Windy Ridge, Wisemans Bridge, Nr Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire, The Pembrokeshire Coast, Wales - Sleeps 8

About Windy Ridge

Windy Ridge has been in the family since 1937, when our grandfather bought it from a Commander Lewis. He had commissioned an architect to build it the year before - but apparently his wife did not like it so he put it on the market. Its age is important to us, because we have done our best to keep the original Thirties feel, with plenty of wood panelling, red tiled floors and Crittall windows, though these are now double-glazed. It has an unusual and beautiful Belgian tiled roof; when the tiles started to wear a few years ago, we found a specialist in Antwerp who made new ones for us. Some features are original - including a slate-sided bath and Belfast sink - but much has been updated. We have installed hard wood worktops and modern equipment in the kitchen. The furniture is high quality: a mix of antique, specially built and modern. Our most substantial change has been to add a hand-built 'garden room' - its main room can be used as a play area, a studio, an extra sitting room ... anything really. It has its own shower room and toilet, with doors leading on to a sunny patio and the same glorious views as the main house. The large garden slopes down from the house. It is ideal for dogs as long as they are not too adventurous - a determined animal could escape into the wood next door (the gates at the bottom of the drive can be closed). The access road and drive are fairly steep, so although the house is on the level, it could be tricky for people with mobility issues.

This is an all-year-round house. We have an open fire and central heating, with double glazing throughout. It's a cosy place to be on a chilly day or when a storm is raging. Walks can be spectacularly beautiful. Please note that we offer short breaks from November to Easter (three nights minimum) and are flexible about the arrival day. From Easter to the end of October we offer weekly (or two weekly) stays, with changeover on Saturdays.  

The house sits on the cliff above the hamlet of Wiseman's Bridge. A short steep walk leads to the popular Wiseman's Bridge Inn, which the Guardian called the best outdoor pub in Wales; it is well-run, family-friendly and is open all year round. The beach has no dog restrictions, and when the tides are right it is possible to walk along it to Amroth one way, and to Saundersfoot and beyond the other. The Coast Path gives non-stop access to Tenby and the west one way, and to beautiful parts of Carmarthenshire the other.

Amroth is a small seaside village with three pubs and the delightful Colby Woodland Garden, run by the National Trust. Saundersfoot is a 20 - 30 minute walk along the beach or through tunnels built for a miners' railway: it has a working harbour, plenty of places to eat and drink, and the St Brides Spa hotel for a little luxury. Lan-y-Mor restaurant (formerly Coast), between Wiseman's Bridge and Saundersfoot, is friendly and classy. The walk inland from Wiseman's Bridge is very pleasant; it follows the old railway line to the remains of a 19th century iron works.

It's an easy drive to very different areas. To the west is Tenby, a pretty regency town with a picturesque harbour and two lovely beaches. It is well set up for families. Beyond that is Pembroke and the Castlemartin peninsula. Pembroke has a magnificent castle (there are so many castle in the county), while the peninsula has some of the most spectacular scenery and beaches in the county. Great for bird watching, swimming or walking. To the north-west are the inlets of Milford Haven: a hidden and rather magical area. North is Narberth - transformed from the rather dowdy town our grandparents lived in to possibly the trendiest place in Wales: an extraordinary range of restaurants, shops and an antique market. Go beyond Narberth and you are in empty, beautiful, Welsh-speaking Pembrokeshire, rising to the mysterious Prescelly mountains.