, but is perfect, a Rolex assembled by Flintstones. The most impressive thing, however, was not understood until Prof Michael O’Kelly came and stood in this chamber on 21 December 1967. Our guide was now going to recreate that event, and what has happened at dawn on every winter solstice since about 3150BC.
We were in complete darkness. The boy had pressed himself into a niche where a huge stone basin sat. Human remains, ancient ones, had been found there. And then, the guide touched a hidden switch and a golden light came creeping up the passageway towards us, finally illuminating a triple spiral of megalithic art carved into one giant stone. It was like hearing a deep harmonic chord, or the haunting cry of a night bird, something profound and enigmatic. I forgave the bus, the tickets, the gift shop – all the paraphernalia of the tourism business – and saw the genius of this recreation.
Light slowly filled the chamber. We were all dumbstruck, except the boy. He spoke out loud and bold. “Question. Are there aliens here?”
The guide shook her head impatiently. “I won’t have any talk of aliens.”
The boy nodded and turned to his little sister. “That means there are.”
Then he was gone, scurrying down the tunnel in a half crouch, humming to himself.
A huge storm came in that night, downing trees and flooding roads. We drove through it to Belfast and hunkered down in our hotel.
Kevin Rushby’s dog Stevie on the Isle of Man. Photograph: Kevin Rushby
Next day, thankfully in calm weather, we sailed for the Isle of Man. Landing here was like travelling back in time, to around AD1950. Manx ancient monuments do not come with visitor centres and guides, they come only with a cast iron sign, “Ancient Monument”. We climbed the highest peak, Snaefell, visited several fabulous Celtic crosses and spent ages in the wonderful Manx Museum.
Then, one afternoon, we left the car and walked through fields to the island’s most important Neolithic monument, Cashtal yn Ard. It was in a tussocky field behind a kissing gate and a small sign. No ticket required, only some imagination and, if possible, a stone age scent hound. Behind were ranged the dark hills. The monument itself is a collapsed passage tomb that has left the ghostly imprint of its shape in rows of pale stones, marking the entrance, the tunnel, and finally, a low portal into what is left of the central chamber. Nevertheless, Stevie seemed to know the layout. He ran to the entrance, bounded down the tunnel, dodged through the portal and stopped dead. We lay on our backs and watched the skies. After a few minutes, I sneaked a look at the dog. He was curled up asleep at the exact centre of the vanished chamber.
A street located in a popular UK seaside town has been deemed totally “magical”. In fact, people think it’s so beautiful, they’ve compared it to “being in Italy”
The street is located in a UK seaside town (stock image)(Image: new zealand transition via Getty Images)
Indeed, many visitors reckon it’s so charming it feels as though you’ve walked straight into a postcard, and it’s just one of numerous Welsh gems that people simply can’t get enough of. It previously came to wider attention on TikTok after UK Hidden Gems posted a video of the area, showcasing just how breathtaking it can be to wander around in Pembrokeshire.
Alongside the clip, UK Hidden Gems wrote: “Hidden just steps from the harbour, this narrow cobbled lane is lined with colourful doors, flower boxes and twinkling lights that feel absolutely magical as the afternoon light softens.
“Even though it’s one of Tenby’s best-kept secrets, walking here makes you feel like you’re wandering through a postcard.”
Unsurprisingly, Tenby is a wonderful place to explore in general, as the seaside town remains enormously popular. There’s a wealth of sights to take in and savour throughout the town.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Pembrokeshire’s Hidden Gem: The Magical Cobbled Lane in Tenby
Dozens of individuals have left comments since the footage was posted, eager to share their opinions and suggestions. The clip has also been watched thousands of times.
One person said: “Love Tenby. It’s a beautiful place. Last visited 15 years ago. So happy it’s not been ruined. Will now consider going again.”
Another added: “Oh wow, it’s like a little Italy.” A third replied: “OMG! I was there only last week.
“I came out purely by mistake to the back entrance of a gift shop and stumbled on this purely by chance. I was amazed. Great find.”
Meanwhile, a fourth also commented: “This is a beautiful place to visit and even more stunning in person.”
One more also chimed in with: “We go tomorrow. It’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve been to.”
How to Find Tenby’s Picture-Perfect Street Off Lower Frog Street
UK Hidden Gems shared some information for those who fancy a visit. It was pointed out it’s situated off Lower Frog Street, Tenby.
They describe is as a “quiet nook with instant cosy vibes and tonnes of photo charm”. It’s reportedly an especially picturesque location to check out during golden hour or just before sunset.
This is when the lane is said to glow “in the best way”. It certainly appears to be the ideal place to discover and wander through on a bright day.
Indeed, many confessed they adore Tenby as they consider it so stunning. It’s difficult not to agree.
From ancient sites home to centuries of fascinating history to breathtaking natural wonders, here are some of the most magical places to visit on home shores
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Portmeirion Village in North Wales is ranked one of the top among the UK’s hidden gems(Image: Getty Images)
Summer holiday season may soon be coming to an end, but for those already mourning their time abroad, staying on UK shores doesn’t have to mean a return to the mundane. There are countless places to discover tucked away in all corners of the country that rival holiday destinations overseas with their stunning scenery and fascinating history.
If Brits are seeking inspiration on where to visit next to stave off those post-summer holiday blues, our travel experts have picked out some lesser-known destinations across the UK that are sure to impress. The list below includes five of the top-rated attractions that are branded ‘hidden gems’ on TripAdvisor, with each having earned glowing reviews from visitors.
Our experts have also included tour options from the travel experiences website Viator, for visitors who want to take their excursions to the next level and tick off several beauty spots and historical sites in one day. These tours rank among the highest rated in the area, earning praise from participants for their organisation and informative guides.
READ MORE:
Viator offers flexible booking options, such as 24-hour cancellation and the option to reserve now and pay later, Meanwhile, the app allows travellers to manage all their bookings in one place and search for things to do nearby.
From the ancient Roman ruins of northern England to a one-of-a-kind village in Wales, here are five places to put on your travel list for the remainder of 2026. As well as uncovering hidden gem places, several of the tours found by our travel writers include stop-offs at some of the UK’s most iconic sites too, from Stonehenge to the Giant’s Causeway.
Viator offers thousands of tours and experiences across the UK.
Vindolanda, Northumberland, England
Hidden in the Northumberland countryside is one of the most important Roman archaeological sites in all of Europe. Vindolanda was once a key military post along the famous Hadrian’s Wall, with its ancient ruins still visible today alongside an on-site museum displaying some of the fascinating finds that have been unearthed, including the Vindolanda Writing Tablets – the oldest surviving handwritten documents in Britain.
Take a tour: For a day trip delving into the rich history of Northumberland, a top-rated option on Viator is the Hadrian’s Wall and The Borders Tour from Edinburgh. Priced from £88 per person, this 10.5-hour tour begins in Edinburgh before crossing the border into the awe-inspiring Hadrian’s Wall country to stop off at several historical sites, from an Augustinian abbey to a Victorian spa town.
Operated by Rabbie’s Trail Burners, this tour has been praised as a “very interesting and engaging experience” in reviews, with several participants praising their guide as “very knowledgeable”. While one reviewer thought that the tour felt “a bit rushed” and another fed back that they would have “loved more time at Vindolanda”, multiple others said they had “plenty of time at each stop”.
The price of this tour includes admission to the Vindolanda and Roman Army Museum. For those organising their own trip to this part of Northumberland, tickets are available to buy online via the Vindolanda Charitable Trust.
Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England
Dubbed the “prettiest village in England”, Castle Combe ranks highly on TripAdvisor’s list of the country’s best hidden gems. A trip to this tiny picture-perfect village feels like stepping back in time, as it has changed very little over the centuries, with its honey-coloured cottages nestled in a woodland valley.
Visit Wiltshire notes that the village is “vulnerable to the pressures of over-tourism” due to its small size, and is therefore not an all-day destination. A visit is best taken as part of a wider tour, with plenty of options available on Viator that include stop-offs at other must-visit spots in this picturesque part of England.
Take a tour: One of the most highly rated options on Viator is the Private Tour to Stonehenge, Bath and The Cotswolds. Lasting around 10 hours, this tour doesn’t come cheap with prices starting from £1,100 per group of up to seven people, but it does check off multiple bucket-list worthy destinations, from the iconic Stonehenge to the Roman Baths, making it a dream for lovers of history and idyllic scenery.
Run by Tailored Tours, this excursion has been branded an “enriching experience” in reviews, with participants having high praise for the “vast and in-depth knowledge” of their guide. In fact, with nearly 200 reviews, it has received five-star ratings exclusively, with others describing it as “a perfect mix of fun, historical and beautiful”, although one person noted that they “wish we’d had more time to explore Bath”.
The price of this tour does not include admission to Stonehenge. Anyone planning their own visit to the world-famous prehistoric monument can book tickets via English Heritage, which also includes admission to an exhibition housing more than 250 artefacts discovered in the landscape.
Portmeirion Village, Gwynedd, Wales
Over in Wales, the number one hidden gem attraction according to Tripadvisor rankings is the spectacular Portmeirion Village. This unique tourist village will have visitors thinking they’ve travelled to the Italian Riviera with its colourful buildings and ornamental gardens, with shops, cafés, tea-rooms and restaurants too.
Take a tour: Travellers can explore the treasures of North Wales with the Portmeirion, Castles and Snowdonia Tour, a top-rated option on Viator that embarks from Llandudno on a drive along the one-way road of the Great Orme headland with its spectacular mountain drop off into the sea. Alongside a visit to Portmeirion, tourists will stop off at the medieval castle towns of Conwy and Caernarfon, before driving through part of the Snowdonia National Park for a chance to experience its breathtaking scenery from mountains to waterfalls.
Operated by Adventure Tour Snowdonia, the action-packed day has been hailed as an “insightful” trip offering “a great taste of North Wales” and “a great way to see the Snowdonia area without a car”. One reviewer remarked that “the three longer stops felt a bit too long”, while someone else thought that “some spots did not feel worthy of time”, although a different participant said they “enjoyed every moment”.
This tour is priced from £65 per person and is a full day lasting around nine hours. Meanwhile, tourists who want to turn a visit to Portmeirion Village into a holiday have a choice of hotels and self-catering cottages in the village itself for a one-of-a-kind retreat, from the striking Castell Deudraeth to the characterful Village Rooms.
Dean Village, Edinburgh, Scotland
Up in Scotland, Dean Village in Edinburgh takes the top spot when it comes to hidden gems to discover in the country, rated by visitors on TripAdvisor. An ancient settlement with roots dating back to the 12th century, this cherished beauty spot offers a tranquil retreat at the heart of the city, steeped in fascinating history.
Take a tour:Offering the chance to fully experience this hidden gem with the help of expert local insight is the Dean Village Circus Lane Walking Tour with a Local, which is priced from £18 per person and comes recommended by 100% of reviewers on Viator. Following a visit to Dean Village, this two-hour tour will lead to the New Town of Edinburgh, followed by the Water of Leith Walkway, before finishing at Circus Lane – the so-called ‘most Instagrammable lane in Edinburgh’.
Run by Local Eyes Tours, this walk has impressed participants with no ratings below four stars and reviews praising it as “very informative” and “picturesque”. Although multiple reviewers named the “flat, clear walking surfaces” as a bonus, one reviewer advised: “You’ll be in the weather elements, so bring a jacket and an umbrella or a waterproof coat. There might be a little bit of mud.”
For more tours exploring Edinburgh and wider Scotland, the award-winning Rabbie’s Tours offers more than 30 options, travelling to beauty spots such as Loch Ness, Loch Lomond and the Isle of Skye.
Dunluce Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
And finally, Northern Ireland’s top hidden gem according to TripAdvisor reviews is the majestic ruins of Dunluce Castle. Described as “one of the most picturesque and romantic of Irish Castles” by Discover Northern Ireland, its remains date from the 16th and 17th centuries, with its position on the coastal cliffs of County Antrim making it an all the more dramatic sight.
Take a tour: For a tour that includes Dunluce Castle alongside several more of Northern Ireland’s most awe-inspiring sites, one option that comes highly rated by participants is the Giant’s Causeway Sightseeing Day Tour from Belfast. Lasting around nine hours and priced from £30 per person, this tour offers magnificent views of the Giant’s Causeway, plenty of photo stops along the Antrim Coastal Road, and the chance to learn all about the history of Northern Ireland.
Operated by Citysightseeing Belfast, participants said they loved the “amazing scenery” and “knowledgeable” guides, saying the Giant’s Causeway was “spectacular to see in person”. One reviewer described Dunluce Castle as “beautiful and majestic”, although one person felt that they spent “a little too much time on the bus”.
The National Trust also offers Giant’s Causeway experiences available to book, including a five-mile guided cliff hike along the coastline, and seasonal events such as twilight tours.
THE most beautiful beaches in the world have been revealed and good news – you can find a number of them in the UK.
Compiled by Big 7, the top 50 for 2026 are a mix of very well-known spots to some very hidden islands.
The world’s most beautiful beaches have been namedCredit: GettyAnse Source d’Argent in the Seychelles came in no.1Credit: Getty
The study looks at a number of factors, such as cleanliness, social media mentions and expert knowledge.
You’ll have to hop on a long flight to find the no.1 beach, as that was given to Anse Source d’Argent in the Seychelles.
Sign up for the Travel newsletter
Thank you!
The website praised it for looking like “it should be on the front of a postcard,” with its calm waters and and shallow lagoons.
In second place was Entalula Beach in the Philippines – which you can only get to by boat – followed by Indonesia’sPink Beach which yes, has pink sand thanks to the red coral mixed into it.
The website stated: “Porthcurno Beach is easily one of England’s most beautiful.
“With the clear waters and bright sands of Porthcurno Beach, it’s easy to imagine that you’re in the tropics.”
The ‘Maldives of Europe’ is the nickname of Ksamil Beach in AlbaniaCredit: GettyLuskentyre Beach in Scotland was compared to the Caribbean for its white sands and turquoise watersCredit: GettyThe Welsh Whitesands Bay made the top 50 tooCredit: GettyPorthcurno Beach in Cornwall was the only English beach to make the listCredit: Getty
This was closely followed by Luskentyre Beach in Scotland, which just missed out on making the top 10 by being in 11th place.
Also compared to the Caribbean, they stated: “The white sands and turquoise waters make it hard to believe that you’re closer to Norway than Cornwall.”
And then in 31st place was the only Welsh beach to make the list, with Whitesands Beach making the cut.
It states: “Located on Wales’ spectacular Pembrokeshire coast, Whitesands Beach proves that you don’t need tropical weather to enjoy a stunning beach.
“Rolling surf foams onto the golden sands, while the rugged cliffs which provide the backdrop to the beach make Whitesands a favoured spot for families, hikers, and surfers alike.”
Other highly rated European beaches include Ksamil Beach in Albania (19th) which is often called the Maldives of Europe.
There is also Navagio Beach in Zante (21st), Haukland Beach in Norway (25th) and Palombaggia Beach in Corsica (28th).
Beaches in Madeira, Sardinia and Iceland also made the top 50.
There has been a small slice of Wales in Argentina for more than 150 years.
About 160 Welsh emigrants sailed to Patagonia in 1865 to create a new settlement, ‘Y Wladfa’, where their language, culture and religion could flourish free from English influence and dominance.
The language is still actively spoken there, while more than 50,000 Patagonians can claim Welsh ancestry.
One of those is Jeremias James.
James was born and raised in Trelew, a city founded in 1886 by Welsh settlers in the Chubut province.
Its name translates from Welsh to “Town of Lewis” in honour of its founder, Lewis Jones.
“I’m part of a Welsh family, a Welsh colony that settled in southern Argentina, specifically in Chubut,” James told BBC Sport Wales.
“Five generations of my family were born in Trelew, and I’m part of the the fifth generation.
“Over the years my family settled in Chubut and that’s where my story, my family, and all my descendants come from.”
Wales have become the first nation to publicly withdraw backing for Gianni Infantino’s bid to continue his leadership of Fifa.
It follows the loss of confidence in the Fifa president following his scrapped plans to sell stakes in its competitions to private investment firms.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has confirmed “its withdrawal of support for the candidature of Mr Gianni Infantino for re-election as Fifa president for the 2027-2031 term”.
Infantino’s lucrative plan sparked a global outcry, with European football’s governing body Uefa threatening to boycott all Fifa competitions, including the World Cup.
Uefa and Concacaf – which oversees football in North, Central America and the Caribbean – both released statements on Saturday criticising the leadership of the world governing body following Infantino’s decision to withdraw the plan.
The FAW added: “The recent failures in good governance, processes, leadership, values, stakeholder management, communications and sound judgement have led us to a position where Mr Infantino has lost the confidence of the FAW to remain at the helm of world football.
“Failing to put the best interests of football first is a failure we cannot accept.”
Morris had heard her victories played out for GB with a different anthem but she looked to be overcome when celebrating this one with the Welsh national song.
No time to immediately reflect on what she had just achieved though.
There was a quick chance for a picture with the Welsh flag and then off it was to the next task.
The scratch race started just 10 minutes later where Morris lined up with Welsh team-mates Megan Barker and Carys Lloyd.
It looked like they had concocted an almost perfect plan, with Barker going off a few laps out and Morris driving through to finish second behind Australian winner Georgia Baker.
A gold and a silver all in one day. Or so we thought.
Morris had already done some interviews celebrating this fact before she was given the message in the media mixed zone about her demotion.
Morris had been relegated for entering the sprinter’s lane when her New Zealand opponent was already there, and Scottish cyclist Erin Boothman was promoted to bronze.
Morris returned to do a couple more interviews, ironically, while the scratch closing ceremony was going on.
Morris reflected on her golden moment.
“It was just a dream,” said Morris. “We get that opportunity once every four years, so for it to come together tonight was amazing.
“I have my family and friends in the crowd and the support team from Welsh Cycling were also there.
“I’m going to carry that with me forever, it’s amazing.”
Morris seemed unaware of her dominance in the race.
“It was only when I crossed the line I knew I’d won the race,” said Morris.
“I focused on my ride and tried to execute it well and really leave it all out on the track.”
It had been a day of mixed emotions and, when asked to sum up her feelings about the scratch race, Morris was whisked off so we will have to wait for that verdict.
So, disappointment to finish the day but that should not take away from her pursuit domination and golden moment.
Morris is a world champion for a reason and she proved why.
Wales cycling have two special world-class talents in Finucane and Morris.
Ospreys finished 11th in the URC last season and were knocked out in the last 16 of the Challenge Cup.
Mark Jones’ side were impacted by uncertainty, with fans protesting against the WRU and Y11 at fixtures in Bridgend.
The unsettling situation was a factor in Wales captains Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan opting to join Gloucester for the coming season.
Signing the Professional Rugby Agreement (PRA) with the governing body offers some level of security until 2028, but the latest development will provide more challenges for both Scarlets and Ospreys.
“Is it really a surprise? We just had a little bit of a break from the debacle,” said former Ospreys and Wales wing Shane Williams on Radio Wales Breakfast.
“The conversation has always been that everyone believes there will be a region cut, that players’ welfare and jobs will be put on the line again.
“It’s no real shock to me, we just have to start the conversation again and the uncertainty hits us again.”
There is the prospect of a tender process to be the western club, or the possibility of reviving the merger that almost happened in 2019.
“It’s easier said than done,” said Williams, who is from Carmarthenshire. “There is huge rivalry and the Ospreys are in the process of rebuilding St Helen’s and there is Parc y Scarlets, which is barely used by anyone else.
“For the fans, there has been a huge rivalry and it would take some job to get those two sets of supporters together to support one entity.”
Olympic champion cyclist Emma Finucane insists she has “nothing to prove” at the Commonwealth Games despite her ambitions of winning an elusive gold in Scotland.
Finucane, 23, collected two bronze medals in Birmingham four years ago but has since won 16 medals at the Olympics, World and European Championships.
The Welsh star says she is targeting “the top step” on the podium in Glasgow.
“I haven’t actually stood on the top step at the Commonwealth Games,” Finucane told BBC Sport Wales.
“That’s something I’d love to achieve this time round.
“I feel like I’m a different person four years on and I can’t wait to show what I can do on the track.”
The Carmarthenshire native credits the Birmingham 2022 Games as the “springboard” to where she is today.
“I would not be where I am today without the Commonwealth Games,” she said.
“The first time I was pretty young, pretty naive to the sport of sprint cycling.
“It was a very overwhelming experience, whereas this time round I feel like I’m more of an established rider.”
She added: “I was 19 [in Birmingham] and the year after I won my first world title, which was crazy for me.
“I think it gave me the confidence I needed as an athlete to develop in my career, and get to where I am so quickly.
“We became Olympic champions two years ago, and I actually don’t even know how that happened.”
He introduced Bowen to wheelchair racing, in which she immediately won medals, before she found a passion for throwing.
“I had just started shot put, discus and javelin when Covid happened. I went back after and was thrown into a competition and I won best performer,” she said.
“So I was like, ‘oh, I’m okay at it’ and then I just kept going and fell in love with it.”
It is hard to imagine there will be many spectators at Glasgow’s Scotstoun Stadium more proud than Bowen’s parents who still regard themselves “lucky” to have her.
“We nearly lost her at 13 months old, but she’s here and doing amazing,” said her mother Anne.
“Growing up, she wanted to be like her siblings and would say, ‘they can ride a bike, why can’t I ride a bike?’ So she did.”
Bowen’s determination is only matched by the efforts of her parents to make sure their daughter can achieve her potential in the sport.
Her father Martin built a specially adapted bicycle so she could ride with her family, then moved onto bigger things when he built a campervan to ensure his daughter could to travel to athletics competitions.
“She has just come on so well. Nothing has ever been an obstacle for her,” said Martin.
“Whatever you put ahead of her, she’ll try and do it and if she can’t do it, she’ll get around it.”
Now Bowen hopes she can make her parents proud when they cheer her on in Glasgow.
“It’s the biggest competition I’ve ever done and I’m just happy to be there,” she said.
“It would mean the world to me to win a medal but just being there, I’m so thankful.”
With four fourth places in Birmingham in 2022, Richards was looking for his first Commonwealth medal to complete the set of Olympic, world and European podium positions.
Wales opted for an entirely different quartet in the pool in the final after Kieran Bird, Harry Milne, Medi Harris and Meghan Higgs had qualified fourth fastest in the heats.
Sutton and Taylor had qualified for their respective individual semi-finals in the 100m backstroke and 100m breaststroke, but both pulled out with a full focus on the relay.
The policy paid off and Taylor, 17, brought Wales back from fifth to third with a brilliant final leg.
Earlier, Rose Williams finished fourth in the women’s S14 200m freestyle final.
The S14 category covers swimmers who have an intellectual impairment, which typically leads to the athletes having difficulties with regard to pattern recognition, sequencing, and memory, or having a slower reaction time, which impact on sport performance in general.
Tyler Melbourne-Smith finished sixth in the 400m freestyle final, while Lewis Fraser qualified for the 100m butterfly final to be staged on Sunday evening.
If we take it as read that the better the view, the worse the cooking, then by rights south Wales’s Gower peninsula should be a culinary desert. The first time I visited almost 15 years ago, I was unprepared for its loveliness – back in 1956, Gower (never the Gower, as locals were quick to correct me) was the first place in the UK to be designated an area of outstanding natural beauty, and though the peninsula abuts the country’s second city, Swansea, it still feels profoundly rural. Crisscrossed by narrow lanes flanked by towering hedges and ancient churches, it’s a great place to cycle, to drive, and above all to walk up an appetite.
Indeed, it’s been a long-held ambition of mine to hike the 43 miles of the Welsh Coast Path from Mumbles to Loughor. Sadly, it remains just that because on this latest trip I spent considerably more time chomping than yomping … though in fairness I was on a research mission for a walking trip with a friend here later in the summer, because as a food writer and semi-professional glutton, I never like to head anywhere unprepared.
With this in mind, and another friend on hand as a chauffeur, Wilf the dog and I began our investigations in Mumbles, where Swansea thins into a pretty seaside village of colourful Victorian villas culminating in a magnificent, privately owned pier. (A few years ago, a visiting Prince William observed to owner Bert Bollom, the third generation of his family to run it, that this was an unusual career choice. Bert shrugged that he’d inherited the job from his dad. “Tell me about it,” he recalls the prince sighing.)
Though the pier is undergoing restoration work, there’s a good view of the “crown of the Bristol Channel” from another Bollom enterprise, On the Rocks, a steak restaurant with a terrace jutting over the foreshore that’s no doubt a terrific place for a sundowner. But, I tell myself sternly, when you’re starting a walk you need to put one foot in front of the other, not sit around drinking, especially as the friend I plan to come back with later in the summer is happily, if rather inconveniently, pregnant.
Crab sandwich at the Gower Seafood Hut in Mumbles.
There’s thus not much point in returning to the Gower Brewery Taproom, despite the warm welcome and dog biscuits we receive on this occasion – I’ll probably suggest we stop instead at Joe’s, the local cult masquerading as an ice-cream parlour. (Vanilla, freshly churned in-house daily, is the only move here. Unless you’re under the age of 10, do not waste your time on other flavours.) Thankfully, the expectant one is past the nauseous stage, so I can also steer her in the direction of the crab sandwiches (local sourdough and deliciously salty Shirgar butter) at the Gower Seafood Hut with a clear conscience – depending on the time of day, it might also feel appropriate to fortify ourselves with a helping of fried whitebait or cockle popcorn before joining the coast path, particularly as Chris Price, who mans the stoves, has, according to co-owner Sarah Kift, already walked much of it himself.
That said, I reckon I’ve got the fuelling part of the route covered; for a start, there’s another ice-cream parlour, Fortes, just round the headland in Limeslade Bay. From the neat beach huts of Langland to the golden sands of Three Cliffs Bay, however, the sites are more prehistoric than edible (tasty as the Bacon Hole cave sounds, the nearest it gets to cured meat is its hoard of ancient narrow-nosed rhinoceros and straight-tusked elephant bones, now 200 miles away in the British Museum). Take a brief detour into the village of Southgate though, and you’ll happen upon a brilliant Greek cafe – I didn’t anticipate tucking into a sugar-dusted bougatsa custard pie and a punchy little coffee in The Gower Deli, but this place is full of surprises.
Sometimes they come too thick and fast even for my boundless appetite: just 20 minutes inland from Three Cliffs, if you follow the lazy meandering waters of the Pennard Pill past the ruins of a Norman castle, sits the Gower Heritage Centre. Clustered around a 12th-century water mill, it boasts a cider press, organic community agriculture project, sauerkraut producer, jewellery designer and bike shop plus – and the jewel in its crown as far as I’m concerned – the superb Little Valley bakery, whose traditional Gower loaf is produced using the mill’s barley flour. They also make ridiculously flaky pasties, focaccia sandwiches, huge cookies and excellent viennoiserie – in short, a rambler’s dream.
The Beach House restaurant in Oxwich on the Gower.
From Three Cliffs, it’s about another five miles along the coast to Oxwich. If you make one reservation for your Gower trip, make it at the Beach House there. Admittedly, given its Michelin star, one might not want to wander in directly from the path in quick-dry hiking sandals, but our welcome couldn’t be warmer, despite Wilf’s rather over-effusive manner (the terrace is dog-friendly, as is one table inside, which you can bet your boots I will be booking well in advance).
A Michelin-star dish at the Beach House restaurant in Oxwich.
From our seats, we can see the two boats that supply the restaurant with lobster. “They belong to Paul and Jim,” says chef Hywel Griffith. “Every morning, I text them what we need that day.” The lamb is from the North Gower salt marsh; the seaweed in the laverbread rolls (a clever play on the traditional puree) from Selwyn’s in Pen-clawdd; and the dessert, a malted mousse with wood sorrel and fermented pine syrup, is the single most delicious thing I’ve eaten since Sarah Kift’s crab sandwich.
Five more miles brings us to Port Eynon, whose chief attraction on this visit is the tiny, genuinely artisan Gower Gin Company – having enjoyed one solo guided tasting with my designated driver and the teetotal terrier, I’ll pass on another with a reluctant abstainer. It’s six more miles to Rhossili, once, somewhat absurdly, declared the “ninth best beach in the world” by TripAdvisor. What’s not up for debate is that it’s 3 miles long and stunning.
Sunrise over Mumbles lighthouse and privately owned pier. Photograph: leighcol/Getty Images
Thanks to the National Trust, it’s also untouched by the grubby hand of commercialism, so should you be peckish, pause at the aptly named View cafe before you descend the cliff. Offering colourful vegan “power bowls” (popular with the surfing crowd apparently) and homemade falafel alongside the rarebit and bara brith, the only packaged food in sight is a bag of locally produced dog treats I’m bullied into buying for my elderly companion who, despite a brisk trot down to the Worms Head Coastwatch station beforehand, is in no mood to obey the house rule that “shouting is not permitted”.
Turn the corner on to the north coast, and you’re faced with Whiteford Sands, yet another broad expanse of golden gorgeousness with great cooking attached in the form of the Britannia Inn in Llanmadoc, where the salt marsh lamb croquettes at the bar drive the tiny diner under the table to distraction.
Fortunately, I don’t have to test Wilf’s restraint on the living, bleating thing on this occasion, as the remaining seven miles of the route – through the marshes to Pen-clawdd, – will have to wait till next month. When we finally get there, however, I will insist on stopping at the Gower Brewery to toast our achievement. I’ve even road-tested their Zero beer in preparation. As I said, I like to plan ahead.
London, United Kingdom — On his fourth day as prime minister, Andy Burnham did not stay at Downing Street in London. Nor did he go to Manchester, the home of Number 10 North. He went to Glasgow.
Hours before King Charles and Queen Camilla opened the 2026 Commonwealth Games, Burnham held his first in-person meetings with Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and Wales’ First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth. The talks were meant to demonstrate, in Burnham’s own words, that growth is needed “in every postcode across the whole of the UK”. A meeting with Northern Ireland’s First and Deputy First Ministers, Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly, is pencilled in for a wider UK tour in August.
Notably absent from the agenda, at Burnham’s insistence, was any discussion of a second Scottish independence referendum.
Just days after being appointed prime minister, Burnham is testing a proposition that will define his premiership. He’s selling a vision that the office itself can be partly relocated out of London to Manchester, the city he governed as mayor from 2017 until his return to UK Parliament in the Makerfield by-election last month.
What Number 10 North actually is
Stripped of rhetoric, Number 10 North is a written ministerial statement. On July 21, Baroness Smith of Basildon, Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal, confirmed on the government’s behalf that devolution and local growth policy functions are moving out of the housing ministry and the Treasury and into a new Manchester-based operation. There, civil servants will work inside a restructured Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, led by Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo.
Number 10 North will be based at Manchester’s Heron House in the interim and the government “Digital Campus” once it’s completed in 2032, as the new government under Prime Minister Andy Burnham seeks to establish No 10 North as “the dominant driver of the UK’s economy” [Christopher Furlong/Getty Images]
The interim headquarters is Heron House, in the New Islington area of Manchester, chosen partly for its proximity to a planned Manchester Digital Campus.
Caroline Simpson, the outgoing chief executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, has been named Burnham’s deputy chief of staff, and will be in charge of day-to-day office operations. Downing Street says Burnham himself expects to work from Manchester “at least one day a week”, though officials caution his diary may change, and insists the arrangement carries no additional cost to taxpayers.
Burnham calls it “the nerve centre of a rewired Britain” and rejects suggestions it is symbolic. “Not a gimmick,” he told his first Cabinet meeting about Number 10 North.
Plumbing, but no water
Number 10 North “establishes the plumbing, but the water isn’t flowing yet”, said Mirte Boot of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) North. The institutional architecture is firming up, but fiscal devolution – ie, the transfer of money and tax-raising power – that would make such a policy meaningful doesn’t yet exist, she added.
Still, she calls it “a step in the right direction” after what she describes as “too much power condensed into one postcode”. Leaving Westminster isn’t enough; Number 10 North will need “strong political leadership aside from the prime minister”, she added.
The verdict that Number 10 North contains vision and ambition but currently lacks a detailed plan and delivery mechanism is a recurring response from independent voices.
Jonathan Carr-West of the Local Government Information Unit calls Burnham’s devolution agenda “the most ambitious statement … from a senior politician in a generation”, while warning that English councils are so financially hollowed out that the vision “requires a vehicle” it does not yet have.
Malcolm Morgan, a transport researcher at the University of Leeds, puts it more bluntly: genuine devolution means spending, taxation and regulatory power, not just relocated functions, and “devolution does not create more funding”.
That funding question sits unresolved alongside the national one. The 2026 English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act expanded mayors’ control over transport, planning and housing, but left fiscal devolution to a separate Treasury “roadmap” due alongside the autumn budget. According to Centre for Cities, a UK urban policy think tank, the UK remains the most fiscally centralised country in the G7: some 95 percent of tax revenue flows straight to Whitehall.
Devolution, or recentralisation?
For Scotland’s SNP government, the Number 10 North framing is beside the point. First Minister Swinney responded that “rhetoric alone will not cut it” and argued that four consecutive Holyrood elections have handed his party a mandate for Scottish self-determination, something Westminster keeps ignoring, he said. In Glasgow, Burnham declined to engage with that argument directly.
Meanwhile, Wales’ Ap Iorwerth struck a more cooperative note but still said he expected “that Number 10 North would not become Whitehall with a different postcode”.
He also used the meeting with Burnham to press for a new Wales Bill granting policing and justice powers, and a replacement for the Barnett Formula funding mechanism, which Westminster uses to calculate annual changes to the block grants allocated to the UK’s devolved governments, so Wales would have funding parity with Scotland.
Reform UK’s Nigel Farage, from the opposite political direction, warned that a Number 10 in the south and one in the north would simply “fight against each other”.
What it means in Manchester
In Bury, Greater Manchester, Scottish-born Debe Conway sells children’s books at markets and has lived in the area for 56 years, but remains unconvinced about the new prime minister.
Her biggest concern is immigration, which she called Burnham weak on. And as for Number 10 North, she wants to know how it’s being paid for, and asks how long it will last, considering that the UK has had seven prime ministers in the last 10 years.
Rich Carver, who has run pizza restaurants in Manchester for 15 years and is currently “soaking up the energy in the city”, says he cares more about what will happen in the next 10 years.
He’s also tired of the succession of governments and wants this one to last. He likes Burnham and is optimistic enough about the city’s trajectory that he is opening a new restaurant in the coming weeks, something he would not have done five years ago.
“We are all one country,” he says, hoping the rest of the UK (and the media) give the new prime minister time and the chance to implement his vision. Whether that time produces growth, or just relocated offices, is the question Number 10 North still has to answer.
A UK beach is drawing crowds as people think it’s so gorgeous. In fact, many say it’s just as pretty as “being in Greece”, and they have shared just how stunning they think it is
10:18, 24 Jul 2026Updated 10:25, 24 Jul 2026
The UK beach draws in crowds (stock image)(Image: WLDavies via Getty Images)
Footage of the stunning area in Pembrokeshire, Wales, has taken the internet by storm, enchanting countless viewers with its spectacular scenery. It’s been hailed as so picturesque – with its crystal-clear waters and jaw-dropping views – that many reckon it’s “just like being in Greece” and the location has since gone viral.
On TikTok, Wander Wales posted: “When you realise this isn’t Greece… it’s Wales.” The clip, shared alongside the caption, showed off the incredible surroundings in all their glory.
What is it like?
The view from Barafundle Bay features gleaming sands, turquoise waters and utterly breathtaking scenery. On a glorious day, it’s hard to imagine anywhere more spectacular to spend your time.
Since being uploaded, the video has racked up thousands of views, with dozens of enthusiastic comments flooding in. Many viewers were quick to agree that the location is truly magical.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
One wrote: “Sat there now. Best beach I’ve ever been to.”
Another added: “So enjoyed my visit to Barafundle last year.”
A third replied: “Stunning. Proud to be Welsh when we have beaches, sceneries and views like this.”
Meanwhile, a fourth remarked: “Yes! Gorgeous place. I live in Wales and there’s something stunning around every corner!”
Another also noted: “My favourite beach for a swim after a walk around the lily ponds and a walk to the café. A perfect day out.”
Where is it?
If you’ve never been before, Barafundle Bay is extremely well-visited. Indeed, it’s regularly cited as one of the finest beaches in Britain and across the globe for its golden sands and crystal-clear waters.
You’ll find it at Stackpole Estate, within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. There are just a few things worth knowing before you head there.
The beach can only be reached via a picturesque 0.5-mile (20 to 25-minute) walk from the closest car park at Stackpole Quay. The brief journey includes steep steps and clifftop paths.
Nevertheless, it’s an absolutely breathtaking spot to visit. If you’re on the lookout for somewhere fresh to discover this summer, it could feel every bit as good as jetting off abroad.
Wales finished a first season under Tandy with a record of three wins, against Japan, Italy and Fiji, from 12 Tests.
They are 11th in the world rankings – bizarrely moving up a place courtesy of the Azzurri’s heavy loss in Australia – as they count down to next year’s World Cup, when they face England, Tonga and Zimbabwe in the group stages.
“The squad has developed, particularly with our performances against Scotland and Ireland during the Six Nations, and then the win over Italy,” said Morgan.
“We were pleased with the victory over Fiji at the start of the summer as well because we know how difficult they are to beat.
“We just have to keep developing and we’ve been doing that as a squad. There are still plenty of lessons to learn, but the more we play together, the more experience we gain and the more we can improve.”
Morgan, who is now officially a Gloucester player after his summer move from Ospreys, missed eight Tests after suffering a shoulder injury against Argentina in Tandy’s first game.
The British and Irish Lions flanker says that Wales are leaving no stone unturned in their bid to close the gap as quickly as possible.
“We’re a very close group and everyone wants to get better,” said Morgan, who was captain for Tandy’s first game.
“I’m proud of the effort they’ve put in, not just over these last three weeks but throughout the whole season.
“It’s clear that everyone wants to learn, improve and continue developing together as a squad.”
Wales play four Nations Championship fixtures in November against Japan, New Zealand and Australia in Cardiff before facing another southern hemisphere opponent at finals weekend in Twickenham.
South Africa: Fassi; Williams, Kriel, de Allende, Arendse; Moyo, Reinach; Steenekamp, Marx, Sadie, C Wiese, van Heerden, de Villiers, PS du Toit (capt), J Wiese
Replacements: Venter, Wessels, Louw, Dixon, van Staden, Jantjies, Libbok, Willemse.
Wales: Murray; Rees-Zammit, Llewellyn, B Thomas, Mee; Edwards, Tomos Williams; Carre, Lake (capt), D Lewis, Teddy Williams, Beard, Mann, J Morgan, Wainwright
Replacements: Elias, N Smith, Warren, F Thomas, Reffell, Botham, Morgan-Williams, Hawkins.
Yellow card: Warren 65
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
Assistant Referees: Pierre Brousset (FFR) & James Doleman (NZRFU)
Elias is likely to make his Test start since the opening round of the 2024 Six Nations against Scotland.
Cardiff’s Evan Lloyd is the other hooker in the squad and could make his first international appearance for more than a year, with Dee’s anticipated arrival in South Africa providing extra cover and experience.
Morgan is the obvious choice as captain against the world champions unless Tandy opts to rest the open-side flanker.
Wales slipped to 12th in the world rankings with their loss to Argentina and suffered a record 73-0 loss to the Springboks in their last meeting in November.
Exceptionally hot weather in May and June was responsible for the heat-related deaths of at least 2,700 people in England and Wales, according to British research out Monday. File photo by Facundo Arrizabalaga/EPA-EFE
July 13 (UPI) — Exceptionally hot weather in May and June was responsible for the heat-related deaths of at least 2,700 people in England and Wales, according to British research out Monday that found that human-caused climate change was a significant factor.
Temperature records for both months fell during heat waves May 21-29 and June 18-28, with the bulk of the fatalities — 2,200 — in June when the temperature rose to as high as 99.9 degrees Fahrenheit compared with average daytime highs of 68 degrees Fahrenheit, the Met Office said in a news release.
Researchers from Imperial College London, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and the Met Office modeled excess deaths — those over and above normal levels — during both heat waves using historical mortality records and established peer-reviewed methods.
Notably, almost 6 in 10 of fatalities during the May heat wave were attributed to additional heat contributed by human-caused climate change, compared with a little less than 4 in 10 during the heat wave in June, which was hotter and lasted longer.
The scientists said daytime maximum temperatures approximately 7 degrees Fahrenheit higher than they would have been without human-induced climate change had fueled temperatures that would have otherwise been far less likely to occur — making the heat waves far more hazardous to human health.
“We all love the sun, but people need to be aware that we are now seeing dangerous climate-change-fueled heat that is claiming lives, disrupting schools and hospitals and shutting down transport and infrastructure,” said Dr. Clair Barnes, Research Associate in Extreme Weather and Climate Change at Imperial College London.
“It’s time we woke up to the fact that we now live in a country with dangerously hot summers. To protect people during future extremes, we must urgently adapt to the reality of the climate we now have, and double down on global efforts to reach net zero emissions to stop this from getting worse,” she said.
Dr. Malcolm Mistry, Assistant Professor in Climate and Geo-spatial Modelling at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, expressed concern that only a few weeks into summer England and Wales had already experienced two record-breaking heat waves.
He warned that with spikes of extreme hot weather more frequent and more intense due to human activity, summer heat waves were “rapidly evolving into a major health risk for people in the United Kingdom.”
Mistry said it was critical that changes to homes, workplaces and critical infrastructure to cope with extreme heat kept ahead of rising health risks in order to protect the elderly, children, babies and other vulnerable groups.
The Met Office said 2026 has been exceptional with the two heat waves topping records that had stood since May 1944 and June 1976.
“For the time of year these events were extreme, even in our warmer climate,” said Climate Attribution Manager, Dr. Mark McCarthy.
The climate division of the U.K. Health Security Agency said that with periods of heat likely to become more intense, longer and more frequent as the world continued to warm, the study showed the “scale of risk associated with extreme heat and the growing threat climate change poses to our wellbeing.”
Continental Europe has also been in the grip of a more or less continuous heat wave since May that has placed health systems under huge pressure, triggered deadly wildfires that have burned through tens of thousands of hectares of woodland and scrubland, crippled power grids and forced schools to close.
The World Health Organization said Sunday that 1,300 excess deaths reported across Europe since June 21 were linked to the high temperatures.
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Europe was warming twice as fast as the rest of the world with 150 million people suffering the negative impacts of the extreme heat.
France’s Health Ministry said Sunday that there were 1,000 extra deaths between Wednesday and Saturday alone, compared with previous months.
