Enjoy the great outdoors on a trip to Pembrokeshire

Take a moment to smell the salty air and feel the breeze in your hair, then turn the dream into a reality in Pembrokeshire. The county’s stunning natural scenery provides the perfect backdrop for days out in the great outdoors.


Walking trails

A walker’s paradise, the Pembrokeshire Coast Path serves up 186 miles of breathtaking coastline dotted with ancient monuments. The best way to appreciate the dramatic beauty is with your trusty hiking shoes and a coat for windy moments taking photos of sweeping panoramas. Start by walking in the footsteps of Celtic warriors to Castell Henllys, a reconstructed Iron Age fort along a circular trail. You’ll stroll through rugged woodland and spot views of the Preseli Hills.

Strap on your boots for a trek to Pentre Ifan, a Neolithic burial chamber dating back to around 3,500BC. Make your way from the car park to the country lanes that lead to the giant, upright stones. From here it’s a delightful stroll through ancient oak tree woodlands back to the car park. Combine a visit to St Davids Cathedral with a trail that ends at Porthclais Harbour. Along the way, you’ll see the ruins of St Non’s Chapel, a small mediaeval chapel named after St David’s mum. As the story goes, it’s here that St David was born in around 500AD. Don’t forget to throw a coin with a wish for healing into the holy well.

A walker’s paradise, the Pembrokeshire Coast Path serves up 186 miles of breathtaking coastline dotted with ancient monuments

For those with green fingers, Pembrokeshire’s fertile soil delivers spectacular gardens for inspiration. Among the finest is the National Trust’s Colby Woodland Garden, hidden in a secluded valley near Amroth. Soak up the serenity along peaceful woodland trails framed by seasonal blooms and wildlife. When you’re visiting Haverfordwest, explore 60 acres surrounding a three-floor manor house at Scolton Manor and Country Park. Upton Castle and Gardens hosts rare trees, while Dyffryn Fernant Garden displays an ornamental grass field.


Read more: How to spend 48 hours in Pembrokeshire


Adrenaline adventures

Feeling the need for speed on days out in Pembrokeshire? Get your heart pumping with a huge variety of thrilling attractions, rides and sports for all ages. If life’s all about the beach for you, you’re spoilt for choice with surfing and stand-up paddleboarding. Hire equipment and learn the ropes at the Outer Reef Surf School in Pembroke and The Big Blue Experience at Newgale Beach.

When you can’t get enough of action on the water, spend the day at Wild Lakes Wales in Martletwy. First up, learn how to wakeboard with one-to-one coaching at the only wake park in Pembrokeshire. Take the challenge of the swing, the slide and the splash on the Aqua Park course, then zoom around on inflatable Ringo Rides. To take it down a notch, the park also offers regular vinyasa yoga classes to perfect your warrior pose.

Paddleboard

Why not try your hand at paddleboarding? Pembrokeshire is the perfect destination for watersports

Keep the theme going at Welsh Water Adventures Llys-y-Frân Lake. The Llys-y-Frân Reservoir supplies most of the water used in south Pembrokeshire and provides a playground for water babies. Hop on a Pedal Board, paddle around in canoes and test your core strength on stand-up paddleboards. If you’re feeling a little waterlogged, launch into land activities like cycling and archery.

Still feeling energetic? Take the kids and big kids to the Blue Lagoon Water Park at Bluestone National Park Resort for fun in the wave pool and plenty of screaming down the slides. Bumpy adventures await at Wood Park Off-Road. After professional off-road training, you’ll drive through ancient woodlands in the heart of rural Pembrokeshire.

Boating and beach days

From building sandcastles to poking around in rock pools, some of the best holiday memories are made at the beach. Pembrokeshire’s stretches of golden sands rival the finest on earth and Barafundle Bay is a prime example. Caribbean-esque water and swathes of soft sand set the scene for lazy days soaking up the rays. Take your board to pristine Broadhaven for consistent surf that’s prized at the Welsh National Surfing Championships. For a classic bucket and spades day with watersports, head to Newport Sands.

Setting sail from the shoreline offers a wealth of outdoor adventures across a group of islands teeming with wildlife and rugged beauty. A kilometre from St Davids Head is Ramsey Island, an RSPB nature reserve home to an Atlantic grey seal colony. You’ll spot seabirds flying around the high cliffs and see fluffy white seal pups between August and October.

Combine boating with a religious experience at Caldey Island by catching the ferry from Tenby Harbour. The holy island traces its history back to the last Ice Age and still houses Cistercian monks. Discover the medieval priory, take holiday snaps of the lighthouse and visit the museum. Fancy spotting puffins, seals and dolphins? Make the trip to Skomer Island, which is carpeted in bluebells in spring. At the same time of year, uninhabited Skokholm Island attracts tens of thousands of breeding seabirds.


Read more

Top 10 reasons to visit Pembrokeshire

History and heritage of Pembrokeshire

Image credits: ©Shutterstock.com; Julian Gazzard/urbans78/William/stock.adobe.com

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