Got a few days free soon, normally go to Brecon Beacons and the Gower, sometimes camp (but going off this with age), sometimes we rent a cottage or pub B & B’s but thinking of going further west this time to Pembrokeshire but don’t know it really. Any recommendations for places to stay & visit – involving usual; good food, beer, nice scenery/beaches. Might take bikes too. Cheers

Newport; lovely beaches, great access to the hills right behind. I love it there.

Borrow a washing line and go climbing on the sea cliffs, best limestone in Britain.

Visit Tenby.

I’ll second Newport. Spent a week there last spring and loved it. Great coastal walking. Some good pubs. Carn Ingli rises right behind the town and the Preseli Hills are a short distance away. Also recommend a day trip to the island of Skomer, if wildlife’s yer thing (particularly puffins). Magical place.

Ceibwr Bay – one of my favorite places in the world I’ve visited ..

Narberth – a bit of a foodie scene, restaurant at The Grove is good.
Tenby (can be rammed with tourists)
Surfers at Freshwater West (Broomhill Burrows)
So much great coastal walking. Nice shortish walk around coast around Stackpole (old manor house/gardens)/Bosherton some nice deserted beaches there as walk in only

Thanks for the tips, much appreciated!

Our friends own Elm Grove Country House just outside Tenby in St Florence. It’s quite impressive and reasonably priced. Ideal for Southern Pembs; Barafundle Bay, St Govans, Fresh west are our favourites.

Barafundle bay, a trip to the munks island & Tenby

St David’s, Whitesands beach, activities at tyf if that’s your thing.

+2 Parrog/Newport – lovely beach, rent kayaks, visit Castell
Henllys reconstructed iron age village nearby, stuff face with ale and top nosh in the excellent Golden Lion at Newport.

I like the St David’s Peninsula and St Brides Bay

Coastal walks are great. If it’s spring go to Skomar and see the Puffins.

Home is Pembrokeshire. Some good recommendations. North Pembs. is quieter – arguably more scenic but less beaches than the south.

Tenby climbing wall. They’ll give the kids (and you) a good intro to climbing. Tell them Richard and Jake sent you.

Biking – MTB or road? MTBing is ok but not classic. Preselis is good but will be boggy all year round. Fire tracks in Pantmaenog forest in Rosebush. Llys Y Fran dam can be cycled round. Not particularly technical apart from a couple of nasty slate downhills to catch you out.

Brunel trail in Neyland for flat out and back.

Newport has loads of good restaurants. Cnapan Llys Meddyg, The Canteen.

Tafarn Sinc – a bit cliche but ok.

Nice cafe in Trefin on the north coast.

Lawrenny Quay – The Quayside Cafe.

Plenty of walking on the Preselis.

If you want bike routes/walks etc. your more than welcome to contact me and I’ll put something together for you.

Rich.

PS – Brechfa is about an hours drive away. Excellent and quiet trail centre. Well worth a visit.

I love Mwnt beach. Especially if a pod of dolphins are in the bay.

Newgale campsite is right next to the beach, good for surf/body boarding, hire equipment from shop in the village, good place for coastal walks, and reasoned ably placed for other attractions

Barrafundle and Broadhaven beaches, Bosherston ponds, thats all in the same area so you can do all three in one walk.
Go to solva when the tides out and walk along the sand out to to sea, bloody stunning (careful of tides)

I love Mwnt beach. Especially if a pod of dolphins are in the bay.

Ceredigion! But Iolo’s right. It is lovely.

Just be careful you don’t put Newport into your sat nav without checking which one it’s taking you to. That’d really spoil your trip……..

Bookmarked as we’re off to Bluestone with the kids in a few weeks.
What’s down there for a 1 & 4 year old? Have seen Folly Farm, any other recommendations?

Bosherston Lily Ponds…my favourite place in the world not least because of the wildlife but also the fact that I proposed to my girlfriend (now wife) on the cliff overlooking the lakes. And she said yes.

Highly suggest a visit to Marloes! Best beach in UK IMHO.

[IMG]http://i1354.photobucket.com/albums/q695/ajl1982/IMG_1812_zpsfclfb1mr.jpg[/IMG][/URL]]

Shhhh…don’t tell people about Marloes!

In May …… Skomer Island …..Puffins all over the place and you can get dead close… Dolphins and porpoise in the sea… loads of seals.

All summer…Bosheston lilly ponds and walk down to Broadhaven South Beach… even better start at the beach and walk up to the ponds.

If any of you stw ers also bring a road or gravel bike on your jollies give me a shout if you want a guided tour of the best road / bridle paths .. Most of south pembrokeshire is not really MTB material but I’d be happy to go for a spin.

@cloudnine: if only you’d said that 2 years ago; I’ve just left Brawdy after a couple of years but never really felt I saw the best bits (saw plenty of awesome bits though!)

Little Haven/Broad Haven is super and Dale is a nice quiet place too.
I took a kayak from Dale to a super amazing little beach tucked around the corner which was deserted.

Tenby is nice too, but for other reasons and I absolutely love the Ceredigion coast and Mwnt.

swan inn, little haven is a great pub, good food.

st davids is lovely, lots to see and do. great scenery, beaches etc all over the area. I prefer to keep my distance from tenby thesedays and prefer north pembs as its quieter. still some amazing places to explore south as well.

Thanks for all the tips, looking forward to going

If your in Newport and like pizza, definitely try out the Canteen, if your heading up the mountain side towards the preseli’s there’s Bluestone Brewing company that makes some nice beers with good scenery to look at while sipping on a beverage, then head up into the Gwaun Valley and say Hi to Bessie at the Dyffryn Arms.

If you would rather the costal side of things check out St Govan’s Well and Chapel its a nice walk to get to, or head to porthgain and try out the sloop in.

There’s also a few golf courses around that way if that’s your thing.

Nobody else has mentioned climbing! Seriously, Pembroke has some of the most glorious, south-facing and clean limestone in Britain, Bosherston is a great area and if you wander along the cliffs I’m sure you’d be able to find somebody willing to tie you on the end of their rope and let you try a couple of easy routes. Or find an outdoor pursuits centre and get some qualified guiding.

Saindersfoot bit British holiday but nice beach and a few good places to eat and drink
Food at the stockpole inn is fantastic as is the food st the Speculation in the way out to freshwest assuming Jerry still owns it.
Lily ponds at Bosherton and the beach at the end off the walk is lovely.

Abereiddy beach and the blue lagoon is worth a visit.

I used to run a one week geology field trip every year in pembrokeshire, staying at what was RAF Brawdy, lots of great geology around if you have any interest in that sort of thing………………

Yes great climbing. I thought it was a bit specialist….

[url=https://flic.kr/p/FZyW5s]DSC00526_DxO[/url] by John Clinch, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/G8JmXF]DSC00540_DxO[/url] by John Clinch, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/G6qsU9]DSC00607_DxO[/url] by John Clinch, on Flickr

Some awesome stuff in here. Myself and my (heavily pregnant) wife are staying near St Davids on the coast. She’s very kindly suggested I bring the MTB. Bar Bluestone, is there any routes closer to St Davids? Is it possible to ride the coast path?

I’m a fairly competent rider, but happy with what ever as the scenery looks stunning around there.

Thanks!

Not much mtb at all in Pembrokeshire – we go every year, but these days I just take the road bike – the coast path is def out of bounds!

That’s a pity, and I’m guessing the singlespeed road bike would be a bad call?

Well, it’s pretty hilly in places! There’s a bit of mtb over the Preselli hills, but pretty limited. The road riding is awesome though in my opinion – miles and miles of beautiful quiet country roads and stunning scenery, particularly near the coast. I’m more familiar with the south of the county, than the St Davids area though…

Brento,
The MTBing isn’t fantastic but there is some. If you decide to bring the bike down I can probably put an offroad route together for you in the Preselis. (I probably have a gpx somewhere that would do). Can’t guarantee but I might even be able to jack up a ride with a couple of guys if the timing is right. Drop me an email if you want anything.
Rich.