Family Coasteering

Tiki 5/4mm ADV GBS Steamer Wetsuits 2013

Woohoo, we’ve just taken delivery of this seasons new Tiki wetsuits. Why wait until summer to come and explore the stunning coastline of Wales, Coasteering is wicked fun all year round, especially if you’re well kitted out in toasty warm wetsuits

Great to see Tiki taking steps to be eco aware too…

* Uses Limestone based neoprene
* Has been shipped by sea
* Was packed in recycled card

Here’s what some of our winter/spring clients had to say about our Coasteering wetsuits & equipment…

“It wasn’t cold at all once you get all the gear on” April 2013

“The wetsuits certainly did their work too as we weren’t affected by the cold, either in or out of the water.” March 2013

“Ok it was early Feb and the sea was cold but Celtic Quest provided us all with good quality wetsuits, gloves, hats so wasn’t unpleasant” Feb 2013

“Kit is superb, even in winter it is not cold” Nov 2012

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1. Introduce yourself and tell us how you came about to be involved in the visitor attraction industry?

Cleopatra – Owner & Senior Guide at Celtic Quest Coasteering

I fell in love with the great outdoors and the sea in particular at a very young age. I started working in the outdoor industry 15 years ago and still can’t enough of the fresh air and salt water.
Life’s a beach and my office is a stunning stretch of the Pembrokeshire coast. Sometimes wet, wild and windy, other times blue skies, turquoise waters and swimming with seals.
The best part of my job is sharing the experience with visitors. Be that exploring the coastline on a calm sea safari style adventure or taking people to the edge of their comfort zone, cliff jumping, wave dodging and adventure swimming!

2. Tell us about your attraction and why it is a great day out?

Probably the most fun you can have in a wetsuit…
The car rounds a bend and there it is, your playground for the next few hours, rocky coast and crashing waves. The car’s parked up and you’re introduced to your Coasteering Guides. They give you all the kit you’ll need. After wriggling into your wetsuit, socks, hood & gloves, then fastening up your adventure equipment you’re given the safety briefing.

Get wet…
That’s it, you’re off…Starting with some easy rock-hopping, belly flops, cannon balls and bombing. As you work your way along the coastline the scramble climbing gets tougher and the cliff jumps get higher. Don’t worry though, you don’t have to do any bits you don’t want to.

Cliff Jumping up to 35ft (all jumps are optional)

 

Go with the flow…
If the waves are crashing you’ll be able to take a spin in the toilet bowl flush or washing machine. Buoyancy aids make you super floaty, feel the power of the Celtic Sea and go with the flow.

How high can you go?
The adventure finishes in the Blue Lagoon, with some of the biggest cliff jumps. It’s up to you at this point. The highest jump is 35ft.

3. What sort of visitors does your attraction most appeal to?

Our mission is to make Coasteering accessible to all… from children aged 8+ to their adventurous grandparents. It’s becoming a popular family day out, children love it and parents get to share the expereince first hand!
We tailor the adventure to suit the expectations and abilities of each adventurer, including people with disabilities and even non-swimmers.

4. What makes your attraction different, sets it apart from others?

We love what we do! Celtic Quest Coasteering guides are some of the best in the world with years of experience and oodles of enthusiasm.
Winner of ‘Best Water-Based Experience in Pembrokeshire’ – Pembrokeshire Tourism Awards.
We meet you at the beach, giving you more time in the water.
We don’t just do the basics…wetsuit, buoyancy aid, helmet…we also supply wetsuit hoods, gloves and socks….keeping you toasty warm even in the chilly winter months!
No two Coasteers are ever the same, a bespoke water-based adventure awaits you.
Oh, and we supply photos and videos of every adventure!

5. What do you have planned for the future? Any new exciting exhibits / experiences for guests?

Now that would be telling!
We’re always up to something with various wacky ideas brewing under the surface.

Rain or shine – we guarantee you’ll get wet!

 

6. For a family of four how much would a day at your attraction cost, including entry and food purchased on site?

A half-day Coasteering adventure is £39 per person (£44pp during July & Aug)
Included in this price is use of a winter steamer wetsuit, buoyancy aid, helmet, gloves, socks, hood and experienced guide’s with relevant safety equipment.
Food can be purchased from a refreshments van at the beach, from a cup of hot chocolate and ice-cream to a freshly filled roll and hotdogs.

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Finished editing our Coasteering Guide profile movies….

Cleopatra…..

Will….

Rellie….

Lukey….

Gaz….

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Tom, Alison n Lauren joined us for a Coasteering adventure last week. Tom has paraplegic cerebral palsy, but that didn’t douse his thirst for adventure.  After wriggling into not one but two toasty warm wetsuits, buoyancy aid, helmet and all the other kit we ventured over to the Blue Lagoon at Abereiddy.

A scramble down the rocks and they were off, first a float in the lagoon to get used to the kit, then a couple of jumps from the pontoon (thanks to the Red Bull Cliff Diving folks for letting us use the pontoon).
Tom and Alison floated in the lagoon while Lauren took on the tower jumps.  They then took on the power of the incoming tide by drifting up the channel as the sea flooded into the lagoon (boy was it tanking in that day!).
After a float across the lagoon, inspecting jelly fish enroute it was back to the beach for tea & cookies.

“I had a brilliant time thank you so much ” Tom

“Thank you so much for such a brilliant day, you were extremely positive from the start and never made us feel like it wasn’t possible. It’s because of people like you that the world is slowly becoming a more equal place for people with disabilities and their families, hope to come back again! x” Lauren

Celtic Quest Coasteering can tailor an adventure to suit all needs and abilities.
Explore your limits, overcome fears, or just try something new, go on…jump in…..what’s stopping you?

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Pembrokeshire makes it into another National Geographic to-do list…..

Top 10 – Things to Do in UK Parks

1. Go Fishing at Loch Lomond and the Trossachs

   Loch Lomond is the largest lake in Great Britain, and its namesake park includes dozens of other lochs and some 50 rivers. Much of that cold, clean water teems with salmon, sea trout, rainbow trout, and grayling. Some lochs also hold feisty brown trout and coarse fish species like toothy pike. Dozens of loch fisheries are found throughout the park, each one selling its own permits, setting tackle restrictions, and enforcing daily limits. Boats and guides are widely available for hire.
   Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Guide >>

2. Climb the Cairngorms

   Head for the high ground in mountain country. Cairngorms National Park includes four of Scotland’s five highest peaks and large tracts of barren but beautiful highlands. The ground above 1,970 feet (600 meters) is more ecologically akin to the Arctic than the nearby British lowlands. Those with a head for heights can walk or scramble to the region’s more accessible summits or tackle challenging routes of vertical rock. In winter these mountains become a premier playground for ice climbers. Mountain weather is notoriously variable; climbing and camping in these high peaks is a serious endeavor in any season. Guides are available for those with high enthusiasm but little experience.
   Cairngorms National Park Guide >>

3. Visit Historic Homes in the Lake District

   The Lake District boasts such enchanting scenery that many British notables have made homes here. Visiting their houses and country homes offers a glimpse into the good life. Mirehouse, built in 1666, is a splendid example. Wordsworth and other famed poets were once regulars here; today the family welcomes all visitors. Townend was built in 1626 and still showcases the lifestyle of that era’s wealthy local landowners. Architect M. H. Baillie-Scott built Blackwell in a much later era (it was completed in 1900) and its Arts and Crafts style artfully bridges Victorian and modern architectural styles.
   Lake District National Park Guide >>

4. Go Caving in Brecon Beacons

   Explore the world under scenic Brecon Beacons National Park, home to some of the U.K.’s most incredible cave systems. More than 300 million years ago, ancient seas laid down a layer of limestone, which became the foundation of a karst landscape now cut with extensive caves. Caving requires special equipment and experience but Brecon Beacons is a great place to begin. Several local clubs and companies can give novices a first glimpse at the park’s underworld and help the experienced discover its wonders. For those with no interest in technical caving but a desire to poke their heads underground, the National Showcaves Centre for Wales offers well-lighted tours.
   Brecon Beacons National Park Guide >>

5. Go Coasteering at Pembrokeshire

   The rugged, rocky boundary between sea and shore is a playground for the well equipped and wild-spirited. Sign up for a coasteering adventure and climb, cliff-jump, splash, swim, and wave-ride through some of the U.K.’s most scenic landscapes. Wet suits, helmets, buoyancy aids, and other gear make the wild coast accessible. Pembrokeshire Coast National Park works with half a dozen outfitters eager to get you started.
   Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Guide >>

6. Go Boating at The Broads

   The Broads is a wet and wonderful realm of lakes, marshes, and an enormous inland waterway with six free-flowing rivers. Boating has been at the heart of the local culture here for centuries and remains an essential part of any visit to the park. Canoes and kayaks offer an intimate, surface-level experience and give access to nooks and crannies that are off limits to larger craft. Silent paddling also helps in spotting wildlife. Those who prefer to let others take the helm can simply sit back and enjoy a cruise on any one of a wide variety of guided boat trips.
   The Broads National Park Guide >>

7. Explore Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland

   Hadrian’s Wall is an enduring echo of an ancient age, a time when Roman soldiers stood here at the very edge of the world’s greatest empire, on guard against threats from the barbarian lands beyond. Exploring the wall and its associated Roman ruins involves passing through some of England’s finest countryside. Hadrian’s Wall Path follows the 84-mile (135-kilometer) length of the wall from coast to coast; Hadrian’s Cycleway provides similar access for bikers. The Hadrian’s Wall Bus AD122, named for the year of the wall’s construction, drops visitors at sites along the wall, such as the large Roman fort and settlement at Housesteads and the Roman Army Museum at Greenhead.
   Northumberland National Park Guide >>

8. Go Roaming in Snowdonia

   Snowdonia National Park is for walkers. Some 1,490 miles (2,400 kilometers) of public footpaths take casual strollers—and hard-core hikers—through the park’s thick forests and fertile farmland, along coastal beaches and deep lakes, and among jagged mountains. A legendary high traverse crosses the rocky peaks of the Glyders. Accessible trails offer access for wheelchairs and strollers at scenic spots like the waterfall at Dôl-goch.
   Snowdonia National Park Guide >>

9. Go Hang-Gliding Above South Downs

   Take in South Downs National Park’s rolling hills, vast open spaces, and scenic coastlines in a new way—from aloft. Numerous jumping-off points in and around the park make this area one of the U.K.’s most popular hang-gliding and paragliding sites. First-timers can get in on the fun by sailing in tandem with a licensed instructor. Those bitten by the bug will find several local schools nearby; solo flight is possible in just a few days. Prefer a little less adrenaline? Get the same bird’s-eye view from the basket of a hot air balloon. Champagne flights are particularly popular.
   South Downs National Park Guide >>

10. Cycle to the Sea Across North York Moors

    The Moor to Sea Cycle Route, an excursion best suited for ATBs or mountain bikes, is in fact a scenic series of loops totaling some 80 miles (129 kilometers) of roads, forest tracks, and converted railway bed winding through North York Moors National Park. The ride offers plenty of opportunity to experience the park’s namesake moors in all their stark beauty. But the trek also passes through rolling hills and verdant forests before fanning out to reach several charming seaside spots. The route is dotted with small towns and villages, reachable by public transport, which offer quaint and convenient places to start or end trips of any length.
    North York Moors National Park Guide >>

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