Pembrokeshire: Coast, Trails and Nature

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park brings together dramatic coastline, the Preseli Hills, rural landscapes and diverse wildlife. Pembrokeshire is home to the UK’s only truly coastal national park and a wide variety of beaches.

Coastal paths and open countryside

The Pembrokeshire Coast Path National Trail runs for 186 miles (299 kilometres) from St Dogmaels to Amroth. It opened in 1970 and was the first National Trail in Wales. The Wales Coast Path and the International Appalachian Trail follow its route through Pembrokeshire. Alongside this long coastal route is an extensive network of paths: the national park has more than 600 miles of public footpaths and bridleways, where you can discover the landscape, wildlife and history.

Access Land covers 6,000 hectares, equivalent to 10 percent of the national park, and lies mainly in North Pembrokeshire, including the Preseli Hills. Visitors are allowed to walk, run, climb and picnic there, take photographs, explore historic remains and watch wildlife. Camping, fires and leaving litter are not permitted.

Most beaches offer opportunities for swimming; many also offer watersports, beach games and the chance to explore rock pools. A selection of beach mobility equipment is available free of charge through local businesses, including wheelchairs specially designed for sandy beaches. Check availability before your trip.

Wildlife on the coast and islands

Grey seals, dolphins and porpoises are found along the coast. Skomer has a special role: this internationally important seabird island is home to almost 350,000 breeding pairs of Manx shearwaters and more than 40,000 puffins, as well as thousands of guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes. Numbers may vary between annual counts.

Skomer lies less than a mile off the Pembrokeshire coast and can be visited on a day trip or with an overnight stay; visits are seasonal and subject to booking. The Skomer Marine Conservation Zone surrounds Skomer and the Marloes Peninsula and was the first MCZ in Wales, established in 2014. It includes species and habitats of national and international importance, including grey seals, pink sea fans, sponge communities, seagrass and algal communities. The zone can be reached by boat or overland to Martins Haven, where seasonal scheduled ferries run to Skomer and Skokholm. Check current sailing times before planning your visit.

Woodlands, ponds and paths at Stackpole Estate

Sandy beaches, wooded valleys, wildlife-rich lily ponds, walking trails and watersports opportunities shape the landscape at Stackpole Estate. Hundreds of water lilies bloom at Bosherston Lily Ponds in early summer; the lakes and surrounding woodlands provide a habitat for wildlife throughout the year. Cyclists can enjoy a four-mile mountain bike trail through woodland, with climbs, jumps, bends and turns. On a wildlife walk along the Estate’s coast, visitors can spot seabirds and otters.

Prehistoric sites and historic buildings

The Neolithic Pentre Ifan Chambered Tomb is known for its roughly five-metre capstone, which has rested on three supporting stones for more than 5,000 years. Castell Henllys belongs to a different era: it is the only Iron Age village in the UK where roundhouses have been reconstructed on the spots where they stood 2,000 years ago. Visitors can explore the houses; talks and demonstrations offer insights into prehistoric life and living in harmony with the landscape.

The history of Pembroke Castle includes its transformation from an earth-and-timber structure into a strong stone fortress. The new Earl of Pembroke began the work in 1201; the Great Keep was built first. Admission includes a free guided tour, which runs daily at selected times throughout the year. As the schedule may change seasonally, check tour times before your visit.

Carew Tidal Mill is the only restored tidal mill in Wales and one of just five in the UK. Exhibitions, audio commentary and family-friendly interactive displays explore the use of water as a sustainable energy source throughout history. In St Davids, the cathedral stands on the site of a monastery founded by St David in the 6th century; it has been a place of pilgrimage and worship for more than 800 years. The medieval Bishop’s Palace commemorates a papal decree from the 12th century: it stated that two journeys to St Davids were equivalent to one journey to Rome, making the site a pilgrimage centre of the Western world.

Exhibitions and produce from Pembrokeshire

Oriel y Parc in St Davids combines a national park centre, gallery, shop and café. Admission is free, and exhibitions by Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales and local artists change regularly. In Narberth, the weekly Friday Producers Market at the Queens Hall offers Pembrokeshire produce, cakes, jams, preserves, and handmade arts and crafts. The Pembrokeshire Farmers’ Markets take place weekly in Haverfordwest and Fishguard, selling local meat, vegetables and cheese. Check current exhibition and market days before travelling.

Discover more destinations: St Florence, Llandissilio, Roch, Newgale, Goodwick, Pontfaen, Kilgetty, Letterston, Templeton, Manorbier, Castlemartin, Abercych, Whitland, Nevern, Fishguard, St David's, Tenby, Treffgarne, Saundersfoot, Pembroke Dock, Pembroke, Narberth, Milford Haven, Camrose, Solva, Begelly, Haverfordwest, Mathry, Newport, Porthgain, Crymych, Cilgerran, Stackpole, Ludchurch, Llandeloy, Llangwm, Clarbeston Road, Angle, Clarbeston, Cosheston, Saint Dogmaels, Penally, Llanfyrnach, Moylegrove, Abercastle, Mynachlog-ddu, Boncath, Treffynnon, Houghton, Clynderwen, Wisemans Bridge, Stepaside, Lydstep, Rosemarket.

For the main travel overview: Wales.