Discover the captivating and light-hearted stories of Tim Jones, a retired Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Ranger, as he recounts his experiences in farming, travel, and cycling across 40,000 miles in a new book.

‘Life’s a Story: Tales of Farming, Friends and Forty Thousand Miles on a Bicycle’ - is an eclectic collection of short, stand-alone tales.

His stories are a lovely, jumbled mix of social and family history; about farming and working in Pembrokeshire, and of biopic travel adventures linked to 40,000 miles on a bicycle called Seren. They are all delivered in a light-hearted and easy to read style.

Before spending 26 years as a Ranger Tim spent ten years wandering around the world working at various interesting jobs to earn enough money to fund major solo cycle tours.

His work stints included managing safari concessions and camps in Africa and driving a combine from Texas to Canada on the iconic ‘wheat harvest run’ (three times).

‘Life’s a Story: Tales of Farming, Friends and Forty Thousand Miles on a Bicycle’ - is an eclectic collection of short, stand-alone tales.
‘Life’s a Story: Tales of Farming, Friends and Forty Thousand Miles on a Bicycle’ - is an eclectic collection of short, stand-alone tales. (Tim Jones)

Before all that he grew up and then worked on a small family farm in south Pembrokeshire.

“I spent the whole of the 1980s wandering around the world working and bicycle touring,“ said Tim, who recently launched the booked with a special ‘meet the author’ and garden party event held in Manorbier.

“On several occasions during that time the Tenby Observer was kind enough to publish stories and photographs about me and my travels.

“While clearing my late parents’ house I came across some of those articles. I also found the original print photograph of me reading the Tenby Observer beside Lake Kariba, in Zimbabwe. That issue was published 42 years ago!

“Skip forward to 2026 and I’ve now retired from a 26-year career as a National Park Ranger. For all that time I covered the south sector of our National Park from Angle to Amroth, and the Daugleddau Estuary from Cosheston to Caniston Bridge.

“Again, the Observer regularly published stories linked to my work.

“The book does what it says on the cover. One chapter features the photograph of me holding up the Observer, which was used in evidence in a Darts League complaint against the old Pirate’s Lantern pub, in Manorbier!

I also found the original print photograph of me reading the Tenby Observer beside Lake Kariba, in Zimbabwe. That issue was published 42 years ago!
Tim reading the Tenby Observer beside Lake Kariba, in Zimbabwe,42 years ago! (Tim Jones)

“Unbeknown to me they had used my name for a ringer that played in a grudge darts match that year. I was a registered player, but as I was working several thousand miles away in Africa I couldn’t have been playing darts in Tenby!

“So the book is full of old tales about growing up and farming in south Pembs; about my work as a Ranger, and about my 10 years of travels. There’s lots of interesting social history too,” added Tim, whose wife, Georgina is a local artist and potter.

Copies of the book can be ordered directly from Tim (£10 each or £12 posted) via his Facebook page Tim Jones, writer or email: [email protected].

It can also be purchased from Manorbier House and from Tenby Book Shop in Tudor Square.