Kayak Kingdom - sea kayaking on the Pembrokeshire coast

How did we miss this one?! In September 2009 OE magazine ran a fab article by Rebecca Corbally on Preseli Venture's Sea Kayak Odyssey on the lovely coast of Pembrokeshire.

Here is is, in all its beauty:


"Bathing in the warmth of late afternoon sun, we glide sinuously out in the still water past the pastel-coloured cottages as a gaggle of gulls eyes us suspiciously from above".


"Kayaking gives you an entirely different perspective to life on land. Suddenly we are in a world of undiscovered caverns, inaccessible beaches, fishermen's 'keeps' bursting with shiny red lobster and gargantuan spider crab, the bald silhouettes of soft, slick seals popping up from time to time as they follow us unpeturbed. Arches, caverns and lonely needles stand proud among the white blasts of spray punctuating the black and silver granite beckoning us closer as the hours on the water pass."

"Our evenings are spent sitting in the cosy Preseli Venture eco lodge and tucking into well earned food which surpasses expectation every night. Candles are lit and a log burner nestles in the corner. A small bar serves much-needed red wine and cold beers..."

Rebecca has a lovely way with words, and she spends much of her time adventuring around the uk and further afield and writing super stories about it - you can live vicariously through her adventuring pleasure on her website - http://www.rebecca-corbally.co.uk

Happy reading!

An American abroad...and in Pembrokeshire!

On of our favourite groups of visitors to Preseli Venture has to be our American study abroad students who come and stay with us - we promise them that they'll love coasteering on a weekend of adventures away from the city, we promise them frolics on the beach...and most of all we promise them that they will fall in LOVE with Wales and Pembrokeshire.

And you know what? They do fall in love with Wales - they blog about it, they make little films about it, and they hook up with us on facebook. We never forget a face and we love to stay in touch when they hop back over the pond to resume their lives and start their careers post graduation.

When Michael Flatt got in touch with a sweet little note about how much he had enjoyed his stay at Preseli Venture and to ask us to spread the word re. the lovely website that he'd developed we said 'yes, we'd love to!' So, here are Mike's ramblings on being an American in London, how Wales changed his life and some words on his new website...good luck Mike - and if you're a study abroad student in the UK check out the website as it's a terrific resource :)

"The old saying about Americans is we are generally oblivious to what goes on in the rest of the world. When you live in a nation as vast and isolated as the United States, it can be very difficult for citizens to conceptualize the cultural, social, and philosophical differences of faraway countries. However, studying abroad affords one the opportunity to live in a foreign city for an extended period of time and break out of his or her protective home shell. I was fortunate enough to be able to study abroad in London, England during the spring semester from January to May 2009.

As an American study abroad student in London, I found myself in a unique situation because of the extensive historical past shared between the British and American people. The United Kingdom is the homeland for many Americans, which lends an unexplainable fascination between the two countries. In Winston Churchill’s famous “Sinews of Peace” speech, he spoke of a fraternal association between the British Commonwealth and the United States of America. I can now look back on my study abroad experience and wholeheartedly agree with Churchill’s sentiment. Throughout my time in London, I thoroughly enjoyed immersing myself in the royalty and tradition that defines British culture while interacting with other students who were just as interested in learning about American society.

This experience taught me a very important lesson: as a study abroad student you have a tremendous amount of responsibility in representing your home country in a positive way because those you interact with will retain your information in their mind forever. I discovered when you have the opportunity to converse with someone from a different country on a regular basis you begin to break away from your own labels and realize that most people generally hold the same core values at heart.

One of the more enjoyable perks of studying abroad was the ability to travel at will. My most memorable weekend trip was with Preseli Venture in Wales. Preseli Venture is an outdoor adventure venue located on the edge of a national park off the majestic Wales coast. It offers students, travelers, and companies an adventure filled weekend complete with both individual and team building activities. While studying abroad is often fun and exhilarating, it can also be emotionally draining on a student who is living a new life abroad.

Therefore, Preseli Venture was critical to the success of my overall study abroad experience because it allowed me to escape the city life and regroup in a relaxing coastal environment. Through the help of positive and upbeat guides who obviously enjoyed their jobs, I was motivated to try adventurous activities I normally would have been reluctant to partake in, such as sea kayaking and coasteering. With sea kayaking, I learned how to paddle through traverse surf while successfully staying in my kayak. In coasteering, I learned the proper techniques of rock climbing and rock gully swimming before proceeding to jump off cliffs into the arctic-like February temperatures of the Wales coast. Now, whenever I tell myself I can’t do something I just remember what I did in Wales. I can’t thank the people at Preseli Venture enough for providing me with such a rewarding life experience.

After my study abroad semester came to a close, I felt compelled to share my learning experience with others. Before going abroad, I had very little information available to me in terms of what to expect while living in London, adjusting to the British education system, and dealing with unforeseen events that may arise. As a result, I created the website AbroadinLondon.net both as a resource to alleviate some of the initial anxiety future London study abroad students may face and as a way for me to document my unforgettable memories from abroad."