I have a week in Fishguard with my GF. We will have gravel bikes and SUP and surfboards.

Where should we be riding and playing in the water?

Thanks

Ian

Just back from them parts at half term! Newgale beach was beautiful, massive big long sandy stretch – Eunice was in full flow at the time, sea was big but didn’t look rideable, I imagine it’d be grand with decent conditions.

Our roving reporter, Huw Pugh, in Fishguard.

The Lost Lanes book route up Cwm Gwaun is absolutely lovely, you can alter it to include more neolithic monuments or go further into the Preselli Hills. The book is really worth buying and it has a Strumble Head route from the St David’s area too.

Strumble Head is worth exploring by bike, or on foot as is Ynys Dinas

The beach at Cwm yr Eglwys would be ideal playing on a SUP and local ice cream is on sale there. Abereiddy beach is lovely too. You could visit Melin Tregwynt wool mill  – great products and a nice cafe too

Don’t forget to try the Cwm Gwaun brewery ales!!

We went there last summer. There are a few places to SUP, I fancied the large harbour but only when the tide’s in and watch out for ferries 🙂 You can park by the old harbour and put in there. I can’t vouch for safety but they hire kayaks there and there people jumping off the rocks and swimming all around it.

There are many little coves to paddle in but don’t leave the shelter of the cove as from the top of the cliffs we could see that the tide flows pretty fast along the coast. 5 knots according to a local, so it’d be pretty hard to get back to your starting point.

As for surfing there are loads of spots. Beaches – Mwnt and Llangrannog are highlights IMO.

It’s definitely road bike territory. I was told that after looking for advice on here (as always) about what bike to take with me. Gravel bikes should be perfect.

You can literally head off in any direction down lovely quiet country lanes. Theres miles and miles of them

Agree with that re biking. Naff all MTBing really, not even that much gravel but if you have one take it because you’ll be able to do a few link-up trails here and there.

All, thanks very much! STW is such an ace community

Ian

Good SUP and surf spots obviously change with the wind and ride. Pembrokeshire has 3 sides so there is usually somewhere offshore(for surf) or onshore for SUPs.
Can’t tell you about the secret good surf spots in the vicinity of Fishguard but look south of Strumble Head and play spot the beach 😉. Lots of the good spots are very tide dependant and might only work for an hour each day.
Lower Town harbour is a good spot for a pootle on the SUPs if the wind is right. Tide isn’t too bad if you head right (north) but don’t turn left to Strumble unless you fancy a tidal adventure!
Strumble and vicinity has some lovely lanes and bridleways for a gravel bike. Depending on how off-road your gravel bike is then the Preselis can be fun too.
Start in Rosebush and do a figure of 8 into Pantmaenog Forest and down to Llys y Fran reservoir which has a gravel and mud trail (and MTB trails) around it.
Drop me a message on here if you’d like any more tips and hints to secret spots!

Pentre Iran is very special. Worth riding to from Fishguard

If you can get there for sunset on a nice day it’ll be amazing

Pentre Ifan

Wow the burial site looks awesome.

Thanks for your help guys!

Ian

Lister – I didn’t know about a surf spot by Strumble. I always head to Whitesands or Newgale which is a bit of a drive – you’ve got me searching Google earth as I learnt to surf after leaving.

As for things to do, a lot of the suggestions given cover most, but if your in Fishguard then the farmers market is Thursday morning in the town hall theres loads of good eating. I love the Boksburg blue and Pant Mawr cheeses ( both made fairly locally) from the butcher.
Abereiddy can be worth a visit followed by a pint at the Sloop in Porthgain(food used to be good at the Sloop but the Shed is probably better now). The coast walk from Porthgain to Abereiddy is an easy one to do there and back, if the shuttle bus isn’t running. The road biking is better than off road but there are some fun trails around Fishguard if you go hunting around and don’t worry about going on footpaths. Just don’t expect anything like Bike park Wales.
Oh and if you feel like a good meal out Lys Meddig in Newport is pricy but still one of the best places to eat. A couple of other suggestions; you can get a fry -up at Creswells on high street and a fish n chip dinner from Hooked, again in the High street. If you feel active then you can always join the Blue Tits for a swim in the Harbour every morning and burn off the calories.
We have a house we rent out in Goodick (Harbour Village Views) on Airbnb and we lived locally so we can send the list we give to people when they stay of things to do if you’d like. It has a lot of the contact info for things like the kayaking in Lower Town and places to eat/ drink.
Enjoy the holiday, after two years stuck overseas I can’t wait to be back in Fishguard this summer.

Catch up with Geraint Pillock for a go in his coracle.

Abermawr beach, worst kept secret near Fishguard.

Ahh that makes sense now! Abermawr is great to see the remains of the petrified forest that once covered most of Cardigan bay you just need a very low tide. The bluebells in the woods to the south of the beach are lovely this time of year too.

Let the records show that I said nuffin to no one about no secret spots! 😉

If you go to the stones at Pentre Ifan take a look at the ancient woodland at Ty Canol

Wasn’t Geraint Pillock drowned while filming a remake of Titanic?

Ty Canol woods are lovely

We didn’t do a cheeky ride through them after visiting Pentre Ifan 🙃

Abereidy on the way to St Davids is a must, Llangranog going the other way. As lister says lots of secluded beaches some are a hike but some gems to be found. Depending on swell direction there is gold to be found near Aberaeron.

I know that you’ve got bikes and boards with you but make sure you just get some coastal walks in too. It really has one of the most stunning sections of coastal paths in the UK. Just pick any section and get your boots on. And some top notch places for a late lunch and a beer when you’re done

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/strumble-head-to-cardigan/trails/dinas-island-spectacular-walk

Catch up with Geraint Pillock for a go in his coracle.

That could be a challenge. For him and his coracle. But mainly for him.

There isn’t much great MTB in the area, true, though I rode the Preselli hills in snow and ice one new year’s from the east end, down to Rosebush, then back to the start on the road / ice rink on the southside. Also made up a couple of rides involving the Gwaun and Carn Ingli. More walking/roadie area as others have mentioned. I’d chuck my bike in the car and head for Cambrians when I lived out there

Cambrian Inn – proper freehouse independent pub. Run by a mate of mine who has previously run good pubs in Cornwall and Bristol. Has a giant octopus painted on the outside, you can’t miss it.

Another good pub to try

The Dyffryn Arms in Cwm Gwaun: a Pembrokeshire boozer not much changed in a century… or more

And another pub, you can have too much exercise! The Ship in Lower Fishguard, never changes and if you’re friendly then the locals are friendly, good real ale.

The Bridgend Inn at Llanychaer is nice too

Surely Bessie isn’t still going at the Dyffryn Arms? She was about 100 last time I popped in about 15 years ago, and there was a bad fire a couple of years back which you’d think would have finished her off. Hope she’s still doing her thing.

It can be a magical spot when the weather’s good, I was once sat by the Gwaun stream on a warm sunny spring day and 2 baby otters ran past chattering to each other about 2 yards away

@breninbeener – have you been yet?