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DAI'S WALK-AROUND-WALES BLOG

A journey of personal evolution.

BLOG HIGHLIGHTS  -  BLOG PAGE LINKS  -  PHILOSOPHY & CHALLENGES  -  VIDEOS  -  ABOUT ME

Between the years of 1982 and 2010 I spent my life racing around Wales, doing triathlons, mountain running, mountain biking, cross country, running road races & orienteering. I was so focussed on the racing that I spent little time enjoying the country, but out of the corner of my eye I saw that Wales was beautiful, that the people were interesting, I saw hundreds of places that I wanted to spend more time in, I wanted to explore and enjoy the beauty and to learn more about this amazing country, and I said "I'll come back here one day".

and that's what I'm trying to do........................ 

Initially my intent was to run around Wales but injuries forced me into walking for rehabilitation so now I'm in my 60s and time is not my friend any more, I've realised that I'd better take my time and enjoy walking around wonderful Wales rather than rushing things.  

Previously to this I'd also spent time walking locally with my kids, with friends and on my own. To walk around Wales is one of my ambitions in life but I want to remember it too and because I have a shocking memory so the idea is to build this website as a blog of these walks and of my past walks. While I'm building the website I'm also trying to self-educate myself, how things work, identifying flowers, birds, insects, trying to understand the weather, learn about our industrial and political past, what makes people tick, and what makes them tock, etc etc. There is so much to see, so much to do and so much to learn. 

Please feel free to use my walks as an inspiration for your own but also remember to let someone know where you are going and stay safe. But above all enjoy this beautiful and interesting land of ours.

WALKING LOG - CLICK HERE

 

PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW FOR LIFE BLOG PAGES

 

2024 -  JANUARY 2024  -    FEBRUARY 2024MARCH 2024  -  APRIL 2024  - MAY 2024  -  JUNE 2024  - JULY 2024  -  AUGUST 2024  -  SEPTEMBER 2024  -  OCTOBER 2024  - NOVEMBER 2024  - DECEMBER 2024

2023  -  JANUARY 2023  -    FEBRUARY 2023MARCH 2023  -  APRIL 2023  - MAY 2023  -  JUNE 2023  - JULY 2023  -  AUGUST 2023  -  SEPTEMBER 2023  -  OCTOBER 2023  - NOVEMBER 2023  - DECEMBER 2023

2022 - JANUARY 2022 BLOG - FEBRUARY 2022 - MARCH 2022 - APRIL 2022 BLOG - MAY 2022 BLOG - JUNE 2022 BLOG  -  JULY 2022 BLOG  -  AUGUST 2022 BLOG  -  SEPTEMBER 2022  -  OCTOBER 2022  -  NOVEMBER 2022 BLOG  -  DECEMBER 2022 BLOG

2021 - JANUARY 2021 - FEBRUARY 2021 - MARCH 2021 - APRIL 2021 - MAY 2021 - JUNE 2021JULY 2021 - AUGUST 2021 - SEPTEMBER 2021 - OCTOBER 2021NOVEMBER 2021 - DECEMBER 2021 

2020 - JANUARY 2020 - FEBRUARY 2020 - MARCH 2020 - APRIL 2020 - MAY 2020JUNE 2020 - JULY 2020 - AUGUST 2020 - SEPTEMBER 2020 - OCTOBER 2020 - NOVEMBER 2020  -  DECEMBER 2020

2019 - JANUARY 2019 - FEBRUARY 2019 - MARCH 2019 - APRIL 2019 - MAY 2019 - JUNE 2019 - JULY 2019AUGUST 2019SEPTEMBER 2019 - OCTOBER 2019  -  NOVEMBER 2019 - DECEMBER 2019

2018 - DECEMBER 2018NOVEMBER 2018 - OCTOBER 2018 - SEPTEMBER 2018

2017 - OCTOBER 2017 - SEPTEMBER 2017  -  AUGUST 2017  -  JULY 2017  -  JUNE 2017  -  MAY 2017  -  APRIL 2017  -  MARCH 2017  -  FEBRUARY 2017  -  JANUARY 2017

2016 - DECEMBER 2016  -  NOVEMBER 2016  -  OCTOBER 2016 - SEPTEMBER 2016  -  AUGUST 2016  - JULY 2016  -  JUNE 2016 -  MAY 2016 - APRIL 2016  -  MARCH 2016  - FEBRUARY 2016  -  JANUARY 2016 

2015 - DECEMBER 2015  - NOVEMBER 2015  -  OCTOBER 2015  -  SEPTEMBER 2015  -  AUGUST 2015  -  JULY 2015  -  JUNE 2015  -  MAY 2015  -  APRIL 2015  -  MARCH 2015  -  FEBRUARY 2015  -  JANUARY 2015

FIRST BLOG PAGE - DECEMBER 2014

 

BACK DATED BLOGS - 1961 - 1973 - 1993 - 1994 - 2002  - 2003 - 2009 - 2013

 

PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE - CHALLENGE YOURSELF

I've always set myself challenges for as long as I can remember, the majority of these have related to sport. We are socially programmed to be part of a group and lots of those groups are related to sport. My personal traits involve being competitive and having fun, I was always naturally inclined to join those sporting groups. The first ambition I can remember was to play for Wales in sport and when asked at the age of eleven at what sport ? My answer was "any", I joined clubs, played at different sports, entered competitions, lived my life and in 1987 I realised this ambition when I represented Wales at cyclo-cross. Roll forward five years and in 1992 I realised that I had the potential to become a world champion. It took another eight years of planning, training and fine tuning my lifestyle but on 26 August 2000 at the age of 40 I became the veteran (over 40) quadrathlon (swimming, kayaking, cycling & running) world champion. Along the way I'd represented Wales at another five sports. (triathlon, mountain biking, mountain running, duathlon & marathon kayaking). My second life challenge put to bed I set myself the target of focussing on my family and supporting them the best I could, that's not to say I didn't do a good job beforehand, its just that I switched my main focus to this. 

Now all the kids have left home and my youngest is in his 30s, its time for me to enjoy my remaining days left on this earth and so I keep setting myself challenges. My reasoning for this is that if there is always a challenge to aim for then I will always be around to complete it. The reality however is probably different to this, perhaps I'm trying to fool my body and my mind into believing its going to stay forever young. We all know that's not going to happen but let's have a go anyway. And so I am not really concerned about the outcome of each challenge, whether I complete them or not, I don't mind as as long as they are interesting, have a personal development value and/or I have fun doing them.................  

 

DAI'S CHALLENGES

WALK AROUND WALES

To walk around the circumference of Wales. 

FIRST WALK 2010

GOWER PENINSULA  -  SWANSEA TO CHEPSTOW  -  OFFA'S DYKE

LAST WALK 2018

   

TOUR OF NEATH PORT TALBOT

My aim is to walk around the county borough of Neath-Port Talbot learning about anything and everything. Nature, geology, how to take nice photographs, who my ancestors were, how they made iron, tin, steel and dug coal out of the ground, who built what, commerce etc. etc.

STAGE 1 - WALKS 1-12, GLYNNEATH to PORT TENNANT on the NEATH & TENNANT CANALS

STAGE 2 - WALKS 12-18  - WALES COAST PATH

STAGE 3 - WALKS 18-21 - RIVER OGWR to OGWR RIDGEWAY PATH

STAGE 4 - WALKS 22-24 - OGWR RIDGEWAY PATH to MARGAM ABBEY

STAGE 5 - WALKS 25+  - ST ILLTYD'S WALK

     

THE DAI-ATHLON

A continuous (in stages) triathlon challenge from the very northernmost mainland point of Anglesey (Llanlleiana Head) to the southernmost tip of mainland Wales (Rhoose Point). 

CLICK HERE

This page is located on my personal training website.

    

SUNRISE & SWIM

Most weekday mornings I swim and I coach myself in the hope that I can re-kindle formers glories. Probably my greatest glory (as a swim coach) was when I coached and participated in the first ever British Aquathlon. (swimming & running race) Aquathlon is like a triathlon but without the bike. My early morning swim lane which I coached, won 5 individual medals and the team gold. Personally, I was 2nd in my age group (over 40) and a member of the winning team. Part of my summer coaching strategy was to take my morning lane on tour once a week to swim in the sea or another pool or a lake. These were enjoyable times so in 2019 when I wanted to learn how to make videos I decided that I would set myself a 10 day stretch sunrise and swim challenge. I waited until a block of good weather appeared on the forecast and in September 2019 I completed my first ever Sunrise and Swim Series. I enjoyed myself so much I want to do it all gain but I think 5 days would be enough............

SWIMMING THE BEAM - A 2020 challenge to swim into a sun beam........ CLICK HERE

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CLICK HERE FOR THE SUNRISE AND SWIM SERIES BLOG

 

CLICK HERE FOR PERSONAL SWIM COACHING & TO JOIN ME IN YOUR OWN PERSONAL SUNRISE AND SWIM SERIES

SUNRISE & SUNSET PHOTOS

You may have gathered from the regular mentions of sunrise and sunset that I enjoy the morning and evening low sun glory. I do indeed and have been saving sunrise and sunset photos for a number of years now. I'm trying to place the best on a single page and also am trying to complete the immense task of capturing a sunrise or set photo in a location in Wales for every day of the year. That's 730 photos in total. I've about 180 added to this page and probably another 50 not yet edited so there's a long way to go. The page is growing and already there are plenty of stunning photos so feel free to go and see my collection of - SUNRISE & SUNSET PHOTOS 

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SUNRISE & SUNSET PHOTOS

Take a photo of sunrise or sunset including the glow on every date of the year. 

    

THE MEANING OF LIFE

Since publishing my book on the Origin & Evolution of Sport in 2016 I've been on a journey of understanding. I've been trying to understand myself and why I am who I am. I've looked at my historical environments, circumstances and some of the events that have governed my current position in life. During this journey, it is my opinion that I have identified the meaning of life but then again I may be wrong. I've invented an academic character Professor David Glyndwr Penderyn Bevan Richards to explain everything including  -  THE MEANING OF LIFE

RESOURCES

............ more to follow

 

 

DAI'S BLOG HIGHLIGHTS

18/1/15

Georgie Dog Rescue Walk hits the headlines

CLICK HERE 

17/2/15 76-hair-ice.jpg (121110 bytes)

Is it toilet roll ? is it a fungus ? no it's hair ice needing a short back and sides but by 3.00pm it's been completely shaved off. 

CLICK HERE

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St David's Day and being Welsh - and why is there a grave in the middle of nowhere

CLICK HERE 

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Partial Eclipse of the sun 'paper clip olympics' 

CLICK HERE

4/4/15

Happy birthday Pat Davies - Cerdded-y-Cwm walking on part of the St Illtyd's Walk

CLICK HERE

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73rd Anniversary of Spitfire crashing at Gwaun Nant Ddu - sunrise at the crash site

CLICK HERE

7/6/15

Sunset on the Llia Roundabout.

CLICK HERE

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Are you Ambididdlemous and what is that flower ?

CLICK HERE

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Sunrise on the Fan Hir ridge and 2 lengths of Llyn y Fan Fawr

CLICK HERE

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Portugese invasion at Oxwich

CLICK HERE

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PEN Y FAN - LAST OF THE SUMMER SUNSETS

CLICK HERE

18/9/2015

RUGBY WORLD CUP GUINNESS COMMERCIAL

CLICK HERE

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GALLAHER JERSEY HITS THE BIG TIME

CLICK HERE

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Who lived in this egg case?

CLICK HERE

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CHARTISTS CAVE ON MYNYDD LLANGYNIDIR

CLICK HERE

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I want to be a professional photographer when I grow up

CLICK HERE

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NEWCASTLE-ON-CLUN to MONTGOMERY Offa's Dyke Path LOGISTICAL CHALLENGE

CLICK HERE

15/8/2016

ALIEN PINBALL on ABERAVON BEACH

CLICK HERE

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SUNSET AT THE SKATE PARK

CLICK HERE

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THE VIGILANTE VIXEN 

CLICK HERE

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BONFIRE NIGHT PHOTO PRACTICE

CLICK HERE

13/12/2016

DAI'S FIRST (AND MAYBE LAST) BOOK RELEASED

CLICK HERE

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PILE UP ON PEN Y FAN

CLICK HERE

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SUPER SUNSETS MONTH AT ABERAVON BEACH

CLICK HERE

25/9/2018

29/9/2018

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SUNRISE WEEK ON THE FAN HIR RIDGE

CLICK HERE

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THE STORY OF A SUNSET

CLICK HERE

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INTERESTING IRON ORE

CLICK HERE

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GRAFFITI ARTIST IMPROVES PORT TALBOT

CLICK HERE

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NEW SPECIES OF PLANT DISCOVERED

CLICK HERE

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NEW BOOTS ON THE CRAIG Y LLYN RIDGE

CLICK HERE

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LLYN Y FAN FAWR TRIATHLON CHALLENGE

CLICK HERE

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THREE SUNSET WALKS ON ABERAVON BEACH

CLICK HERE

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SUNRISE & SWIM SERIES 1 - SEPTEMBER 2019

10 DAYS - 10 WALKS - 10 SUNRISES & 10 SWIMS

CLICK HERE

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A walk and swim with JIM THE SWIM to Rotherslade Bay, Gower.

CLICK HERE

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Meet Dai 'Canal' our first Walk Around Wales Community Champion.

CLICK HERE

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New Year's Day at the bat cave

CLICK HERE

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Dad's Army, Morfa Terriers company on Royal duties

CLICK HERE

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Council of Death - Council malpractice has placed my family in danger for the last 12 years.

CLICK HERE

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Swimming the Beam - a personal challenge realised in June 2020

CLICK HERE

     

 

 

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PLEASE VISIT OUR OTHER WEBSITES - www.rugbyrelics.com  -  www.world-rugby-museum.com  -  www.personal-trainer-wales.com  -  www.origin-of-sport.com  -  www.a-better.wales  -  www.dai-richards.wales  -  www.glynneath.com