The career of Professor Richard Daugherty OBE developed in two distinct phases.
From the mid-1960s to the late 1980s, he was closely involved in geography as both a teacher and contributor to The Geographical Association at a national level. After teaching at a leading grammar school, he moved to Swansea University as a Lecturer in Education, where he worked extensively with geography teachers through teacher training, in-service courses, professional associations and as Chief Examiner for WJEC A level Geography. These experiences deepened Richard’s understanding of classroom practice and curriculum development.
In 1987, appointments to two government advisory bodies redirected his work towards wider issues of curriculum, assessment and education policy. Since then, he has worked as an adviser and researcher, contributing to major assessment reform initiatives, government policy papers and recent educational reforms in Wales.
Throughout his career, a lifelong love of geography has remained central.
In retirement, this interest evolved into landscape history, inspired originally by respected local landscape historian Dr Frank Emery, a Gowerton man, who was a tutor of Richard when he was an undergraduate at Oxford. Richard has published several articles in local history journals.
Richard commented : “After more than a decade of leading walks for the Festival, to share the glories of Gower’s landscapes gives me as much pleasure as ever.”
For more information about Richard’s career please click here.
For 2026, Richard is leading the following walks:
Walking the lost lanes of Gower on Sunday 6th September.
Vestiges of Gower History: Green Cwm, Penmaen, Three Cliffs on Tuesday 8th September.
Cwm Ivy Stroll on Friday 11th September.