South West Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire, in south west Wales - and in particular the coastal region in the far south-west of the county - has one of the finest coastlines in the UK and is often blessed by good weather.

This part of Pembrokeshire takes in mainly the area around St. Davids and to the south. Rugged cliffs are broken by broad, sandy beaches and narrow inlets. Twisting (and sometimes very narrow) country lanes join small villages and coastal bays. In Spring and early Summer the verges and hedgerows are brought to life by many different types of wildflower, and on sunny days the sea is a deep, Mediterranean blue.

There are few towns of any size in the area. Haverfordwest, occupying a more-or-less central position and with a reasonable range of shops, has improved a lot since we first started to visit Pembrokeshire many years ago. Further south the port of Milford Haven has long been home to oil refineries and, more recently, to natural gas terminals because the water in its estuary is amongst the deepest in the world and so suitable for the very large tankers. Part of the old harbour area has been redeveloped to give it a more 'marina-style' feel with shops, offices and places to eat.

St. Davids (said to be the smallest city in the UK) is small and a little touristy: it is at the centre of an area popular for surfing and diving with wonderful, wide beaches. The cathedral is very small and worth a visit - it has an oddly sloping floor. A few miles to the west of St Davids there is a lifeboat station at St Justinian.

The small, coastal village of Porthgain to the north of St. Davids is dominated by the strangely-attractive remains of what was once a busy stone quarry and stone crushing complex. During the first half of the 20^th Century it was caught up in a road-building boom and from its tiny harbour crushed stone was once exported to many places in Europe; now it is a picturesque village with several art galleries and local artists. There is also a good pub - The Sloop - that dates back hundreds of years and is well known locally.

South of St. Davids the coastal village of Solva has a number of craft shops and a generally 'artistic' feel. Its natural harbour has a short waterside walk - Solva was once a significant port, and in the mid 19th Century you could buy a one-way ticket to the USA for £4!

Still heading south, the wide bay at Newgale has a splendid, sandy beach and breaking waves - very popular for surfboarding, sailboarding, kite surfing and kayaking especially during the summer months. The views from the cliffs alongside are spectacular, especially at low tide on a sunny day.

Moving down the coast through narrow lanes, passing through the small inlet of Nolton Haven, will bring you to Broadhaven and neighbouring Little Haven. They are quite different, separated by a narrow, rocky headland - at low tide you can walk around the cliffs on the sandy beach, often with breaking waves creaming in.

West and south of Little Haven lie other small bays such as St Brides Haven and St Martins Haven. There are other places to visit within a reasonable distance. Dale is a small village popular with the sailing fraternity; Tenby is a more traditional seaside town with a good beach.

For many visitors to Pembrokeshire the main attractions are probably the beaches and the coastal views. The Pembrokeshire Coastal Path is a splendid way to see the shoreline and to reach a number of otherwise inaccessible beaches - good examples being Musselwick Sands or Marloes Beach.

A great day out (depending to some extent on the time of year) is a landing trip to the island of Skomer, a short boat ride from the mainland. Skomer is the largest of several islands nearby and a permanent wildlife sanctuary, home to many types of seabird. We saw gulls of all shapes and sizes but our favourite must be the puffins nesting in burrows along the edges of the cliffs. Reach the island from the landing stage at Martins Haven.

We have stayed at Creampots Caravan Site and at Redlands, both in the Broadhaven / Little Haven area - both are fine.