Coasteering in Wales

Coasteering was invented in Wales. Full stop. In 1986, Andy Middleton and his team at TYF Adventure in St Davids took the ancient art of exploring the coastal margin and turned it into a guided activity that has since spread across the world. Before TYF trademarked the term in the 1990s, climbers like Colin Mortlock had been exploring Pembrokeshire's sea cliffs since the 1960s — but it was that group of St Davids pioneers who created coasteering as we know it today.

What is coasteering? It's scrambling along rocky coastlines, leaping off cliffs into deep water, swimming through sea caves, and generally treating the coast as nature's ultimate adventure playground. Unlike other water sports, coasteering doesn't require months of training — with a wetsuit, buoyancy aid, helmet, and an experienced guide, beginners can experience the thrill of cliff jumping and cave exploring on their very first session. It's accessible adventure at its finest.

Pembrokeshire remains the undisputed world capital of coasteering. The Blue Lagoon at Abereiddy, the dramatic cliffs around St Davids Head, the caves of Stackpole — these locations offer geological features that seem purpose-built for the sport. Vertical cliffs plunge into deep water, sea caves penetrate the headlands, and natural platforms provide jumping spots from knee-trembling heights. The Gower Peninsula and Anglesey have developed their own coasteering scenes, but Pembrokeshire is where the magic began.

The beauty of coasteering is its adaptability. Guides assess the group and conditions, then choose a route that matches everyone's confidence. Nervous about jumping? No problem — there are always lower options or you can simply swim around. Craving adrenaline? There are cliffs where you can launch yourself from dizzying heights into the clear Welsh waters. No two sessions are ever the same, because the coast changes with every tide, every swell, every season. This is raw, elemental adventure — and Wales does it better than anywhere on earth.