Nellie takes the (15 foot) plunge!

Legs wobbly, stomach queasy, it’s too late to chicken out. Standing on the ledge with nothing more than a crash helmet, wet suit and trainers, I am about to leap off a 15-feet-tall cliff. “What the hell was I thinking?” I look down at the churning waters, my head swirling a dizzying 360 degrees.

Before I know it, I’m mid-air, plunging feet first into the uninviting sea. Seconds later I resurface, only to be swept by a gratifying sense of accomplishment. A wave of exhilaration hits me as I bop high and low on the water surface.

We are deep in the wild and picturesque Pembrokeshire National Park of West Wales, having a go at the newish sport, coasteering. Accompanied by Libby and Jon, two experienced instructors from the Welsh adventure centre, Preseli Venture, and a group of fun-loving travel mates, I am just about to find out how wild the Pembrokeshire coastline really is.

Coasteering is a unique adventure sport that takes place along a craggy coastline – a series of activities that include navigating sea caves, rock-gully swimming, rock scrambling and cliff jumping. Although no ropes or harnesses are used, participants are provided with full-body wetsuits, neoprene shorts and buoyancy aids to ensure safety. Anyone can take part, regardless of fitness level or experience. The sessions organised by Preseli Venture are led by two instructors, with no more than ten people in each group. As a pioneer in the industry, the company has an impeccable safety record: 22 years and no casualties or major injuries.

The sport was first practised in Pembrokeshire in the 1980s, and the trend has since been caught on by adrenaline seekers in Cornwall, Scotland and Anglesey. Although there is a multitude of coasteering spots to choose from now, the northern Pembrokeshire coast is still the place to go for perfect coasteering conditions.

Earlier that morning, we had wound our way through the quiet country road to get to the ruggedly beautiful coastline. In the distance, the curvy Pembrokeshire landscape – blanketed with green meadows and treacherous cliffs – beckoned. The sun had peeked out of the clouds and the ferocious tidal waves had retreated. Our instructors were clearly ecstatic to see calm waves and clear skies. “Coasteering depends largely on tide, weather and swell – no two coasteers are ever the same. When we have such great conditions, you can only imagine the fun we’ll have out there. ” Our guide, Libby Chivers, explained with much enthusiasm.

After slowly clambering our way down to the sea-level bay, we found ourselves at a tiny pebble inlet where we would start our navigation. Our first attempt to wade through the freezing water through a giant sea cave resulted in a series of giggles and moans as the natural motion of the water swirled us around like dirty laundry in a washing machine.

Next we started scaling up barnacle-studded rocks, hauling our drenched bodies up rugged cliff faces. It turned out to be easier than expected, as the layered surfaces were easy to grab hold of. By the time we had climbed up to sufficient heights for our first jump, the drop was dizzying.

Cliff jumps usually range from one to ten metres in height – depending on the participants’ adrenaline level. Our instructor Jon Kellie explained, “We’ll let you jump from whichever height you prefer, as long as it’s within the safety limits. It all depends on how extreme you want the experience to be.”  Our group of mediocre junkies decided to keep it to our comfort level, starting our plunge at ten feet, (about three metres).

Right before taking the leap, Jon repeated his instructions. “Always jump with your feet first. Keep your head down and tucked in to your chin. Don’t hesitate too much; if you’re not comfortable, remember you don’t have to jump.”

Finding the courage to step off that edge was terrifying but, once the free-fall is over, the overwhelming sense of accomplishment and relief is sensational. By the end of the afternoon, we are in high spirits, buzzing from the jumps. We find our mascara-toting mate particularly exhilarated – after her last leap off the highest cliff, we hear her screaming, “I want to do it again!”