In the 18th and 19th centuries when the English wanted adventure they could ship to the far shores of the Empire or they could go nextdoor to Wales. The land to the west was only the size of Massachusetts, but it had mysterious forests, a spectacular coastline and Britain's highest mountains. Here were Arthurian legends that challenged Cornwall; standing stones from prehistoric times; ferocious castles; abundant inns; an indigenous people who sometimes spoke English. Best of all it was a great place to walk.

It still is. Footpaths radiate from every town, and public ways cross farmland and estates. National Parkland covers much of the countryside. The advocacy of naturalists and acts of government protection have meant threatened species such as the red kite, Snowdon lily and bottlenose dolphins are coming back while hikers and climbers face stiff penalties if they litter, pluck or deface. Charles, Prince of Wales, makes an official visit to Wales every summer kicking off a conference on behalf of environmental causes.

In Pembrokeshire, Britain's only coastal National Park, a 299 kilometer National Trail Coastal Path winds by golden beaches and seaside holiday villages, but also tops sheer cliffs and smugglers’ coves. Ptolemy called the waters around St. Davids "the headland of eight perils," and just south of Fishguard signs indicate the spot where the last invasion of Britain occurred two centuries ago.

You can join an expedition to visit seabird and Atlantic grey seal sanctuaries on offshore islands named for 9th century Viking invaders. Estuaries named for Celtic heroes, on the other hand, are peaceful and easily navigated. Victorian naturalists and poets sang the praises of viewpoints as they followed towpaths along the canals or clambered up mountains. Some major routes (the “Golden Road” across the Preseli Hills, for example) were in use 2000 years ago.

June is the month for wildflowers including fields of bluebells and daisies. The multicolored rhododendrons that cover the hillsides all summer are especially grand when viewed from one of the eight "Great Little Trains of Wales." The narrow-gauge tracks were originally laid so ore and slate could be brought to market, but now the restored engines and cars take tourists through spectacular scenery, a prudent re-use of existing facilities.

History in Wales is measured in milleniums, and it's claimed the land was occupied 250,000 years ago (25,000 years for sure). That makes a 6th century Welsh nobleman named Arthur and his mentor, a Druid chief named Merlin, all but contemporary. Merlin was born in Cardiff, while the city of Caerleon is claimed to have been the site of King Arthur’s Court. You don't believe? How about the pregnant English queen rushed to Pembroke Castle in 1485 so her firstborn son could be rightfully named Prince of Wales as well as Henry VII? Or the fugitives who slipped across the border and vanished forever? In a country where the symbol is a red dragon, strange things have happened.

The less romantic side of Welsh heritage is also recognized. The days of industrial feudalism, social upheaval, exploitive mills and foundries lingered long. Now defunct mines have become educational experiences for schoolchildren and tourists alike. "Big Pit" in Blaenafon takes visitors 300 feet down into a real coal mine via pit cage; Rhonda Heritage Park has costumed interpreters who don't mince words about the way things were. Cardiff Bay, once the "coal metropolis of the world," is being revitalized with an unsentimental look at the past, and "The Miners Walk" in South Pembrokeshire follows the route of the Saundersfoot Railway as it carried coal from mine to harbor.

While mapped walks ("Three Castles Walk;" "The Mawddach Trail;" "The Ann Griffiths Walk;" "St. Brides Major Walk;" "The Landsker Borderlands Trail") are deservedly popular, the serendipitous walker is encouraged. The official book of lodgings marks farmhouses to country house hotels where those arriving on foot or bicycle can expect special consideration including a packed lunch for the following day. Tourist Information Centres carry free publications published by the Ordnance Survey (see especially "Walking Wales" and "Cycling Wales") as well as simple printouts of local trails.

You don't have to do it all on foot. Off-road bike routes follow paved but little-used roads while unpaved trails are marked for mountain bikers and horseback riders as well as hikers. The Welsh National Cycle Route Lon Las Cymru ("The Greenways of Wales") goes from Cardiff or Chepstow to Holyhead, Isle of Anglesey, following either a western or eastern course. Figure eight days at 30 miles per day to make the full circuit or do a segment. Bike rental agencies are plentiful, and you can take your wheels on board special trains to shorten distances or customize the trip.

The climate of Wales is mild and often rainy with the best weather and most sunshine in the southwest. However, even here, one of the local guidebooks cautions walkers not to wear denims as they "take too long to dry." Now there's a clue.

BEFORE YOU GO: Read Wild Wales by George Borrow (many editions, orig. published 1862). See the video of "How Green Was My Valley" (1941, 20th Century Fox).

MORE INFORMATION: British Tourist Authority, 800-462-2748; also at www.visitbritain.com and www.tourism.wales.gov.uk

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