Things To Do In Pembrokeshire

Delightful Tenby

Tenby is the poster child of Pembrokeshire and a fantastic place to start your exploration of this incredible region. With three beaches and a pretty harbour, it is a lively town with a good variety of shops, cafes and pubs. The pastel coloured townhouses that line the seafront are reminiscent of Fondant Fancies and make it immediately recognisable as a beach resort town.

The Tenby Lifeboat Station lets visitors see rescue boats up close and gives a great insight into the workings behind this vital service, and you can find out more about how the ocean and harbour have played such a vital role in the town's past at Tenby Museum. Down a steeply cobbled alleyway between the harbour and the town's main street is the wonderfully preserved Tudor Merchant's House, or walk around the ruins of Tenby Castle and the remarkably intact medieval town walls to enjoy fantastic views towards Caldey Island.

Stretch Your Legs along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path National Trail

The Pembrokeshire Coast Path National Trail goes from Amroth to St Dogmaels, covering 186 miles of breathtaking coastline. As you walk along you will spot a multitude of birds and fauna and may even, depending on the time of year, be able to see dolphins and seals as well. The path passes rocky outcrops and expansive sandy beaches, hidden coves and estuaries teeming with wildlife.

Coastal path near Broad Haven

If you walked the Pembrokeshire Coast Path in its entirety, you would scale 35,000 feet - a height almost equivalent to that of Mount Everest! A more popular option is to break the path into smaller sections and take advantage of the regular bus service, with quirky routes such as the Puffin Shuttle, Strumble Shuttle and Poppit Rocket. Plan your route here to find the nearest bus stop to pick you up or drop you back to the town nearest to your holiday cottage. Wales is one of the few, and the first, country to have a coastal path that wraps around the nation's complete coastline.

Sandcastles, Surfing and ...Pirates!

Pembrokeshire receives more than four million visitors every year, two million of them who only come for the day to enjoy Pembrokeshire's fantastic beaches. Pembrokeshire has dozens of beaches, and if the cliffs could talk, they would tell tales not only of puffins and surfers but of pirates and Vikings.

Some beaches, like Saundersfoot, Freshwater West and Broad Haven are wide golden stretches of shoreline ideal for building sandcastles, playing games and paddling in the surf. Others, like Barafundle Bay, require a little more effort to reach but repay the effort with a pristine setting that has remained unchanged for generations.

Broad Haven South Beach

Pirates frequently used Caldey Island as a place to stop and unload their booty before transporting it to the shore at beaches like Solva. In fact, some of Britain's most infamous pirates, including Morgan the Terrible and Black Bart ("Barti Ddu") were born in Pembrokeshire. The caves and tunnels now so exciting to explore were once a place for storing and moving contraband, as you can tell by the names of places like Brandy Brook near Haverfordwest.

Everything Old is New(port) Again

Newport is enjoying a rise in popularity as a repeat holiday destination, especially for families and couples who appreciate its relaxed, timeless charm. Delightfully unfussy, the regular crowd are torn between boasting about all the things that make it so wonderful - the delicious local meat sold by the independent butcher, the friendly local pub around which so much village socialising is based, or the pleasure of swimming across the River Nevern to Traeth Mawr - or keeping it secret for a few more generations.

There are some fantastic walks nearby, including up Mynydd Carningli and the Mountain of Angels, which offers 360-degree panoramic views.

Welsh weather is predictable only in its unpredictability, and you may find that some days the skies are more slate grey than azure blue. The locals know never to let a drizzle get in the way of a good day, and you will appreciate the benefits when you see how truly lush and green the Pembrokeshire countryside is.

See where the Tudor Dynasty Began

Pembroke Castle, the birthplace of Henry VII, is the sort of castle you see in children's storybooks, with a circular keep, gatehouse, towers and turrets. Built as a fortress before being used as a home and later falling into ruin, it has been extensively restored and is a fascinating mix of grand spaces built to show wealth and status, and secret stairways and tunnels made to protect secrets as much as the people within the walls.

The walled town of Pembroke is as interesting as the castle around which it developed. The oldest part of town retains many Tudor and Georgian buildings, some of which are still homes while others house shops, cafes and restaurants.

Have a Day in Haverfordwest

As the largest town in Pembrokeshire, Haverfordwest has the widest variety of places to shop, eat and drink. Much of the stone castle is still standing, despite Oliver Cromwell ordering its complete destruction in 1648, and there is an interesting museum inside the castle walls where you can learn about the town's history which spans more than a thousand years.

Haverfordwest is an excellent place to shop and has a weekly farmers' market every Friday. Wet weather attractions include the Welsh Spitfire Museum, a pottery cafe, an indoor trampoline park, and a large soft play centre.

Family Fun at Folly Farm

Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo is an award-winning all-weather attraction that appeals to all ages. It is big enough to offer a full day of fun without being so large that you feel like you have completed a marathon just getting around it. Folly Farm started, as its name implies, as a farm attraction, with sheep, goats, cows, chickens and Shire horses. However, it has grown significantly over the last decade and now also features 90 different species of animal including more exotic animals like rhinos, lions and giraffes, as well as the ever-popular meerkats and squirrel monkeys.

See the Meerkats at Folly Farm

Several spacious indoor areas will keep the kids happily occupied when it is raining. They can meet the animals in the barn, race each other around the enormous indoor play area, eat lunch (there are lots of indoor and outdoor picnic areas) and enjoy the indoor vintage funfair rides.

Waterpark Fun

Why try to stay dry if it's raining? At the Blue Lagoon indoor water park in Narbeth, you can have fun getting as wet as possible! The centre has a large pool with shallow and deep areas, flumes, a wave machine and rapids river. Sessions are three hours and should be booked in advance as it is a very popular attraction and the number of visitors is limited to make sure it is fun and safe for everyone.

Pamper Yourself

When going outside doesn't appeal, stay indoors and pamper yourself with a blissful spa day. There are some excellent spas in Pembrokeshire, and you are sure to find one near your cottage. Some favourite spas include the luxurious St Bride's Hotel which has a dual treatment room so you can spend as much time together as possible, and the Ivy Bridge Spa in Fishguard (make time to see the picturesque Old Town of Fishguard when you visit).

Coasteering

If someone told you to take a running jump off a cliff, you might take offence, unless, of course, you are coasteering. This extreme sport was created in Pembrokeshire and quickly spread across the world, offering an action-packed way of enjoying the coastline from a different perspective. There are a few professional coasteering companies in Pembrokeshire, including Celtic Quest Coasteering and Preseli Venture who run a range of outdoor adventure courses including sea kayaking (which we can personally recommend!). Throw on a wetsuit then jump, swim and climb your way around a stretch of coast to get a unique view of this beautiful landscape.

Mountain Biking

If you prefer to get your kicks on dry land, then you will find miles of trails, country lanes and off-road tracks to explore by bike. The Cardi Bach route from Cardigan to Cilgerran is traffic-free and passes through the Welsh Wildlife Centre, and the Llys-y-Fran trail goes around the country park of the same name and has two sections to suit beginner and intermediate riders. The Llys-y-Fran Country Park also has a visitor centre with a cafe and bike wash facilities.

The cliff-top path from Stack Rocks to St Govan's can get busy on weekends but is quieter during the week, or stretch your legs on the purpose-built Brunel Trail which goes through the verdant Pembrokeshire countryside from Haverfordwest to Neyland. There are more trails through Sychpant Woods in the Gwaun Valley in the north, around Wisemans Bridge and Saundersfoot in the south, and through the Preseli Hills.

Kite Buggying and land Kiteboarding

Kiteboarding in Pembrokeshire

Picture yourself whizzing along hard-packed sand strapped onto a skate board powered by wind. Landboarding is an exhilarating experience you can try at beaches like Newgale. You don't even need your own equipment because adventure companies such as The Big Blue Experience provide this in their two hour landboarding lessons. If you prefer to be on water, they also offer tuition in kitesurfing which is every bit as much fun.

Horse Riding

Everyone from a complete beginner to an expert equestrian can find a ride to suit them in Pembrokeshire. Take a gentle hack along a country lane or give your horse its head and kick up some spray as you gallop through the surf. Pembrokeshire bridleways criss-cross a variety of types of landscape and provide wonderful views from your elevated position on horseback. Riding on a beach is a dream for many people, and Nolton Stables in Haverfordwest is one of several stables who can make it happen for you.

Marvel at the Marine Life

Puffins on Skoma, Pembrokeshire

You don't have to journey to an exotic destination to see dolphins and whales. A boat trip from St Davids to Ramsey Island is an unforgettable experience that will leave you with a strong appreciation for the diverse and beautiful marine life living off the coast of Pembrokeshire. Dolphins, porpoises, fin whales, seals and leatherback turtles live in the clean waters around Grassholm, Ramsay and Skomer Island (famed for its puffin colonies). Book your spot with a reputable operator such as Voyages of Discovery or Falcon Boats, both of whom regulate their trips to protect the marine life while still providing their guests with an incredible experience. For the more adventurous, why not book a day sea kayaking and paddle to Skomer to see the puffins? Companies like Kayak King assure a day packed full of adventure with some amazing sightings along the way.

It doesn't have to be all go, go, go on your Pembrokeshire holiday. There are lots of ways you can relax in Pembrokeshire, whatever relaxation looks like for you.

Fill up in Narbeth

Narbeth is so laid back that it is practically horizontal, so it is the perfect place for a lazy day. For starters, there are some amazing shops to browse. These are not your typical high-street shops but unique independent businesses that stock an array of items ranging from food to fashion. Speaking of food, Narbeth is well known for its quality of food and drink which they celebrate in an annual food festival. There is a weekly farmers' market at the Queens Hall every Friday morning, and the Cwm Deri vineyard cellar door should also be on your itinerary.

Destress in Solva

Solva is the antidote to a busy life. Sitting by the harbour, watching the sun play on the water, your stress will simply melt away. The harbour is tidal, and a particular favourite with families of small children as the shallow water is safe for swimming and there are lots of caves and rock pools to explore. There are some lovely walks around the village, and there is a choice of cafes and an excellent deli if you would prefer to take a picnic.

Play 18-holes

Pembrokeshire's golf courses are world class. Tee off against an ocean backdrop at St Davids City Golf Club or Newport Links, or try not to be distracted by the Preseli Hills at Priskilly Forest Golf Club. There are eight courses to choose from, including Milford Haven, Tenby and Trefloyne.

Stargaze in Stackpole

Barafundle Beach near Stackpole, Pembrokeshire

Managed by the National Trust, the Stackpole Outdoor Learning Centre is an award-winning eco-centre and Planetarium. It is part of the Stackpole Estate, which also features pristine beaches to laze on including Barafundle. You can paddle about in a canoe, stroll along one of the estate's walking trail, or watch the colony of otters play. Stackpole is also a designated Dark Sky Discovery Site thanks to its lack of light pollution.

Bangers on the Beach

Bullslaughter Bay is only accessible at weekends as it is part of a MOD range, but the wait is worth it as it is an extremely lovely beach. There is a good mix of sand and stone with caves and streams kids love playing around in. Bring an old saucepan and a packet of sausages (stop off at Mott Butchers in Pembroke) and pick up some driftwood for a small fire to cook them on at sunset.

Take a Walk in Ty Canol

Ty Canol Nature Reserve is 170 acres of oak woodland and a walk here is a thing of wonder, particularly in autumn when the leaves change and mushrooms are in season. It is one of the oldest woodlands in Wales, with ancient trees that have been growing for generations. Nearby is Pentre Ifan Cromlech, a Neolithic stone monument that dates back to 3,500 BCE. Walking beneath the ancient canopies of these grand trees will leave you feeling refreshed and revitalised.

Essential Guide to Pembrokeshire
A whirlwind tour of Pembrokeshire