Pembrokeshire Coastal National Park: Wales’ Seaside Oasis

One of the UK’s most popular coastal destinations since the Victorian era, Tenby is famous for its harlequin toybox houses and molten-gold sands that make summery dreamscapes of this medieval fishing outpost. The town’s main attraction is the ribbon of beaches that band its oceanic periphery, of which there are four:

• The postcard-perfect Tenby Harbour Beach, small in size but visually overwhelming between the technicolour townhouses that enclose it on land and the fishing boat-jewelled waters that lap its silken sands.
• The secluded, cliff-backed Castle Beach, so-called because of the 12th-century castle ruins that watch over the beach’s unique landscape, complete with an island fortress that adjoins its sands at low-tide.
• Tenby South Beach, which stretches from Harbour Beach to the North Cliffs, overlooked by Tenby’s charming houses and perforated in its centre by sublime Goscar Rock.
• The dune-backed Tenby South Beach which unfurls over two kilometres of coastline and is often quieter and less-crowded than its three contemporaries.

Beyond its world-class roster of beaches, Tenby is almost overflowing with things to do. From the harbour there are regular boat journeys to nearby Caldey Island, home to a population of forty Cisterian monks who inhabit the palatial Caldey Abbey, known for the lavender perfumes, shortbread biscuits, and chocolates they produce on the island and sell to passers-through. Back in Tenby is the Tenby Museum and Art Gallery, the oldest independent museum in Wales; St. Mary’s Church, the Tudor Merchant’s House, a 15th-century time capsule complete with period furnishings and decor; and the historic Tenby Lifeboat Station to learn more about the region and its culture. Tenby really is an everything-in-one town.

Barafundle Bay’s magic is in its isolation: the nearest car park is a half-mile walk over mercurial terrain, however upon arrival you are greeted by one of the most breathtaking beaches that Britain has to offer and one which has been ranked among the best in the world. Skirted by gorgeous heathland and dramatic limestone cliffs of the Stackpole Estate - also worth exploring for the Bosherston Lily Ponds which are home to wildfowl, dragonflies, and otters! - the beach is considered the crowning glory of the national park and, with its Caribbean sands and crystal-clear waters, is well worth the extra effort to visit. 

Located about half-an-hour from Tenby is a breathtaking patchwork of verdant dunes, golden sands, craggy rock, and ripping tides, Freshwater West Beach. Privy to raging waves and torrid currents on top of this postcard natural scenery - so perfect, in fact, that it has been featured in two blockbuster films, Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - the spot has become a secluded surfer’s favourite hidden behind the Castlemartin mountain range.

The landscape also hides a few human oddities for those hoping to explore: a traditional thatched hut used to dry seaweed for making local delicacy laverbread and an Iron Age burial chamber known as “Devil’s Quoit”. For Harry Potter fans, there is also a fan-made memorial to a certain house elf on the sands for those wanting to pay their respects. The sea-stroking rocks, meanwhile, enclose tiny, oasis-like rockpools resplendent with sea life, while the area is noted for its abundance of fossils, so be sure to keep an eye out. And, if you fancy a bite to eat, Cafe Mor is a legendary local seafood spot so don’t miss out!

There’s no shortage of activities on offer in the national park. One of the best is the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, a 186-mile (299 km) walk along the park’s undulating cliffs from St. Dogmaels in its north to Amroth in its south, during which you will travel an overall elevation of 35,000ft (11,000m), a height taller than Mount Everest! The walk takes between ten to fifteen days to complete and passes some 58 beaches, 14 harbours, and several scenic towns and villages such as Tenby, St. Davids, Newport, and Saundersfoot. You can challenge yourself to the entire stretch, or pick a segment and go at your own leisure.

And, speaking of scenic towns, it would be a shame not to explore more of the little human enclaves that the region has to offer! St. David’s is the smallest city in Britain with a population of just 1,841 people, however contains within it 210 listed buildings including the spectacular 12th-century Cathedral and beautifully ruinous Bishop’s Palace. It is one of the most significant sites in Welsh Christianity. Pembroke also emanates a certain arcane charm with its Norman castle, birthplace of Tudor patriarch King Henry VII, while Solva and Saundersfoot are enchanting little villages that seem almost melted into the landscape; visit Solva for breathtaking views of St. Bride’s Bay, or Saundersfoot for its Blue Flag Beach.