Replacements: Kuge, Mine, Fuji, M Nishimura, Korai, Seo, Ito, S Nishimura
Wales: Neumann; N Metcalfe, Cox, Keight, A Williams; George, Lockwood, Pyrs, K Jones, Tuipulotu, B Metcalfe, Crabb, K Williams (co-capt), Lewis, Callender (co-capt).
Replacements: Reardon, Davies, E Jones, Aiono, Evans, King, Bevan, De Vera.
FROM big cities to waterfront towns in the Lake District – these destinations are the top places to visit this winter.
The Tripadvisor Travel Index has found places on the up based on searches for travel between November 1, 2026 and February 28, 2027.
The top Tripadvisor trending spots in the UK have been revealed – including DurhamCredit: pallikiAt the very top is Cardiff which will open its Christmas market in NovemberCredit: Alamy
At the very top of the list is the city of Cardiff which “transforms into a winter wonderland at Christmas.”
Tripadvisor suggests a walking tour of the city, or if you want to explore further afield, take this day trip by steamtrain.
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The capital of Wales has plenty to explore from its historic castles to museums and shopping arcades.
Cardiff Market, which is housed under a Victorian glass ceiling is a market that spans across two floors with lots of food stalls underneath.
Another popular spot is Caroline Street which is known locally as Chip Alley as it’s where you’ll find the majority of fish and chip shops and fast food takeaways.
For those wanting to visit in time for the Christmas market, the Cardiff Christmas Market runs from November 12 until December 23.
In second place is Pitlochry in Scotland which has deep ties with the royal family.
It dates back to the 1840s when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited Pitlochry.
Queen Victoria praised the town for having fresh ‘Highland air’ which transformed the quiet village into a thriving Victorian holiday resort.
Newquay is popular in the summer and has lots to offer in the winter tooCredit: Alamy
In third spot is Keswick which was praised for its “stunning scenery” particularly around Derwentwater.
It’s framed by mountains like Skiddaw which is the fourth-highest mountain in the Lake District.
For those who want to get out on the water visitors can book onto a Keswick lake cruise – this has views of Skiddaw and ‘Jaws of Borrowdale’ which is a dramatic and narrow gorge.
Another spot on the list is the seaside town of Newquay which while it’s popular for its beaches in the summer, is proving to be a top winter choice too.
When it’s a little darker, take a stroll around the town which has cosy cafes, pubs and shops.
One of the trending cities includes Durham, the historic city sits on the River Wear and has thousands of years of history including its castle and cathedral.
Other cities on the list include Bristol, Leeds and Norwich.
Keswick in Cumbria has sweeping views across DerwentwaterCredit: Alamy
The first minister of Wales says his nation deserves a new deal from the United Kingdom. Rhun ap Iorwerth says its relationship with the UK is not working because the union is not one of equals. That is why he is pushing for an agreement that will fix what he calls “historic unfairness”.
In a letter to the British prime minister, the Welsh first minister has formally requested the transfer of more power to Wales to allow it to control its policing, justice system, rail network and natural resources. His centre-left Welsh nationalist party, Plaid Cymru, came to power in May, ending more than a century of Labour Party dominance in Wales. Just four months into his term, he signed a pact with Scotland and Northern Ireland declaring their right to self-determination, and warning the British Parliament that its time is coming to an end.
He insists that the agreement is not meant to tear down the UK but rather to allow the Welsh government to decide its own future. He says Wales is on the journey towards independence. But he will not push for a referendum this parliament.
BBC Sport examined Wales men’s international debutants numbered 1125 to 1224, using player biographies, club and competition records, school and junior-club histories, and Gareth Rhys Owen’s own rugby commentary research notes accumulated while preparing for broadcasts. The working database was cross-referenced and individual pathway decisions were reviewed.
Birthplace is the recorded town and country of birth. Formative rugby education covers the main junior club, school and local rugby catchment up to approximately age 16.
Finishing development covers the main academy or equivalent pathway from roughly 16 to 20.
First professional club means the club of the player’s first senior appearance in a fully professional competition; semi-professional Welsh Premiership appearances are excluded.
Current club or retirement status is a snapshot at 9 October 2026.
The four Welsh regional labels used for early education describe broad geographical rugby catchments, not necessarily formal academy membership. Some players moved between systems, so identifying one principal pathway involved editorial judgement.
This is a study of the past 100 Wales debutants, not all professional players or a controlled ranking of academy performance.
Samoa score 14 unaswered tries as they thrash Wales 76-0 to secure their first win in Pool A at the 2026 Women’s Rugby League World Cup, whilst the result leaves Wales with two defeats from two.
The Metcalfe sisters played for Wales together for the first time when lock Branwen came off the bench for her first cap against Canada at the 2025 World Cup.
They started the uncapped fixture against the Baa-Baas but join forces in the XV for the first time at Test level against Japan.
Branwen, 20, starts her sixth successive Test and has a new second-row partner in fellow bright prospect Aiono.
Nel, 21, returns on the wing rather than full-back for her first cap since the World Cup after a knee injury that forced her to sit out the Six Nations.
“She was a shining light at the World Cup, which was tough for us,” said Lynn.
“Every time that she gets the ball, something will happen. She has got fitter, stronger and faster, and she’s excited to go out there on Saturday.”
Wales are 11th in World Rugby’s rankings, a spot above Japan.
Last month the Sakura Fifteen lost 55-21 to Italy and were beaten twice by Ireland, 31-24 in the WXV Global Series and 43-19 in an extra Test.
“Japan ran Ireland close in the first Test and they are very efficient in what they do, very regimented,” said Lynn, who opts for six forwards on his bench.
“They’ve got a very good maul and we are not going to be taking them lightly at all.”
The decision has drawn sharp criticism from left-wing politicians and environmentalists.
Published On 21 Oct 202621 Oct 2026
The United Kingdom’s government has approved a natural gas project off the coast of Scotland, as the Labour government seeks to balance its climate goals with energy security concerns.
Energy Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said on Wednesday that the Jackdaw gasfield would begin supplying energy to UK homes by the end of the month and would help to boost the country’s energy security.
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The government said the North Sea project would increase UK gas production by about 6 percent at its peak.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the decision will “protect hundreds of jobs and help keep millions of homes warm”, but stressed it would not hinder the government’s targets on renewable energy.
The government also announced a New Energy Wealth Fund, which will invest in renewable and low-carbon energy projects as part of the green transition.
The fund has been established with an initial 2 billion pounds ($2.7bn), with plans to raise additional funds through tax revenues from North Sea oil and gas.
Higher energy prices amid the Russia-Ukraine war and the United States-Israel war on Iran have weighed on households and businesses, dragging on Britain’s economy.
Fahnbulleh told UK radio station LBC that the development of Jackdaw would not bring down household energy bills.
“I think it’s really important that we’re honest about this,” Fahnbulleh said.
“That was not a consideration in the decision because it won’t mean cheaper bills. This was about energy security.”
The announcement has drawn criticism from left-wing politicians and environmental groups.
Zack Polanski, the leader of the opposition Green Party, described the decision as “climate vandalism”.
“Surreal to hear [the] energy secretary try and say this is a ‘pragmatic decision’,” Polanski wrote in a post on X.
“It will do nothing to lower bills. It will do lots for the profits of the oil and gas companies. And will continue us further down the path of floods and wildfires.”
Environmental group Greenpeace said the decision showed “the toxic grip fossil fuel lobbyists still hold over our energy policy”.
“True pragmatism means severing our reliance on expensive oil and gas that leaves British households broke, supercharges extreme weather, and leaves our energy security at the mercy of petrostates,” said Ami McCarthy, head of politics at Greenpeace UK.
Bracken and heather ripple across the plateau. I exhale into the chill autumn air and my breath mists a view that reaches all the way to Gower and the ochre peaks of Bannau Brycheiniog (formerly the Brecon Beacons). Far below, the Ogmore valley’s terrace houses look like tiny constellations but up here on Tarren y Fforch, it’s just me and a few sheep taking springy steps between tufts of bilberries. If this corner of the south Wales valleys feels a long way from its coal mining past, that is, partly, the point.
I’m hiking the new Llwybr Coedwig Cymru Trail, or Wales Forest Trail. Running from Porthkerry Park, near Barry, to Pont Walby, close to Glynneath, this 50-mile (80km) pilot route is the first section of what the National Forest for Wales hopes will eventually be a trail linking woodlands across the length and breadth of Wales: a sylvan counterpart to the Wales Coast Path.
My father grew up in one of the valleys’ mining villages and, when I visited relatives there as a child, the disconnection of those post-industrial communities from the wild hills that loomed above them was striking. Mountain bikers have long discovered the region’s potential, but walkers still tend to head for the more obvious trails that wind through the national parks or along the coast. This pilot trail seems a good excuse to explore untapped footpaths.
The trail starts near the viaduct in Porthkerry Park. Photograph: Freespiritarchitecture/Alamy
With the sea behind me, I set off from the oak leaf sculpture that marks the trail’s start. The viaduct ahead once carried coal to Barry docks, but today it stands over Caffe Matteo, busy with dog walkers sipping cappuccinos. Leaving them behind, I cross the park between the soft greens of birch and oak trees.
I swerve on to a fern-fringed path and follow a stream to the outskirts of Barry. The next section is less lovely – a long stretch of roadside pavement until I enter Hensol Forest. The sunshine splinters through ancient pine trees and their needles cushion the ground. Weaving in and out of forest and fields, I soak up all the calm this long-distance forest-bathing exercise can offer until the Vale Resort comes into sight.
This vast hotel is popular with golfers, but also holds two trump cards for walkers: a spa where weary hikers can swim, sauna and steam their muscles limber again, and a bar serving energy-boosting Welsh rarebit spiked with ale mustard, Dragon cheddar and charred leeks.
Restored, I rejoin the trail the next morning, dipping along leafy lanes and footpaths as the roar of the M4 gets louder. I cross beneath it to enter Coedwig Gellihir, a small broadleaf woodland, then continue north into Pontyclun, before clambering down to the river at Ynysmaerdy Forest to pick up an old railway path to Coedely.
The trail has been designed to offer stretches for cyclists, pushchair users and horse riders, with more pavement-pounding and, in Thomastown, a reminder of the challenges faced by post-industrial communities. Leaving the village behind, the trail opens out again on to a little rocky path with soaring views of Ogwr Fach Valley.
One of the National Forest for Wales’s aims is to help communities connect with nearby woodlands. In Blackmill, the next village I come to, the trail passes Coed Bach Dimbath, a small community woodland where local groups have come together to build an otter hide, outdoor classroom and accessible paths.
“The woodland there had been inaccessible for decades, and now people can access it,” says Rhodri Hewitt of Natural Resources Wales, the trail’s project lead. “The valleys can feel desperately poor in places, but the River Ogmore is another world entirely.”
Continuing north to Nant-y-Moel, I come to Blaenogwr Farm, a Georgian farmstead marooned in the village, where I’m staying in a homely holiday cottage. I drop off my backpackand head across the road for fish with buttery potatoes and laverbread (made from edible seaweed) and cockle sauce at the Blaenogwr Hotel.
The holiday cottage at Blaenogwr Farm. Photograph: Rhiannon Batten
My final day’s walking starts with a climb up to that extraordinary plateau on Tarren y Fforch. Hewitt tells me that parts of the trail follow the paths miners took across these hills to work in pits in neighbouring valleys. I’m glad they had this antidote to the darkness and danger underground. Today’s route feels uplifting. I slip through an ancient gate on to open moorland and pick my way up the escarpment, meadow pipits chirruping around me.
Crossing the plateau, I enter Afan Forest park, a large commercial woodland that’s also home to a forest of wind turbines, a peat restoration project and a network of mountain-biking trails. I have an urge to be inside the forest rather than tracing its edges and detour on to a footpath leading up to the trig point at Craig y Llyn, the highest point of the valleys at 600m.
Continuing beneath branches dripping velvety lichen, I come to another spectacular viewpoint, as the land drops away to the waters of Llyn Fach and Llyn Fawr, with the peaks ofCorn Du and Pen y Fan shrouded in soft-focus drizzle behind them. Soon I dip into the loveliest stretch of forest along the whole trail.
The valley of Cwm Gwrelych is a designated geological site of special scientific interest because of the near complete 300m-year-old strata exposed here. But it’s also rainforest-like, cut through with waterfalls, a dark, glossy river and dense, broadleaf woodland. I feel completely enveloped in green as I hike the last couple of miles to the trail’s current end, the Isambard Kingdom Brunel-designed viaduct at Pont Walby. As I continue to Sgwd Gwladys pub with rooms in nearby Pontneddfechan, I remind myself that this is not a finished trail but the beginning of one.
The next morning, I pull on my boots one last time and set out in search of the waterfall the pub is named after. Mist rises from the river, shafts of sunlight turn the leaves amber and a heron glides past in cinematic slow-mo. When we spoke about the trail, Hewitt mentioned an old Welsh proverb: Dod yn ôl at fy nghoed, meaning “To return to my trees”, or finding your way back to a balanced state of mind. As I sit and admire SgwdGwladys’ thundering cascade, I realise this leafy trail has delivered exactly that.
Filo Tiatia’s men have made a strong start to the season but that might not necessarily translate into a bigger contingent in Tandy’s squad.
Lock Ben Carter is a shoo-in, tight-head prop Dillon Lewis will hope to pick up where he left off in the summer and in-form hooker Elliot Dee would love to battle Dewi Lake and Ryan Elias for action.
The Perpignan fixture highlighted the qualities of Dragons’ grafters with blind-side flanker Shane Lewis-Hughes, who won three caps in 2020, continuing his strong start to the season.
Wales contact coach Dan Lydiate was a guest at Dragons training last week and would have been impressed as Lewis-Hughes put in 27 tackles against the French side’s big carriers.
But the forward, like team-mate Harri Keddie, is competing in a position of real depth.
The same applies for wing Rio Dyer, who is yet to score this season but has been lively with ball in hand and impressive in the aerial game.
Dragons’ man of the match against Perpignan was Aneurin Owen, so often the side’s glue from inside centre.
He carried strongly to go with his distribution skills, while he was strong in defence and came up with two turnovers.
Owen, who turns 26 the day before Tuesday’s squad announcement, was a member of the Wales squad under Wayne Pivac in the summer of 2021 but remains uncapped.
There might be an opening at 12 due to Ben Thomas’ injury should Tandy look to see if a quality operator at club level can take the next step.
“Aneurin knows I love him,” said Dragons boss Filo Tiatia. “He has outstanding leadership and there is lots more to come from him.
“He wants to improve, is coachable and is strong at challenging the coaches.”
THE view from the top of the High Temple at Lamanai is one you will struggle to find anywhere else.
Most of the great Mayan sites, including Mexico’s Chichen Itza, stopped visitors climbing their pyramids years ago.
Visit Lamanai’s ruins including the Mask TempleCredit: GettyRelax by the pool at Naia Resort And SpaCredit: Supplied
Here, you can still haul yourself up the worn stone steps to the summit and look out across the treetops.
It is one of many surprises in Belize, a former British colony, squeezed between Mexico and Guatemala on the Caribbean coast.
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Roughly the size of Wales, it packs in ancient ruins, thick rainforest and the second-largest barrier reef in the world. And English is the official language.
I spent a week there, starting deep in the rainforest of the north before heading south to the beach.
My first stop was Chan Chich Lodge, on the Gallon Jug Estate in the north-west of the country, which is surrounded by a 30,000-acre private reserve.
Almost everything on the menu comes from the estate’s own organic farm, and I explored the grounds and saw the free-range animals that supply the kitchen.
The estate grows its own coffee too. It was so good that I came home with a few bags stuffed in my case.
The best way to see the surrounding rainforest is on horseback, on a guided ride along the trails around the lodge.
King Lewey’s Island Resort, a quirky, pirate-themed private island 12 miles off the coastCredit: Instagram/@kingleweyislandOne of Belize’s beautiful beachesCredit: Getty
Braver guests can head out after dark on a night safari in open-top trucks, with a chance of spotting jaguars and tapirs, Belize’s shy, pig-like national animal.
Lamanai, home to that High Temple, is a day trip from the lodge. It is two hours by road, then 45 minutes by boat up the New River.
Its name means “submerged crocodile” in Yucatec Maya, a nod to the crocs that still lurk in the lagoon beside the ruins.
People lived here for more than 3,000 years, far longer than at most Mayan cities.
You wander past the Jaguar Temple and the Mask Temple, with its giant carved stone faces, before tackling the High Temple itself.
The steps are steep and worn smooth, with handrails on some stretches, but the view over the rainforest from the top is worth every puff.
Then it was time to swap the jungle for the beach. I flew south to the coast with domestic airline Tropic Air.
The little propeller plane is half the fun. As you near the coast, the Belize Barrier Reef appears beneath you.
My base for the second half of the trip was the Placencia peninsula, on Belize’s southern coast. I stayed at Naia Resort and Spa, a boutique hotel set in a 200-acre private reserve.
Its pool, a few steps from the beach, is as warm as a bath.
Come sunset, the sky turns orange and pink across the water. With a rum punch in hand, it’s hard to care about anything else.
My beachfront studio opened straight on to the sand, and came with an outdoor shower for rinsing off under the open sky after a long day out.
I ate well at 1981, the resort’s waterfront restaurant, and the cocktails were delicious too.
The real highlight was a day of island hopping and snorkelling by boat from Placencia.
First stop was Moho Caye (pronounced “key”), a speck of golden sand surrounded by clear blue water. I snorkelled alongside nurse sharks, docile bottom-feeders that pose little threat to swimmers, watched stingrays glide past and spotted hefty lobsters tucked into the reef.
Before moving on, I sat down to a seafood feast on the beach, with fresh lobster, white fish and crab — all caught the day before by my guide Akeem from Cultural Experience Belize.
Then it was on to the second stop of the day, King Lewey’s Island Resort, a quirky, pirate-themed private island 12 miles off the coast, where I jumped back in to explore more of the reef.
Back on dry land, a rum punch rounded off the day. I can confirm it’s strong enough to make any pirate proud.
On my final night, the local Garifuna community — people of African and Caribbean ancestry — laid on a beach dinner with drumming and dancing.
Watching the dancers perform, I couldn’t think of a better way to say goodbye to Belize.
GO: BELIZE
GETTING THERE: American Airlines flies from Heathrow to Belize City via the US. Return fares from £721pp. See aa.com.
STAYING THERE: Chan Chich Lodge from £107pp a night, B&B, based on two sharing for a three-night stay. See chanchich.com.
Beachfront studios at Naia Resort And Spa from £203pp a night, room-only, based on two sharing. See naiaresortandspa.com.
While Wales provided threat going forwards, in defence they provided little resistance as England’s powerful attack pierced through with frightening ease.
A slick move after three minutes resulted in Amelia Brown scoring the England opener, before Wales got their time in the sun.
A series of England errors allowed Wales to apply pressure, and they deservedly scored through Travis – who represented England at the World Cup four years ago.
The shock concession brought England focus, and a well-constructed move ended in Georgia Wilson scoring in the corner.
From then, England were motoring.
Hollie-Mae Dodd’s drive and offload ended in Boyd scoring her first, before Dodd deservedly got on the scoresheet herself, following up after Fran Goldthorp was held up on the line.
On 27 minutes, a quick move of the ball through hands to the left allowed Boyd to power through, before Davies ran more than half the length of the field to score under the posts.
Rowe got a try of her own before the interval, making it 40-6 at half-time.
The heavy scoring continued after the break.
Another debutant, Jasmin Strange – one of two heritage players not born in England – also bagged her first try, before Rowe rolled over her second.
The match was summed up by England’s 10th try, when a promising Wales attack involved a chipped kick to the corner, but the bounce went kindly for Brown behind her own try line.
Brown raced 109 metres up to the other end to score one of the longest-range tries in women’s rugby league history, and thoroughly demoralise Wales.
Boyd and Davies wrapped it up with three tries in the final five minutes.
When England and Wales met for the first time, at Headingley in 2024, England won 82-0 in a match which could be best described as women against girls.
Two years down the line, they took to the field as teams who had each earned their spot on the World Cup stage – but England showed why they remain by far the more dominant force.
In the early hours of 2 June 1953, guests at the Pen-Y-Gwryd hotel in the heart of Eryri (Snowdonia) were woken from their sleep by the sound of footsteps running down the corridor outside their rooms. The commotion was followed by gleeful shouting and the sound of champagne corks popping. A late-night telephone call to the hotel’s owner had moments earlier confirmed that Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay had successfully summited Mount Everest. It had taken two days for the news to travel from the Himalayas to London. Serendipitously, news of the historic achievement coincided with the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II later that day.
In the days and weeks that followed, the two mountaineers were feted across the front pages of newspapers around the world. Posing awkwardly for the cameras, their beaming smiles shone out of frost-burnt faces. In the decades that followed, Tenzing Norgay’s role in the expedition was increasingly marginalised – he was a Sherpa, indigenous to the area, and the load-carrying guide, while Hillary firmly planted his ice axe in the history books.
Edmund Hillary, left, with Tenzing Norgay, after their epic achievement. Photograph: Granger/Historical Picture Archive/Alamy
A new film, set for release this week on Apple TV, aims to set that record straight. Tenzing, starring Genden Phuntsok and Tom Hiddleston, tracks Tenzing Norgay’s life from a young boy growing up in the Khumbu Valley to his rise as one of the most accomplished climbers within the Sherpa community, and his eventual recruitment to the 1953 British expedition to Mount Everest (known locally as Chomolungma)led by Colonel John Hunt.
The film opened the Zurich film festival last month, where its director, Australian film-maker Jennifer Peedom, told audiences: “It’s often reduced to a familiar shorthand: Hillary conquered Everest, assisted by a Sherpa. But Tenzing had more experience on Everest than anyone else on that 1953 expedition. He wasn’t just helping another man achieve his dream. He had his own dream.”
Tom Hiddleston as Edmund Hillary and Genden Phuntsok as Tenzing Norgay in the film Tenzing. Photograph: Apple TV+/PA
In the spring of 1952, a full year before the British expedition, Tenzing, alongside Swiss climber Raymond Lambert, came agonisingly close to reaching the summit – less than 250 metres stood between them and glory. After a storm-lashed night on the south-east ridge, and with little oxygen, they were forced to retreat, albeit having set a new altitude record.
Meanwhile, back in the UK, Hunt, having been assigned by the Joint Himalayan Committee to assemble a team of climbers, set up base camp at the Pen-Y-Gwryd hotel at the foot of the Llanberis Pass. It was here they would practise their technical climbing skills and test the state-of-the-art equipment that had been designed specifically for this adventure, in particular the closed-circuit oxygen tanks that would be critical in keeping them alive in the “death zone” above 8,000m. The teams spent weeks on Yr Wyddfa’s (Snowdon) notorious Crib Goch ridge and on Yr Lliwedd mountain, testing the revolutionary new high-altitude boots that would replace the old leather and hobnail ones, which offered little to no protection from the freezing temperatures of Everest.
Artefacts from those pioneering days can be seen at the hotel today. A glass cabinet contains some of the summit team’s original equipment and mementoes: goggles, an ice axe, a ledger of Sherpas’ fingerprints as most could not read or write, a compass and a battered tin mug. Little has changed in the 73 years since Christopher Briggs woke his guests with those glasses of champagne. The Pen-Y-Gwryd is a time capsule; it remains in family hands, now run by Briggs’s grandsons, Nick and Rupert Pullee, who are determined to maintain the hotel’s legacy and the traditions that have made it a beloved destination for those with a penchant for adventure and late-night conversations in front of roaring fires.
Mementoes from the Everest expedition on display at Pen-Y-Gwryd hotel.
“My grandfather was originally from Scarborough,” Nick says. “He was a chemist, but his shop was bombed during the war, so [in 1947] he persuaded a friend to lend him the money to buy a hotel in Wales. The building had been used to home children during the blitz and had fallen into terrible disrepair, but he somehow managed to turn it into a success.”
Briggs also started the Snowdon Club, where guests under the age of 16 who have successfully climbed the mountain take part in a small ceremony in which they are quizzed on their mountain knowledge. Those who answer correctly get to drink (lemonade) from Hillary’s pewter tankard and are awarded a sterling silver ice-axe brooch, with their name added to a book of members – a ritual that still happens today.
The Smoke Room serves as the residents’ bar, a tiny wood-panelled snug whose walls are adorned with photos of the Everest team, with Tenzing featuring prominently. In one, he’s perched in the bar drinking tea with George Band, the youngest climber on the 1953 expedition. Inanother, he’s on a rocky outcrop of Tryfan, another famous Snowdonia peak, with team leader Hunt.
“I was only a toddler when Tenzing last visited the hotel,” says Nick. “I remember he was incredibly kind and was constantly smiling. He used to give Rupert and myself piggybacks up the stairs. He was great friends with my grandfather, who visited him in Nepal often.”
Landlord Christopher Briggs with Tenzing Norgay and George Band in the Smoke Room. Photograph: Pen Y Gwryd Archive
Built in 1810 on the bedrock that makes up the Glyderau range, the Pen-Y-Gwryd hotel is also the original starting point of the Pyg track, one of the most iconic routes to the summit of Yr Wyddfa, and today guests can walk directly from the hotel’s door to the path that snakes upwards towards Pen y Pass. The timeless interior of the hotel is devoid of TV screens or piped music, and the only concession to the 21st century appears to be the wifi.
This summer’s endless heatwaves saw sun-scorched hillwalkers cool their limbs in the natural outdoor pool in the grounds of the hotel. Fed by mountain streams, it offers unparalleled views of the hills and sweeping valley towards the mountain village of Capel Curig. The addition of an outdoor sauna and the popularity of cold-water swimming mean it’s now a year-round proposition.
The 20 rooms are all named evocatively after local peaks: Pen yr Ole Wen, Elidir Fawr, Crib Goch, Y Garn. Each is as cosy as one would expect from a rain-lashed mountain hotel: softly lit and with comfy mattresses wrapped in vintage Welsh wool blankets. In the labyrinthine corridors upstairs, you’ll discover bathrooms with Victorian roll-top tubs and Heath Robinson-esque showers. The bathroom doors are adorned with illustrations in the style of Aubrey Beardsley, and photos and artworks capturing the surrounding landscape and its mountaineering history adorn virtually every wall.
Climbers on the challenging Crib Goch. Photograph: Bailey-Cooper Photography/Alamy
Dining at the Pen-Y-Gwryd is an event in itself: mealtimes are announced by the banging of a gong, the dining room is an unapologetic whirlwind of Axminster and silverware, and the menu features roast Welsh lamb and Welsh steak and ale pies, sticky toffee puddings or rhubarb crumble – everything you’ll need to replenish after a long mountain trek.
The ceiling of the Everest Room in the public bar has been signed by pretty much every big-name mountaineer of the past 100 years, and each corner of the building appears to have a story and artefact attached. It’s this authenticity that Nick believes gives the hotel its charm.
“I think our greatest attraction may be that things remain unchanged,” says Nick. “We have a lot of regular guests from all over the world, and for many people the opportunity to step back from the world in the wilds of Snowdonia is extremely enticing. It’s something we aim to protect and cherish.”
Rooms at the Pen-Y-Gwryd hotelrange from £114 to £172B&B; three-course dinner £49.Tenzingis on Apple TV from 16 October
The three players have arrived at Welford Road at contrasting times during their careers.
Wainwright is the new kid on the block despite, having played 70 internationals in a nine-year Wales career that includes a Grand Slam title and two Six Nations triumphs. He has also played at two World Cups.
Wainwright moved to Leicester after almost a decade at Dragons to join a growing influx of Wales’ top players in England.
Wales captains Dewi Lake and Jac Morgan have joined Gloucester, with Louis Rees-Zammit, Dafydd Jenkins, Tomos Williams, Nicky Smith, Rhys Carre, Archie Griffin, Tomas Francis and Christ Tshiunza among those also playing in the Prem.
Wainwright is in a lift-share with Reffell and fly-half Billy Searle.
“Reff is keeping keeping me company in the morning, so he’s doing a good job of helping me settle in,” said Wainwright.
“He has helped introduce me to everyone and it felt a bit like it was a first day at school.
“I was nervous but everyone’s been welcoming and I feel I have settled in.”
Wainwright made an instant impression with his team-mates on his debut after setting up Wales wing Gabriel Hamer-Webb with a try-scoring pass against Saracens.
“He moves like a back and hits like a forward,” said Hamer-Webb.
“He has this engine on him that just does not stop and that’s part of the Leicester Tigers DNA.
“He’s also got that soft touch that you saw when he assisted me against Saracens with that great pass.
“I have seen him play before but to be on the same pitch as him and see how he moves, he is phenomenal.”
Wainwright has also become a firm fans’ favourite, as indicated by an incident after the away victory at Newcastle.
“I saw some of the fans and there’s a few that had the headbands and wigs on and I had a photo,” said Wainwright.
“One of them just snuck me a packet of Welsh cakes to take home on the bus. That was a nice touch.”
The 29-year-old still has a fondness for his home city having opened a cafe in Newport.
He has also taken on a director of coaching role at his boyhood club Whiteheads RFC, despite living in a Leicestershire village almost three hours away.
Wainwright deserved his move after being such a loyal servant, playing in a Dragons side that was not used to winning. There were 33 victories, 97 defeats and eight draws in his 138 matches.
Leicester are preparing for the start of the Champions Cup matches away in Pau on Sunday, with Wainwright having never played in the top-tier competition.
He missed the only two Champions Cup games that Dragons played while he was at Rodney Parade, which came back in 2020.
Now, one of Wales’ elite back rowers is finally set to grace Europe’s elite tournament.
FORGET Mykonos, Saint Tropez and Dubai – if you want to holiday like a celebrity, there are plenty of spots loved by A-listers in the UK.
From English seaside towns to tiny Welsh village, all of these places are loved by celebrities – and you’re likely to see them there too.
Mawgan Porth in Cornwall has been dubbed ‘Hollywood-on-Sea’Credit: AlamyThe coastal village is home to celebrities like actress Cate BlanchettCredit: Getty
Mawgan Porth
Cornwall is sprinkled with beautiful beaches and pretty fishing villages, but there’s one spot in particular that has become a favourite hideaway for A-listers.
The small coastal village of Mawgan Porth is quite often less busy than other towns which is another reason why it’s drawn in celebrity names – it’s even been nicknamed Hollywood-on-Sea.
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The likes of Cate Blanchett, Stanley Tucci and Jason Statham have properties in the area, while other big names have also been spotted.
Aquaman star Jason Momoa has been reportedly eyeing up a property in the town.
The Roslin Beach Hotel in Southend-on-Sea has drawn in celebrity visitorsCredit: Google mapsMichelle Keegan spent her first Mother’s Day as a mother at The Roslin HotelCredit: Getty
One local called Karen who works at the Osborne Cafe and Seafood merchant on the seafront, previously told The Sun: “We’ve had Boris Johnson, Priti Patel, Prime minister Rishi – oh and Bridget Jones’ dad – Jim Broadbent.
Leigh-on-Sea is the hometown of Helen Mirren, who moved there as a child.
The trendy seaside town has lots to explore like its high street filled with pubs, tearooms and cafes.
Some of the most popular spots include Ye Olde Smack, which overlooks the Thames Estuary, as well as the neighbouring The Boatyard.
Broadway is the spot for independent shops, antique stores and plenty of boutiques like Just Fox, Heatherbie of Leigh and The Magic Wardrobe.
Mumbles, Wales
The town of Mumbles sits on the Gower PeninsulaCredit: AlamyActress Catherine Zeta Jones grew up around the area and is rumoured to have property thereCredit: Getty
This popular coastal village in Swansea is considered the gateway to the Gower Peninsula.
It’s also considered an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty where you’ll find the ruins of an old castle, a lighthouse, a promenade, and the Swansea Bay Rider Land Train.
The village is a great shopping spot, with a number of high-end shops, independent boutiques, and galleries.
Meanwhile, it emerged over the weekend that Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam did not select three of his key players because of the state of the StoneX Stadium pitch.
Pedro Rubiolo, AJ MacGinty and Steven Luatua were rested for the trip to north London.
“They came off big injuries last season so it wasn’t worth putting them on that pitch,” Lam explained.
“If we were playing the game at home or if it was a semi-final, they would have played.”
Saracens have been contacted for comment.
Lam has previously voiced his opposition to artificial pitches being used in the Prem.
Following the Bears’ league win at Newcastle in April, Lam blamed the pitch for causing a number of injuries to his team.
“These pitches are hard – I’m not a big fan of them,” Lam said at the time.
“We always take injuries on them and we’ve taken a few more.”
Newcastle installed a new pitch at Kingston Park this summer before the 2026-27 season and have kept it fully artificial.
Wales have reached the play-off stages of qualification for a major tournament for only the third time in the history of the women’s national side.
Their first attempt, in qualifying for the 2023 World Cup, ended in agony.
Gemma Grainger’s team beat Bosnia-Herzgovina at the semi-final stage before – despite taking an early lead – losing out to a goal late in extra time of the final in Switzerland.
Two years later, it was an entirely different story as Wales overcame Slovakia and the Republic of Ireland to reach Euro 2025, the first women’s major tournament in the nation’s history.
Thanks in part to a lengthy injury list, James is one of only five players who began the decisive game in Dublin 22 months ago who are in contention to start against Albania.
The 146-cap Seattle Reign midfielder was also part of the side left heartbroken by that late defeat in Zurich in October 2022.
“[They were] two very different feelings after both games,” James said.
“The feeling that we had out in Switzerland, going so close in extra time and narrowly missing out, it fuelled us for Dublin.
“There’s a big group of us that experienced that and at the start of this camp we made sure the whole group was aware of how it feels to be on both ends of that.”
ONE coastal road in Wales which is nicknamed Millionaire’s Row has been compared to the Hamptons in New York.
The houses on the rocky headland have epic sea views – but it’s also right next to one of the cheapest seaside towns where you can book a room for less than £20.
Marine Drive on Great Orme is nicknamed ‘Millionaire’s Row’ and the ‘Hamptons of Wales’Credit: AlamyThe road is minutes away from Llandudno which is one of the country’s cheapest coastal spotsCredit: Alamy
Marine Drive on Great Orme, which is a headland on the north coast of Wales, and it’s considered one of the country’s most expensive streets.
Currently, a home called Plas Craig is on sale for £2.5million – perched high up on the cliff the five-bedroom house has incredible views of the coastline.
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The Hamptons is a celebrity hotspot where stars like Beyonce and Jay-Z, and Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick own homes.
While Great Orme isn’t home to any celebrities (that we know of) it was recently visited by Sigourney Weaver and Miles Teller to film a new movie called The Gorge.
Exeter boss Rob Baxter says he has been impressed with how young Wales back-row Kane James is maturing.
The 21-year-old won his international first cap in July when Wales lost in Argentina in the Nations Championship.
James broke into the Exeter squad last season and has started both of the Chiefs’ Prem games so far this campaign.
“He’s just following that really nice route where he’s improving at a nice rate, he’s having some good impact on games,” Baxter said.
“Kane can be really pleased with the trajectory his game is going in at the minute.”
James’ physical development has also been noted by Baxter, who says the former England Under-20 player – who switched allegiance to the country he grew up in earlier this year – has been working hard off the field.
“He’s getting thicker, that will happen with quality training, making sure he gets his nutrition and all this kind of stuff,” Baxter added.
“He’s such a diligent guy he is going to maximise his strength and his growth, but he is going to get bigger for quite some time, I would say with Kane.
“That obviously is helping him ride the contact, he’s explosive and very quick.
“Kane’s had a really, really good start to the season, we’ve got to just keep working on these little individual bits and pieces – sometimes in his determination to fly around, a little bit of accuracy trips, but that’s the way you want it.
“You want these lads enthusiastic to run around and get in the game and I think there’s a lot more still to come from Kane.”
Shanelle Williams has already fulfilled one childhood ambition after making her Wales debut and now she is preparing for another milestone in Japan.
The 19-year-old former Gwernyfed RFC junior came off the bench in Wales’ 50-19 win over South Africa in the WXV Global Series in September.
As a child, Williams had written on her Christmas list that she wanted to play for Wales.
“I didn’t actually know that there was a women’s team,” the hooker said.
“I used to tell my dad that I was going to play for Wales with the boys.
“Then I obviously realised that I actually can play for Wales. Since then, everything I’ve done, rugby’s always been a priority.”
Williams had forgotten about the Christmas list until her older sister reminded her after she won her first Wales Under-18 cap.
“It’s quite a nice reminder that I have been working for this for so long, so it has all been worth it,” she said.
Williams started playing rugby at Gwernyfed aged eight, spending four years there before joining the Red Kites and later moving into the Wales pathway.
She went on to play for Cardiff Quins and Cardiff Rugby before attending Hartpury College.
Her father played a key role, regularly making the journey from home to Cardiff for training.
“Obviously I’m from Gwernyfed, so it was about an hour and a half down to Cardiff,” she said.
“He used to take me for training on Friday nights straight after school.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do it if my dad hadn’t given me that opportunity, so I’m very lucky.”
Traditionally, international sides have played six games across three windows – all of which have featured two fixtures – in September, October and November.
But for the first time this year, the September and October breaks were merged.
Wales’ hopes of coping with the new schedule were not helped by a string of injuries, with stars such as Karl Darlow, Joe Rodon, Dylan Lawlor and Harry Wilson missing the entire camp and David Brooks dropping out of the squad after defeat by Portugal in the opening game.
Bellamy said Dan James was not fit enough to play against Denmark after he was left on the bench at the Cardiff City Stadium, and acknowledged Ben Davies probably should have been rested after he was withdrawn late on.
“If we have a few injuries, which we had more than one or two, they miss four games,” said Bellamy.
“We can deal with two, do you understand? And then the squad will get really tested. The intensity of the squad, the athleticism, really I think [the four-game break] is designed for the elites.
“[They can] say, we can go, we can go, we can turn over these games really, really quickly and we can change, we can change [the team] like for like because we have the numbers. So, it puts a real stress on a lot of us.”
Wales will again be without the likes of Karl Darlow, Joe Rodon, Dylan Lawlor, David Brooks and Harry Wilson due to injury as they look to maintain the momentum gained thanks to the Norway triumph.
Bellamy says he has no choice but to make changes to the side which began on Thursday as Wales seek to make amends for last Sunday’s defeat in Denmark.
Having emerged with some credit despite losing their Nations League opener against Portugal 10 days ago, Wales were well beaten on a demoralising evening in Copenhagen.
Davies hopes the Cardiff City Stadium factor will be key as Wales chase victory against a Danish side who, in 21st, are 17 places above them in the Fifa rankings.
“It does make a big difference going away. We didn’t get a grip on the game [in Denmark] whereas when we played Norway in Cardiff, it’s our home, our fans, our atmosphere,” he said.
“It felt like a different game and we had much more control… you just know you have to try to make your home advantage count.”
