The draw meant Wales wasted a chance to seize control of Group B1.
Czech Republic, their rivals for top spot, also dropped points in surprising fashion as they were held to a 1-1 home draw by Albania in a game which kicked off half an hour before Wales’ fixture in Podgorica.
Had Wales won, they would have needed only a draw in Tuesday’s final group game against the Czechs in Cardiff to secure first place, and therefore a more favourable play-off draw in the play-offs later this year.
Instead, Wilkinson’s side must beat the Czechs – who they drew with in the opening game of the campaign – to come out on top.
“We are exactly where we started [the day],” she added.
“We have to grab these opportunities. I’m sure the Czech Republic coach is as frustrated as I am.
“I am confident it will be a close game on Tuesday. We have to show up.”
The story of the night might have been different had goal-line technology been in place at Montenegro’s Gradski Stadion.
Wales appeared convinced Hughes’ second-half effort had gone over the line before Montenegro defender Sladjana Bulatovic hooked the ball clear.
“I am frustrated there is no VAR, but this is the game – we can’t affect that,” Wilkinson said.
“I’ll fight for it behind the scenes, but on the night we needed to put the ball away.”
Montenegro is a key fixture for Wales as they fight it out with the Czech Republic to finish first in Group B1, and therefore secure a more favourable path in the World Cup qualifying play-offs which are to come later this year.
The Czechs, who currently lead the way on goal difference, host Albania on Friday before facing Wales in the group’s pivotal fixture at Cardiff City Stadium on Tuesday, 9 June.
Wales eased to a 6-1 victory over Montenegro in Llanelli in March, and will be expected to claim another win in the return game despite their far-from-ideal preparation.
Should Wales and the Czech Republic be level on points at the end of the group stage, the winners will be decided by head-to-head records.
If they still cannot be separated, the next tiebreaker will be goal difference – but Wilkinson says that is not a concern yet.
“That’s not something we’re chasing,” she said. “What we’ve talked about is winning the [final two games of the] group and then we take care of our own fate.”
Wales’ preparations for Friday’s Women’s World Cup qualifier in Montenegro have been badly disrupted after the team flight was forced to divert to Italy due to bad weather.
Rhian Wilkinson’s squad took off from Cardiff at 16:30 BST on Wednesday and had been due to arrive in Montenegro around three hours later.
However, they were unable to land in Podgorica due to electrical storms around the Montenegrin capital and eventually diverted to the Italian port city of Brindisi.
After more than three hours on the tarmac in southern Italy, during which Wales had hoped weather conditions would ease, the decision was taken to stay in Brindisi on Wednesday night.
That left Football Association of Wales (FAW) officials scrambling to secure hotel rooms for the travelling party, as well as trying to arrange travel plans for Thursday.
“Due to storms in Podgorica, the Cymru women’s national team flight was diverted this evening, landing safely in Brindisi airport in south Italy,” the FAW said on social media.
“The team will stay overnight in Italy and will arrange alternative travel to Montenegro ahead of Friday evening’s match.”
Wales take on Montenegro in Podgorica in their penultimate Group B1 fixture at 17:00 BST on Friday.
They then host Czech Republic, their rivals to finish top of the group, in their final fixture in Cardiff on Tuesday.
Williams was a key player for Forest last term, playing in 53 games as they maintained their Premier League status and reached the Europa League semi-finals.
He was named Forest’s player of the season and the City Ground club have opened talks with the Wrexham-born player over a contract extension.
“It’s physically and mentally tough, but we’re professional enough to deal with what gets put in front of us,” Williams added.
“If that’s games every other few days or the travelling, we’re prepared for that and I’ve enjoyed it.
“I’ll be going straight on holiday, having a few cocktails and putting my feet up on the beach.
“We’ll get a couple of weeks off and then straight back into it.”
From the graveyard of St Michael’s in Ynys, Wales, the view was ravishing: the Italianate oddity of Portmeirion sparkled on the opposite shore; the peaks of Eryri (Snowdonia) rippled in the distance; and, within the River Dwyryd’s broad swirl, sat the tidal island of Ynys Gifftan. “No one’s lived there for years,” said a passerby pointing to the isle, “but it’s just been put up for sale – £350,000, if you fancy it.”
I rather did, but sadly my modest savings don’t stretch that far. Wales’s “armpit”, geographically speaking – which is how some people refer to that chunk of Gwynedd where estuaries perspire into Cardigan Bay before it curves round the outstretched Llŷn peninsula – looked like a spectacular place to be marooned.
I’d come here because I thought it might be a particularly good place for coastal exploring by rail and on foot. The Cambrian Line, which starts in Shrewsbury, runs west to the bay, before turning north along Gwynedd’s shore. Here, it’s accompanied by the Wales Coast Path and, launched in 2024, the Cadfan Way, a 128-mile (206km) pilgrimage following sixth-century St Cadfan from his church in the seaside town of Tywyn to the ruins of the monastery he founded on Ynys Enlli (Bardsey Island), off the Llŷn’s tip.
I began in Machynlleth. This handsome market town by the River Dyfi is where the Cambrian Line begins to feel connected to the sea. It also has a disproportionate number of excellent indie shops, and one of the country’s best restaurants – though I skipped Gwen’s 20-course, £295 feast and grabbed supplies from the Royal House deli instead (very tasty, very good value). Then I boarded the train.
I was soon rattling through an increasingly saturated land. The mouth of the Dyfi began to yawn into bird-beloved mudflats, salt marsh and sandbanks; the train passes right between the Dyfi Osprey Project’s 360-observatory and the osprey nests it observes. Wider and wider the waterway became until, eventually, at white-washed Aberdyfi, the line hit the coast, sometimes running so close to the sea’s edge that you couldn’t see the join.
We pootled north, via towns like Tywyn – starting point for St Cadfan pilgrimages – and teeny halts like Tonfanau, site of an army base during the second world war, now sheep-grazed ruins. Like many Cambrian Line stops, Tonfanau is request only; those on the platform should stick out an arm.
At Harlech, no requests are necessary – the train itself couldn’t help but be halted by the vision of Harlech Castle. Edward I’s crag-top stronghold was started in 1282, took seven years to build and still looks fearsome. I disembarked here, hiked up to the fortress and entered with ease via the modern floating bridge; back in the day, would-be intruders faced concentric walls, portcullises and a “killing zone” where arrows were fired from the sides, missiles dropped from above. The weather was gloomy, curtailing the views but piling on atmosphere. I spiralled up the dark stone staircases and circled the battlements, alone but for the hooded jackdaws. It gave me the shivers.
Portmeirion, which celebrates its centenary this year. Photograph: Mieneke Andeweg-van Rijn/Getty Images
I spent the night at Y Branwen hotel, in the castle’s shadow, and left Harlech the next day on foot, murk replaced by blazing sunshine. I was headed north along the coast, although the rocky Rhinogs rising behind the village looked tempting … “There’s no one in those hills,” Branwen’s owner David Penny told me. However, I stuck to Plan A, and wasn’t disappointed. Rounding Harlech Point, I was slapped by that view down the Dwyryd, soon passing isolated St Michael’s and my fantasy island.
Following the Cadfan Way for a while, I hiked from Ynys to St Tecwyn’s, an even lonelier church, seemingly ministering to no one from its eyrie above the estuary. It was here that poet and priest Jim Cotter was inspired to found the Small Pilgrim Places network; he wrote of St Tecwyn’s: “I’m at what must be one of the most extraordinary places in the whole of Wales.”
I had to agree, though Portmeirion, across the Dwyrydestuary, gives it a run for its money. This fantastical resort village, the trippy creation of Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, celebrates its centenary this year and remains wonderfully weird, with its candy palette, tricks of perspective and salvaged architectural paraphernalia. I popped into the Prisoner Shop, which sells memorabilia related to the cult TV show of the same name, filmed here in the 1960s. I wondered if it was still popular? “Oh yes,” the cashier confirmed. “Even with young people, they watch it on YouTube. Its themes – surveillance, freedom – feel relevant today.”
I stayed at Portmeirion’s Castell Deudraeth, a Gothic pile with big rooms, a good restaurant and The Prisoner looping on channel 801. But best was strolling into the village at sunrise, no one around, watching the sun crack the opposite hills, hit the top of the campanile and flood into the hot-pink camellia groves.
Porthmadog station wasn’t far, a short walk through the woods and across the mile-long cob that fords the Glaslyn estuary, Eyri summits keeping watch. From here on, I used a mix of train and boot to reach Pwllheli, the end of the Cambrian Line.
Plas Glyn-y-Weddw in Llanbedrog, one of the oldest art galleries in Wales. Photograph: Kirsty Ford/Alamy
That wasn’t always the case. A horse-drawn tramway, built in the 1890s by businessman Solomon Andrews, used to run farther west to his estate in Llanbedrog. Andrews turned the site’s Victorian mansion, Plas Glyn-y-Weddw, into an art gallery and charged a shilling for a combined tram and gallery ticket. Now, 130 years later, I paid nothing at all. The old tramway track is part of the Wales Coast Path – an easy, breezy four-mile stroll along the bay – and Plas Glyn-y-Weddw is free entry. Saved from ruin in the 1980s, it’s one of the oldest galleries in Wales, showcasing work by Welsh artists, and serving great cake inside its modern cafe, which squats beside the house like a giant silver sea urchin.
I scoffed a scone, then ambled through the Winllan woods on trails first developed by Andrews for his paying visitors. Andrews also placed the figurehead of an old ship on Mynydd Tir y Cwmwd, the heathery headland above. It was eventually destroyed and now the twisted metal Tin Man, or Iron Man, stands in its place, enjoying quite the spot. I could retrace my route from here, Cardigan Bay arcing away into a mountain-backed haze. It made a pleasing journey’s end, with the knowledge that getting home meant riding that charming train line back again.
The trip was supported by the Wales Coast Path. Cambrian Line tickets are cheaper bought in advance; a day rover ticket costs £21. Y Branwen in Harlech has doubles from £110B&B. Castell Deudraeth has doubles from £208B&B, including Portmeirion entry
Wales international Hannah Cain is leaving Leicester City following the club’s relegation from the Women’s Super League (WSL).
The 27-year-old forward is one of three players, external who will leave the Midlands club when their contracts expire at the end of the month, but Leicester have confirmed Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark will remain with the Foxes for 2026-27.
Cain joined Leicester from Everton in 2020 and helped the club gain promotion to the WSL in her first season.
“After six unforgettable years, I feel that now is the right time for me to say goodbye, ” Cain said on social media.
“This club has been so much more than just a place to play football. It’s been a place where I’ve grown, learned, created lifelong friendships, and made memories that I’ll cherish forever.”
Cain is currently with the Wales squad preparing to face Montenegro and Czech Republic in their final Women’s World Cup qualifying fixtures and is yet to indicate where she will play next season.
“While it was always going to be difficult to leave, I’m incredibly grateful for everything this club has given me,” she added.
“I’ll always look back on these years with pride and appreciation.”
Like Wales, Romania missed out on World Cup qualification after losing their play-off semi-final in March.
The match in Bucharest will be the first meeting between the teams since 1993 when Wales lost at home to Romania to agonisingly miss out on the 1994 World Cup.
This will also be a first home match in charge for the great Gheorghe Hagi, the former Barcelona and Real Madrid playmaker who scored in Cardiff 33 years ago.
Hagi was appointed Romania’s manager for the second time in April, taking over from Mircea Lucescu, who died at the age of 80 following a heart attack.
Ghana, meanwhile, will be facing Wales for the first time and include Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo in their squad.
Former Manchester United assistant manager Carlos Queiroz was appointed as Ghana’s head coach last month.
The 73-year-old Portuguese has replaced Otto Addo, who was sacked in March after friendly defeats by Germany and Austria.
The Black Stars, who are in the same World Cup group as England, Croatia and Panama, also failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations under Addo.
The matches against Ghana and Romania will serve as preparation for Wales’ return to the top flight of the Nations League in September, where they have been drawn with Portugal, Norway and Denmark.
Former captain Gary Mabbutt hopes Ben Davies will have a future at Tottenham Hotspur after the club avoided relegation to the Championship.
Wales skipper Davies, who turned 33 last month, sees his Tottenham contract expire next month.
The defender has not played since suffering a serious ankle injury in January, but Mabbutt believes he should be offered the chance to stay at a club he has represented for 12 years.
“Ben’s a great lad,” said Spurs great Mabbutt.
“What he has given to the club so far… it was just so unfortunate the injury he received. It was devastating for him and or us because Ben’s a player you can always rely on.
“Certainly I hope something will be done with his contract, whether it be still on the playing side or maybe looking a bit more to the future, but hopefully still with Tottenham Hotspur.”
Bryn Edwards left Kidwelly in Wales around a decade ago to start a new life in Sydney, Australia, and says there are two major reasons he would not consider moving back
Bryn Edwards in Sydney(Image: Bryn Edwards)
A Welsh man has revealed two key reasons why he has no plans to return to his former home in Kidwelly after moving to Australia a decade ago. Bryn Edwards was keen to experience life on the other side of the globe after the Global Financial Crisis left the UK feeling “quite depressing”.
He originally travelled on a working holiday visa, but ultimately chose not to return home after establishing his own company, Edwards Carpentry Renovations, and settling down with his young family in Sydney.
Speaking about what drew him to Australia specifically, Bryn explained: “Initially, when I left, it was only meant to be for a year. I found the UK quite depressing after the Global Financial Crisis and the weather was getting to me, so thought a year in sunny Australia would be great.”
Two advantages of Australia
Bryn was far from let down when he touched down in Oz and has since discovered two major benefits, the first being the climate.
He says the balmy weather enables him to embrace an “outdoor lifestyle” and indulge his love of sport throughout the year, even signing up to the Tech Waratah Rugby Club after playing frequently in Wales.
Australia is renowned for its year-round sunshine, with temperatures exceeding 20C during most months.
While he favours the sought-after sun-drenched Australian way of life, which draws thousands of British expats, his hectic schedule means he believes his work-life balance was marginally superior in Wales. He said: “I would say that I used to have a better work-life balance, but now I have my own business I probably work a little too much.”
And this is where the second advantage becomes apparent. Bryn notes “pay over here for trades is a lot better, with more disposable income compared to the UK, where I felt it was barely covering my bills”.
Never returning
When questioned whether he’d contemplate returning to Wales, the father-of-two confessed that the freezing winters and living costs in the UK would discourage him.
He disclosed: “I don’t think I would [move back]. I have a family over here, nice house, and a business. I also don’t think I could deal with the winters anymore.”
Nevertheless, he still “misses his family and friends from back home”, and occasionally experiences nostalgia for “the cold nights, but not very often”.
Bryn also wishes he’d seized the chance to travel more while residing in the UK, as Australia is isolated from other nations by vast stretches of ocean, rendering overseas holidays far more lengthy.
Describing the “distance” as the main drawback to living in Oz, Bryn remarked: “The [downside] is the distance to the UK, also the distance to everywhere else. I wish I had travelled around Europe more when I lived in the UK – it was very accessible.”
Wales’ skillset and depth of the player pool remain up for debate.
Interim attack coach Ashley Beck said: “If the skill level isn’t as good as it should be, it doesn’t matter what shapes you play.
“If we want to play an exciting brand of rugby and compete against the best, the skill development needs to be better.”
Beck’s view was echoed by former Wales fly-half James Hook who was among the Scrum V pundits on Sunday. He also questioned whether Wales’ players are putting in the extras to improve as individuals.
“Whether it’s working on your kicking for an hour a day, your throwing, your passing, your tackling – are these players doing that? I don’t know,” said Hook.
“From my experience, once the team session is finished, your individual job still needs to continue.”
Wales’ strength in depth was also discussed on the panel, with Wales clearly in need of some reinforcement at fly-half.
Lillicrap said: “People have been calling out Lleucu George saying it needs to change there, but ultimately who comes in? If you take her off the field what other tens have you got?”
“As a fly-half on an international stage, you’ve got to run this team, you can’t throw a youngster into that lion’s den.”
What next for Jordan James? The midfielder was the brightest spark in an awful year for Leicester City, where he cleaned up at the end-of-season awards.
Still only 21, James is due to return to French club Rennes following his year-long loan spell with the Foxes but there are suggestions that another move to English football is likely.
James’ contribution at Leicester suggests he would be an asset for any Championship club – while he may have earned a shot at the Premier League.
Ethan Ampadu is already shining at the highest level having enjoyed a fine season with Leeds, where he is under contract until the summer of 2027.
It has been reported that while the club have an option to extend the deal by 12 months, they are keen to tie Ampadu to a new longer-term deal to ward off any potential suitors.
There are other less prominent Wales players whose futures will also be on the agenda this summer, with Swansea City boss Vitor Matos revealing he will have a conversation with Ollie Cooper.
Kai Andrews, meanwhile, may not be expecting much of an opportunity at Coventry City next season following their promotion to the top division.
The teenager has spent the second half of 2025-26 on loan with Hibernian but has struggled for regular game-time with the Scottish Premiership club.
Fellow youngster Charlie Crew, of Leeds, is another player who could be looking for another move after his season-long loan spell at Doncaster Rovers was cut short.
Holiday park’s across the UK have been ranked by the best for child-friendliness and the top 10 showcases sites with incredible facilities from outdoor heated pools to highly rated kids’ club
15:47, 13 May 2026Updated 15:48, 13 May 2026
Many sites on the top 10 list have swimming pools for families(Image: pitchup)
Fresh rankings have unveiled the top family campsites across the UK, and their locations hidden in the most peaceful corners of the countryside make them a tempting treat.
As more families ditch overseas holidays in favour of budget-friendly breaks closer to home, outdoor getaways have surged in popularity. But with young children in mind, not just any campsite will do — parents often seek out sites with top-notch facilities and plenty of entertainment to make the trip that little bit smoother.
A standout site in Pembrokeshire has been crowned Britain’s finest, according to new data from Pitchup.com, which analysed nearly 200,000 verified customer reviews to compile its top ten list.
The rankings reveal that the highest-scoring site for ‘child-friendliness’ is Trefach Holiday Park in Mynachlog-ddu, Clunderwen, Pembrokeshire, which earned an impressive 9.3/10 from guest reviews.
One delighted visitor wrote: “I was recommended this site by a friend and we were not disappointed. It has a heated pool which we all thoroughly enjoyed on our stay. Fantastic food there. The whole site was so clean and tidy, and it was a very peaceful site. I would highly recommend it, and we will definitely be returning next year for a stay.”
What sets the park apart as a premier destination is its outdoor heated pool, where parents can unwind on the terrace with a cold drink while watching the kids splash about. For those looking to keep little ones occupied, there is also a highly regarded kids’ club alongside a wealth of entertainment facilities, including a play area and games room.
Also featuring on the list of the UK’s finest family-friendly campsites is Jubilee Camping in Hampshire at number two, and Panoramic Camping and Glamping in Swansea at number three. The Swansea site is a peaceful, rural retreat just a 10-minute stroll from a local pub, offering a back-to-basics camping experience. It also features its own bar and pizza oven on site.
Another standout, on the other end of the UK to the winners, is Riverside Holiday Village in Somerset at number 10, with a score of 8.7 for its child-friendliness.
The campsite is beloved for its tranquil setting along the river’s bend in Bleadon, and its convenient location, set a mere 10 minute drive from the bustling seaside town of Weston-super-Mare. Another being the huge amount of fun and entertainment for children with a games arcade and a heated indoor swimming pool on site.
It’s evident that the UK is brimming with outstanding camping destinations, with family-friendly sites spanning the length and breadth of the country — from Somerset and Devon to Swansea, Cheshire and Wiltshire.
Dan Yates, founder of Pitchup.com, said: “Camping and glamping holidays continue to be a popular choice for families looking to spend quality time together outdoors, particularly as more people seek flexible and affordable UK breaks. The sites featured in these rankings stood out for creating welcoming, family-friendly experiences that give children the freedom to explore while helping parents relax and unwind.
“We’re seeing families place increasing value on outdoor space, nature and simple shared experiences, whether that’s wildlife watching, campfires or easy access to beaches and walking routes. The variety of sites featured across the UK also shows there’s strong demand for family-friendly stays in every corner of Great Britain.”
Beer lovers prayers have been answered as this Coach firm has just launched a 250-mile-long pub crawl starting early at 9:15am from Dolgellau and taking in many famous Spoons along the way
The 12-hour ‘Spoons Pilgrimage’ will pull up at six pubs(Image: WALES NEWS SERVICE)
Nobody loves an organised pub crawl more than the Brits – but this one may have just topped them all.
While some make pilgrimages to a significant place or worship or set out on a journey to deepen their spirituality, this particular tour will have travellers doing less thinking and more drinking.
Lloyd’s Coaches has launched the ultimate ‘Spoons Pilgrimage’, a 250-mile round journey visiting a whole load of JD Wetherspoon pubs throughout North Wales, and venturing slightly beyond the border as well. The route begins and ends in Dolgellau.
It’s such a brilliant idea that other travel companies are likely kicking themselves, wondering why they didn’t come up with the scheme first. Yet the concept is pretty simple.
For the very reasonable price of just £20, not including any drinks bought along the way, passengers can embark on a day trip like no other.
Departing nice and early from Dolgellau, Wales at 9.15am, the coach will head towards the inaugural Spoons in Oswestry, known as the Wilfred Owen. It’s expected that the coach arrives at noon, with attendees given a 45-minute stop to knock back a pint or two.
Then it’s time to get back on board and head on towards The Castle Hotel in Ruthin, under an hour’s drive away. Here they’ll have another 45-minute stop, before carrying on to The Picture House in Colwyn Bay, a further 45-minute drive.
It’s shaping up to be a long day on the road already, but fortunately, it’s a shorter drive this time around to the Palladium in Llandudno: the most impressive of all the establishments on the route. At this point, six county boundaries have been crossed, but there’s still plenty more to go.
Perhaps feeling a little bit giddy from all of the drinking thus far, punters will head to Tafarn y Porth in Caernarfon, then Pen Cob in Pwllheli for 7.30pm, for the final drinking stop.
Lloyds Coaches announced in a statement: “Ready for a legendary day out without the ‘who’s driving?’ debate. Grab your mates and hop aboard for the Lloyds Coaches Wetherspoons Tour. We’re hitting some of the most iconic pubs across North Wales and the border. Whether you’re in it for the affordable ales, the legendary breakfasts, or just to check the carpet patterns, this is the trip for you!”
The never-before-seen Wetherspoons Tour is set to be held on Saturday, June 27, and with the initial Facebook post gaining so much traction, who knows, it could go on to be a regular event.
Full of excitement, the travel firm later added: “We’re filling up faster than a pint of Ruddles on a Tuesday. At this rate, we’re seriously asking ourselves: ‘Do we need to add another coach’.”
On Wednesday afternoon, Lloyds Coaches added a second coach on the same day, after the first sold out.
Before the docuseries’ new season debuts, it is already known the club has fallen short of getting promoted to the Premier League, but the show is about much more.
France and England will battle it out for the Six Nations title in the final match next weekend and, even though Ireland aren’t pushing those heavyweights, they now established themselves as a young, upcoming squad.
Their victory over Wales is their second of this campaign after an impressive 57-20 win over Italy, who occupy fourth spot.
“We’re starting to handle bigger occasions and bigger pressure more, and with that comes more expectation. But that’s the cool thing, that’s where we want to be,” he continued.
“Our next thing now is we’re going to start converting that belief, that confidence, that understanding and that we’re quite good into results.
“We’ll get there, the trajectory is still up and we’re still hungry to get better. So no doubt we’ll get there and as quick as we can get there, the quicker the better.
Despite their progress, Bemand also acknowledged they still have room to improve.
Ireland have never beaten France nor England with the head coach adding that this must be an aim of the side.
“We do want to be in games where we’re in a position to beat an England and a France.
“Are we getting there? Well, with this competition, we’ve proved that we haven’t as yet.
“So, we’ll take that, but unfortunately it means we have to sit on it for 12 months before we get another crack at them, a top four team.
“Our job now is to get as good as we can in the next year so that when we get them over here, we can condense that scoreline even further.”
Ireland finish their Six Nations campaign with a home match against Scotland on 17 May at the Aviva Stadium.
Despite losing their previous eight Six Nations matches, Wales came into the game with confidence after they registered a record four tries against world champions England in their last outing.
They started stronger in Belfast, but Wafer gave Ireland the lead against the run of play when the back row’s persistence paid off and she forced her way over the line before Dannah O’Brien added a challenging extra two.
Wales looked to respond quickly with a huge tackle from Parsons denying Hannah Dallavalle after Carys Cox had taken advantage of a mix-up and fed the ball through.
The visitors kept pushing and registered their first try when Georgia Evans dived over from close range and Keira Bevan was able to convert to level the match.
A double movement denied Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald after she had powered her way over as the home side, buoyed by a vocal crowd, began to settle.
Wafer then turned provider, shrugging off multiple white shirts before a superb offload to Parsons, who raced down the right wing to restore Ireland’s lead.
They then struck a hammer blow just before the break as, opting to play on with clock in the red, Ireland were rewarded for their persistence as they added their third try when Hogan crossed after sustained pressure from a ruck.
After the restart, a television match official [TMO] check confirmed Moloney-MacDonald’s kick out at Evans warranted a yellow card.
Wales were unable to take advantage of having an extra player and it was soon 14-players apiece for a period as Jasmine Joyce was shown a yellow card for placing her hands on the ground when bringing Eve Higgins down.
As the hour mark approached, Aoife Dalton and Linda Djougang linked up and fed the ball to Wafer to cross to secure the bonus point.
Bemand then turned to his bench and made a flurry of changes which added energy to their play.
Replacement Jones thought she had added Ireland’s fifth shortly after her introduction, only for her effort to be ruled out after a TMO review.
Joyce added Wales’ second try in the final five minutes as she held off Parsons and stretched to ground the ball.
Ireland did land a fifth try in the final seconds as Hogan bundled over from close range, with O’Brien able to convert for a fourth time.
Kath Cross and Stuart Hall have been living full-time in their campervan and have travelled over 25,000 miles on their epic adventures
Kath Cross and Stuart Hall in Meteora, Greece(Image: SWNS)
A couple sold all their possessions to buy a campervan and travel the world – for just £30 a day. Kath Cross, 49, and Stuart Hall, 48, have travelled over 25,000 miles on epic adventures through the Sahara desert, Europe and Scotland in their make-shift home.
The pair have been living in their 7.5m Mercedes Sprinter ever since Kath sold all her possessions and stopped paying rent four years ago. To date they have toured over 15 countries – and will have exceeded 20 by the time they get back from their current trip to Montenegro.
The couple work on the road full-time under the name Vanavigation – where they create, write and share travel content. Though their spending plan varies slightly depending on which country they are residing in, the pair say on average they spend around £900 to £1,200 a month – cheaper than Kath’s old house rental in Cardiff.
This means they budget around £30 to £40 a day for their lifestyle – with half spent on fuel. Kath, from Cardiff, said: “It was a choice we made between one life and another – and we don’t regret a second of it.
“When I sold my possessions, it made me realise that you are supposed to own things – not them own you. When you have a mortgage, a car payment, you are owned by society, fixed because you have to stay where you are and pay your bills.
“The more of my stuff I sold the more free I felt – the more I am realising those possessions owned me and pinned me in one place. Life owns you and you are supposed to own it.”
Kath and Stuart bonded over their shared love of nature and the outdoors after meeting in a South Wales walking group back in 2021. They hiked over 105 peaks in the UK during their first year of dating and Kath decided that Stuart was the person she wanted to travel the world with.
She soon after decided to pack up her four-bed rental house and sell all of her possessions back in 2022 when her daughters left home. Stuart and Kath have since travelled over 25,000 miles – including their first trip all the way to the Sahara desert, which Kath described as her “lifelong dream”.
Kath said: “I had an idea that when my kids left home I wanted to drive to the Sahara – it was a dream I’d had for years. Stu already owned the van, and we had been together a few months when we visited Scotland for a month in the campervan. We didn’t kill each other and got on very well.
“So that winter I decided that I was going to downsize my life, my kids had left home, the four-bed rental was too much for me and I just didn’t want it anymore. It was taking every penny that I earned just to keep the rental going – but we knew we could live cheaper on the road.
“A lot of people are scared of the big adventure, but Stu was up for the idea and so we drove to the edge of the Sahara desert and haven’t looked back.”
The mother-of-two is able to ensure a steady monthly income for the pair after she set up her own business online back in 2012. As a single parent, Kath wanted to ensure she could earn a living while being at home with her children – and her copywriting and freelance work saw her amass 1.6million followers on Facebook in 2014.
Stuart, who works for an agency as a truck driver, works when they visit the UK after trips to help top up their money before their next adventure. Her and Stuart are both work together to produce content for Vanavigation – releasing weekly Youtube episodes, travel guides and insightful blogs across social media on how to travel the world.
Kath said: “Life really is a lot cheaper in the van – you don’t need two wages. We were away for 101 days and our average spend was £1000 a month – this is less than my rent used to be in Cardiff and we lived like kings and queens.”
Despite more than half their budget being on fuel, the pair say they don’t live like they are on holiday – and mostly cook in the van and only pay for a few activities a month. Kath said: “As fuel prices have gone up we have just slowed down!
“We just drive a bit slower and make a few less stops – which means we extend the trip really. When you’re in North Macedonia and paying 130 a litre for diesel, there is no point rushing back to pay whatever horrifying price it is in the UK at the moment.”
The pair are able to live in their fully-equipped campervan which boasts a full working set up including: a shower, toilet, king-size bed, sink, and a fully working kitchen with an oven, gas burner. Stuart, who converted the inside of the van shortly after purchasing it, said: “We can even do a roast dinner.”
So far, the pair have driven 3,000 miles to Denmark and back, 7,000 miles around Spain and Portugal, 2,000 miles to Scotland and 8,000 miles to the Sahara. They are currently in Montenegro, and are just shy of 5,000 miles on their trip which has seen them drive through France, Italy, Albania, Greece, North Macedonia and Kosovo.
Their next stops are Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, Slovenia and France. Kath and Stu said their Sahara trip has been one of their many highlights – which also include their visit to the Atlas mountains, Kosovo and Denmark.
Stuart, from Southampton, said: “We drove to the edge of the sand dunes and were drinking coffee out of own mugs from home. Then we opened up the curtains and there were 40 camels outside – it was totally surreal. I had only ever been on package holidays before.”
Kath said they also loved their visit to the Atlas mountains because of the scenery and people they met during their trip and volunteering. She said: “There are communities there that have nothing, and they just want to help you.
“We helped a guy stuck in the snow and he wanted to take us to his village, which had 66 houses and a mosque. His family made us food and drinks and the kids in the village came to meet us and it was only a few months after the earthquake. It was so special connecting with the local communities.”
The pair are strong advocates for following your dreams and travelling the world in a mindful and sustainable way. Stuart said: “We choose to step lighter on this earth.
“My big diesel van has much less of a carbon footprint than a three-bed house where people leave the lights on. We don’t buy new stuff, we wear clothes until we can’t wear them anymore and we live light on plastics. We love this life and we learn so much about people.”
Kath said: “You can’t dream yourself into this life, you have to make intentional decisions to get here. You have to let go of other things to get here. We left the rat race – and we’re really glad about it.”
You can follow their adventures here: “https://www.facebook.com/vanavigationuk/
There are some beautiful walks across the UK, but one can easily compare to a fairy tale scene, with four magnificent waterfalls to admire and winding pathways through woodland
There’s something to be prepared for when taking on this UK waterfall walk(Image: Getty Images)
One of the most popular UK walks passes by towering waterfalls and through enchanting woodland, but there’s one thing that nobody warns you about.
The UK is a haven for hikes, from climbing the highest mountain in the Scottish Highlands, to rambling alongside glacial ribbon lakes in the Lake District, to walking the Cotswold Way through charming villages. Not to mention the abundance of coastal trails, woodland, mountains, rivers, moorland and rolling hills that make up the UK’s varied terrain.
Some of the most striking landscapes, with varied rambling routes, can be found in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park in South Wales, formerly known as the Brecon Beacons. The 520-square-mile protected area is famed for its dramatic mountains, including Pen y Fan, its highest peak, deep valleys and waterfalls that make up its atmospheric backdrop.
During a weekend escape to the National Park, I took on one of the most popular walking routes, The Four Waterfalls Walk, which has often been cited as one of the best hiking experiences in Wales. The circular trail is in the Bannau Brycheiniog area, known as Waterfall Country, and passes by four magnificent waterfalls: Sgwd Clun-Gwyn, Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn, Sgwd y Pannwr, and Sgwd yr Eira.
I parked at Gwaun Hepste car park (CF44 9JB) with portable loos and picnic benches, for £5 a day, which meant the route would take me around 5.5 miles (9 km) and roughly four hours. However, for those who would prefer a little more luxury, the Cwm Porth car park (CF44 9JE) has fully equipped toilets, a small shop and a visitor information centre, for £5 a day, and offers a slightly shorter route.
I set out on the walk on a welcoming, clear morning in Wales and followed the easy-to-navigate signs through woodland paths with grounds covered in bluebells. There were steady slopes passing towering trees before the terrain evened out for a gentle stroll to the first towering waterfall, Sgwd Clun-Gwyn.
This was perhaps the easiest waterfall to approach, with a short, pebbled woodland path to the cliff edge, where I could look down on the River Mellte gushing from the rugged, moss-covered rocks, which felt like a Jurassic Park backdrop. Some visitors were even brave enough to walk along the cliff edge to the tumbling water, but that wasn’t for me.
Instead, I continued on my trail and listened to the hum of the woodland, birds swooping from the tree tops, and the gentle chatter from fellow ramblers. Before the hike took an adventurous turn.
I found myself walking down steep wooden steps, along muddy terrain, across big stones, and over a wooden plank, which caught me off guard after my former amble along woodland paths. Yet it was well worth the descent.
I was met with a river flowing through carved out rocks, where people sat for a pit stop, and two waterfalls, the Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn and Sgwd y Pannwr. Thankfully, it was a short walk from these waterfalls, and relatively flat, with giant stepping stones and some slippery rocks to climb to witness the plunging waters of Sgwd Isaf Clun-Gwyn, which really felt as though I had stepped into a fairy tale storybook.
Just when I thought my legs had taken enough steps for one day, I encountered the precipitous route to the last waterfall, Sgwd yr Eira. The steep steps, of around 170, zig-zagged down through the enchanting forest before eventually emerging at the bottom of the majestic waterfall, which was certainly the most impressive and popular amongst them all.
I spent time admiring the curtain of cascading water as it poured into the river, and thought it was one of the most incredible waterfalls I had ever seen. But what truly sets this apart is the ability to walk underneath the waterfall, which I certainly wasn’t going to miss out on, even if I had to carefully watch my foot placement on the wet surface.
It was surreal to find myself just inches away from the gushing water and its mist in an experience I won’t forget in a hurry. Needless to say, it was well worth the climb down more than 200 steps during my hike on the iconic trail, including the ones on the way back up, albeit a challenge.
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This lively village beat seaside favourites from Brighton to Folkestone to be named the best beach location in the UK. But many people overlook it as a destination as a famous seaside town is just down the road
The village beat seaside favourites such as Folkestone and Wells-next-the-Sea(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Set along the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, it’s easy to overlook this charming village. After all, you’ve got so much to see on this one stretch of coast, from the classic seaside town of Tenby to the family-friendly Pendine Sands.
Saundersfoot has often been snubbed as a coastal destination thanks to its famous neighbours, but it’s now topped Time Out’s list of the 16 best seaside towns in the UK. The publication summed it up as “an energetic village with one of Wales’ best-looking beaches”, praising its beachfront saunas, independent restaurants, and Blue Flag beach.
Its wide sandy beach has lifeguards during the summer, so you can take a dip in the shallow waters. Next to the beach, you’ll find a charming harbor area where you can see small fishing boats coming in, as well as browse a range of surf shops, cute cafés, and shacks selling snacks and ice cream.
While you can enjoy strolls along the promenade, it’s not just the sea views that will keep you interested. A series of old tunnels, which used to belong to a railway, are open for walkers, taking you through the heart of the cliffs. The walk from the town to Wisemans Bridge includes lots of places to stop for a cup of tea on the beach, or sometime exploring rock pools when the tide is out.
Away from the seafront, Saundersfoot has a compact high street with the usual seaside town shops, and there’s a focus on independent businesses, so you can pick up artisanal souvenirs and arts and crafts.
Close to the village is the charmingly old-fashioned Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo, a holiday park that has its own fairground with vintage rides such as carousels and dodgems. There’s also a small zoo with a barn where kids can get up close and stroke various friendly animals.
Manor Wildlife Park is also just a short drive away. This open-air zoo has a number of trails where you can spot exotic animals from around the world, and includes both an indoor soft play and outdoor playground, so there’s something for all weathers.
Along the seafront, you’ll find a number of places to stay, such as the St Brides Spa Hotel, famous for its clifftop views across the harbor and beach. The Gower Hotel offers traditional seaside hotel vibes, offering three-star accommodation, as well as a bar and restaurant that serves freshly-caught fish from the sea just steps away.
Despite its newest honour, Saundersfoot remains a relatively inexpensive coastal property spot. According to Zoopla, the average house price last year was £279,000, making it a cheaper place to enjoy seaside living than many other towns on the Time Out list.
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