Holiday advice Gower and Pembrokeshire

So planning on going out of my comfort zone i.e. leaving Scotland for a holiday, planning to look for a holiday let in Pembrokeshire or the Gower peninsula.

Cycling not that high on the agenda on the account of having an energetic Collie dog, so looking for a let in nice spot preferably on the coast with walks from the door.

If anyone could recommend self catering places they’ve stayed at and nice things to do in the area that would be lovely. Any local wisdom very much appreciated.

How many people?

St Davids is nice

How many people?

St Davids is nice

Yes, who’s going? St Davids is nice but gets very busy, both Gower & Pembrokeshire get very busy especially with traffic, so if driving can be avoided by getting accommodation not necessarily on the coast but within walking distance (coastal path gets very busy) but get yourself an OS map and inland areas can be just as beautiful & very quiet in comparison.

Pembrokeshire – Solva is nice to visit but again gets busy as do most of the little ports, Blue Lagoon to do/watch coasteering.

Gower – Cefn Bryn, Parkmill – walk up the valley to Park Woods, Oxwich for the massive beach, ditto Llangenith for Rhosili Bay, Southgate for 3 Cliffs & Pwlldu Bay.

Avoid walking on any sections of the main roads, they generally have steep verges, no pavements and lots of traffic.

Stayed in Pembrokeshire a couple of years at aberfforest, accommodation link below. It’s basically a small beach with a collection of self catering cottages, different sizes. There is nothing else there other than the coast path and it’s absolutely beautiful. Lots to see and do, loads of walks and wonderful places to swim. Highly recommend.

https://www.coastalcottages.co.uk/pembrokeshire/towns-and-villages/aberfforest/

Newport is a very nice village to stay in with lots of independent shops. Great butcher and several pubs and cafes.

The south coast of Pembrokeshire is quieter, and has some fabulous beaches and cliff scenery (although fewer amenities). Used to go climbing there regularly.

I know of a small place in Amroth that’s decent, allows dogs etc. Only sleeps 2, mind. The village itself is v quiet, but Saundersfoot isn’t far away, and Tenby just a couple of miles further on. Beach walks locally. Pendine Sands is about 4 miles away with the Museum of Land Speed in the village.

Its called Clam Cottage. PM me if you want me to dig the details out.

Stackpole is exeptional if you can find accomodation. Walking from the door into the most stunning scenery

South Pembrokeshire would be my choice. I’ve never found it too busy and most importantly it has some epic dog friendly beaches. Especially for an energetic collie. Like Freshwater West (Dobbie Beach), Newgale, Boshertom etc…

I lived in Pembs many moons ago.

Kids going? (doesn’t sound like it but if there are sprogs in tow Folly Farm near Narberth is unmissable

Yes the south coast is good, all good suggestions, but don’t overlook the West coast & Ceredigion.

Agree with Newport (just don’t confuse it with the other one and accidentally book a B&B there) – short drive to a lovely walk around Dinas Head, short drive up the hill to Carn Ingli (was once a volcano) with stunning views on a good day across to the Wicklow Hills and as far north as the Snowdonia peaks. Also good access from here to the Gwaun valley which is very pretty and has footpaths a-plenty– you can be adventurous, park in the Gwaun and walk up to the moorland looking down to Newport. Wild ponies up here and edible bilberries in late summer. Gwaun also contains a real character pub the Dyffryn Arms, though sadly the legendary landlady Bessie passed away last December at 94. Still close to NEwport there’s pretty village Nevern, and a lovely circular walk starts near the bridge over the river. Head inland a little and there’s the Preselli Hills – park just off the road north of Foel Drygarn hillfort and walk up, or there’s a slightly longer walk up to here from the road to the west. Or park in Rosebush and head up to Carn Goedog. Look carefully up here and you may find remnants of the RAF Liberator that sadly crashed in 1944.
IF you do have an mtb the Presellis can be a laugh to explore, though its not a big area so you’ll cover it quickly
Also in the area and worth a look is Ty Canoll nature reserve, another pretty circular woodland and open walk perfect with a dog. There’s Pentr Ifan burial chamber – impressive neolithic stones, Pengelli forest is ancient oak woodland near Castell Henlys, good for a dog walk, Ceibwr beach and coastal path south near Moylgrove is lovely, Cardigan is worth a visit,

North of Cardigan there are a few lovely beaches – Llangranog has a free park & ride, and the coastal path going north to the headland is well worth a walk.

I could go on but that’s probably enough to be going with

@thelawman we stayed at clam cottage last year! Lovely place and really nice people who own it, Malcolm I think the chaps name was. We’re off to Amroth again this year but couldn’t get booked there when we wanted.

The walk from Amroth to Saundersfoot is lovely but one of the tunnels is blocked, land slide. They are trying to get it open for the end of this month.

Tenby is nice for a day rain or shine.

Stackpole national trust place is lovely, coast path to Barafundle Bay and back again makes a lovely walk.

We had a day in Pembroke Castle as well for something different.

All of the above were with our dog, most places are dog friendly. Really like it down there, although it’s busy in the season it’s not too bad.

Spent a week camping and walking to the north of St Davids last year in mid-July, got the same planned this year, Abereiddy, Porthgain etc. Not rammed at all. Even on a day where I popped into St Davids for a fry up for brekkie and a wander about it wasn’t crowded at all.

Hello folks thanks for the responses. Two adults one collie no kids going in September, unfortunately Clam Cottage isn’t available.

(Got a few bikes but don’t plan on taking any; since we got the Collie I’ve struggled to have the time and energy for walking and cycling / concentrating on hill walking instead).

If you stay around St David’s the shuttle buses are pretty good for walking sections of coast and then getting the bus back.

Pembrokeshire is stretched around a coastline so some driving will be inevitable to see more of it.

It’s close enough for us to do weekends there and we still have places we’ve not made it to and want to see.

Your don’t have to go as far south as Pembrokeshire

Aberaeron, New Quay and Llangranog are all lovely place to stay

Poppit Sands beach is lovely and also dog friendly
If you’re lucky you may spot a rare bee orchid in the dunes here or the bottlenose dolphins (not sure how rare a sighting is these days)

IF you were in this neck of the woods the Ferry Inn, St Dogmaels is a very pleasant places to chill with a pint if you can get a seat outside, you may see a seal paddle past

The Gower is beautiful… the South coast beaches are big, open and very surfy – combi vans and boards everywhere

Don’t want to hijack a thread (and apologies as 2nd time I’ve done this recently). But if anyone knowledgeable of this area can recommend some decent campsites (for a camper van) that’d be great.

@rockbus – these are all decent places to stay

Pencarnan Farm, near St David’s

https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=3124

Gwaun Vale, just outside Fishguard

https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=3316

Moreawelon, Parrog

https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=3219

St David, C&CC above Abereiddy (not really near St David’s)

https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=3607

Drefnewydd, Aberaeron

https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=8700

Cwm Gwaun / Gwaun valley is beautiful. The trees are gorgeous and I can only imagine how stunning it is in full autumn colour.

There’s a great hybrid/gravel bike route that goes through it in the fab Lost Lanes Wales book

No.20 Only the Stones Remain

Buy the book of you can, it’s great!

Don’t want to hijack a thread (and apologies as 2nd time I’ve done this recently). But if anyone knowledgeable of this area can recommend some decent campsites (for a camper van) that’d be great.

Only done the one (in the caravan), but Three Cliffs Bay campsite overlooks the bay and is absolutely stunning

@ElShalimo and @TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR

thanks will check those out

Speaking of the Gwaun, there’s a brewery on the eastern end with its own campsite I think…

https://www.gwaunvalleybrewery.com/brewery-campsite

does it get any better than that?

The Bluestone brewery is also up the road on that Lost Lanes route

I would suggest Saundersfoot, or possibly Llanstephan. Pendine is easy to get to from there, and Saundersfoot is closer, IIRC. If you want to wear out an energetic collie, then Pendine is where you want, it’s about 6miles long, so a toss-up as to who would be the most knackered, you or the dog. Once you’ve got past the first half-mile or so, you don’t see that many people; I used to drive right along to the far end in my old split screen Morris Minor, once I’d left the beach patrol behind I’d floor it to its maximum of 70mph! Absolutely exhilarating, that was! 🤣

That sounds fun, CZ, but pretty sure much of Pendine Sands is closed to the public nowadays for most of the (week)day on account of the MOD/Qinetic testing range. I’ve walked the length of it at weekends, Bank Hols and evenings no probs, but I think its mostly off limits a lot of the time. There’s a huge signboard about 400 yards down the beach from Pendine village

@rockbus

we stayed a campsite call ‘Cow Pots’ last year. Lovely site, no electric hook up but ‘en-suite’ facilities (compost loo & shower/sink) in a shed on your pitch. Really peaceful and amazing scenery.

https://www.greenercamping.org/campsites/uk/wales/west-wales/carmarthenshire/whitland/043-cowpots-camping/