Slow Travel Google Map: United Kingdom, Wales, Pembrokeshire Coast

Author: DavidX
Notes: November 2006: [Mainly north of] Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Wales. I guess you can tell roughly from the location of the markers where the house was that we took for a total of 11 weeks in three years when our children were young.

Ancient Monuments

Carreg Samson

Second only to Pentre Ifan [q.v.] among the cromlechs of Pembrokeshire, this one wins on view!

Coetan Arthur

This is quite a small and ruined burial chamber but its situation on the ridge of St Davids Head makes it very evocative.

Stone Pages is my favourite archaeological website and you can look all round the burial chamber if you click on 'read more.'

Pentre Ifan

The most impressive Bronze Age tomb in the national park.

Abereiddy

This is a beach that repays any number of visits, perhaps surprising that it's got a road right down to it. Possibly the black colour of the sand puts off some but, believe me, it's NOT mud. Just watch a ball bounce where people are playing beach cricket!

It's a great place for children to play at exploration but do keep a beady eye open. Young children will need a bit of supervision if they try to cross to 'the island' or they wander round the bay.

As for the fossils [click read more,] the ones on our mantelpiece were picked up only yards from the car after a high tide - but no promises!

Broad Haven

If you want a traditional 'seaside holiday' with donkey rides and beach amenities, this must be the nearest you'll get in north Pembrokeshire.

Caerfai Bay

A fine beach very near St Davids city. I remember it much busier than shown under 'read more' but, given the number of references to a camping and caravan site generated by a Google search, I have to wonder whether it might not now be a bit too busy.

Druidston Haven

This beach has one enormous advantage/disadvantage. There is very litle parking space! Hence it is hardly ever crowded and completely natural.

Don't be put off by the colour of the sand - almost black but it's NOT mud.

Little Haven

Far less comercialised than Broad Haven but perhaps not quite matching Nolton Haven or certainly Druidston Haven for scenic appeal.

Marloes Beach

Many peoples' favourite and understandably so. Fine rock stacks with pools around them when the tide goes out. In the sun they are warm and are ideal for first taste of fairly deep water for tiny chidren [under control!!]
At the same time the beach calls for older children [at leat up to 70] to explore.

Musselwick Sands

Not an easy beach to reach with a pram or for the physically disadvantaged.

For those who can reach it, it is a delight.

Newgale

Newgale is a pretty big beach and exceptionally easy to reach as the main road passes very close.

However I must confess to no great liking for it. Rather without character in my book and too windswept.

Nolton Haven

An attractive beach near a small village.
More accessible than Druidston Haven [q.v.] and much less commercialised than Little Haven or Broad Haven.

Porthlysgi Bay

Because there are other beaches [notably Whitesands (q.v.)] on the St Davids peninsula near to roads, this beach doesn't attract too many of the vehicle borne.

This leaves it as a lovely peaceful place and actually quite a large beach. Its comparative solitude makes it one of my favourites.

You can see a fine photo if you click on 'read more.'

St Bride's Haven

This should not be confused with St Bride's Bay, which is a broad sweep of the Pembrokeshire coast embracing a number of beaches shown on this map.

St Bride's Haven is a beach with attractive rocks beside a small inlet/stream mouth. It is stunning for its wild flowers in spring.

Highly recommended.

Whitesands Bay

This is one of my favourite large beaches because of its superb seascapes of Ramsey Island and a number of small islets.

Ideal for children and a number of excellent short walks.

Pembroke Castle

You won't want to be spending much time away from the delights of the coastal area - but you really should see the castle at Pembroke. it's a real beauty and has played an important role in Welsh [and English] history.

Whilst there, you might like to look at the old churches.

St David's Cathedral

St David's must surely be one of the smallest cities anywhere but i wouldn't dare give it a village marker - and it's certainly not big enough to be a town.

It would be a terrific holiday centre as the peninsula is full of beaches, coves and other features of interest, all close to the city.

Tha Cathedral and Bishop's Palace are delightful.

Dinas Island

You won't need boats, tide tables or even wet feet to get to the path right round this 'island.'

There is a prehistoric earthwork on top and grand views all round.

Gwaun Valley

If you can stand a day away from the coast, this fascinating valley is almost like a trip into the past and it's teeming with wildlife.

Who had the idea of calling Abergwaun, the town at the mouth of the river, by the name of Fishguard?

Preseli Hills

It's hard to believe [but true] that the bluestones which you see at Stonehenge [Wiltshire, England] were brought from here!!

They are not very high but it feels it as you gaze at the north Pembrokeshire coast.

Pwll Deri

Yes, really; that is how to spell it, except it's sometimes shown as a single word!
This is a fabulous tiny cove beneath high [and dangerous] cliffs with a great walk to Strumbles Head [q.v.]

Ramsey Island

I've not been to the island but it's a feature of views from many places on the St Davids peninsula.

Skokholm Island

As with Skomer [q.v.] I've only seen Skokholm from the mainland and I leave the information to the website - click on 'read more.'

Skomer Island

I've only seen it from the mainland, worse luck, [dogs and children form something of a handicap for this sort of place!] Click on 'read more' for a website that needs no help from me.

St Anne's Head

A fine viewpoint for the shipping to the oil port of Milford Haven. There's a lighthouse with an interesting history. [click on 'read more.']

St Davids Head

It's a beautiful walk from Whitesands Beach to this headland past two smaller beaches and a prehistoric burial chamber.

'Read more' should read 'See more' here as it's a fine photo from the first of the smaller beaches.

Strumbles Head

There is a road right to the lighthouse on this headland where the easy walks along the coast path will often give a view of seals.

Click on 'read more' and see the slideshow of the wonderful coastal scenery.

Wooltack Point

A lovely high headland with outstanding coastal views over St Bride's Bay and the islands of Skokholm and Skomer.

Towns

Haverfordwest

There's a castle here but I wouldn't rave about the town.

However, it's an important transport centre for the north part of the park. Therefore I've put general information if you 'read more.'

Tenby

Tenby is the largest place on the coast. it has a great beach and Cladey Island is close.
I like it in the early morning, when many are still in bed. Otherwise it's too crowded for my taste.

Fishguard - Rosslare

Fishguard [Abergwaun] ferry to Rosslare in Ireland.

Abercastle

Picturesque village. Its beach doesn't really match some of those to the west but it's worth seeing for its limekiln.

Porthgain

Although Porthgain is a coastal village, it's not a beach that calls you but the industrial archaeology of what was an important port for the slate quarries.

Whereas much on the 'read more' website is fascinating information on various parts of the National Park, the section referring specifically to Porthgain is section 9 that starts on page 4.

The remains are particularly evocative on a nice evening with diminishing light.

Solva

Solva is quite different from the other coastal places in the area. It is placed above a tidal inlet and the bay between is usually full of sailing boats. Very picturesque.

St Justinian

A small settlement where the St Davids lifeboat is based. I'm not clear about what is St Justinian and what is Porthstinian - but I doubt it matters much.

Trefyn

A single 'f' in a Welsh word is pronounced like an English 'v.' Trefyn has a fine beach with natural arches and caves as well as sand and it used not to be over-publicised - perhaps this is still true? Google is scarcely bursting with websites [more under the supposed English spelling of Trevine.] The description of its beach under 'read more' hardly invites the masses.

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