If you’ve read my Five Places I’d Love To Return To post or my Adventurous Weekend in North Wales post, you’d know I’ve wanted to spend more and more time in Wales to make the most of being on the doorstep of this beautiful country.
When I returned from my trip to New Zealand, and back to the UK’s heatwave, I knew that one of the first things I wanted to do was go camping.
And what better place to camp than along the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park?
Gaz and I spent only two nights in Pembrokeshire but in that time we managed to visit plenty of childhood haunts and some beautiful new spots too!
Friday
Morning/early afternoon: Drive to Pembrokeshire and set up your tent
A good place to start on any camping trip is to set up your tent.
We stayed at Rhosson Campsite, a cheap and cheerful campsite near St David’s in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
The campsite only costs £4 per person per night, and since the site isn’t staffed you can turn up on the day and pop your payment in an honesty box.
We visited Rhosson in the height of summer on an August weekend and the campsite was practically empty.
Aside from a few kids running around causing havoc, the campsite was so peaceful meaning you can get some well-needed shut-eye.
Facilities at Rhosson are simple with cold running water suitable for drinking and washing, as well as outdoor cold showers and separate ladies’ and gents’ toilets.
However, if you’re not one to sleep under the stars (and who can blame you, it’s supposed to be a break after all), there are plenty more options you can choose when it comes to accommodation, such as the amazing Bluestone Wales!
Compare and Choose is a great site to use to, well, do what it says on the tin: compare and choose different travel options, whether that’s car hire or accommodation.
Hiring a car is essential when it comes to camping in Wales, especially if you choose to stay somewhere as remote as Rhosson!
A great option if you want to be outdoors but don’t fancy putting up a tent is hiring a campervan.
However, if sleeping in a campervan is still out of your comfort zone, you can still use Compare and Choose to compare hotels too.
Late afternoon: Head down to Newgale Beach and eat fish and chips
After putting up your tent (hopefully without any fights with your SO or your friends and family), you’re bound to have worked up an appetite.
And what better food to eat at the seaside than fish and chips?
A great spot to tuck into some grub is Newgale Beach, a Blue Flag beach with two miles of golden sands and pebble banks, which is a twenty-minute drive from the campsite.
Evening: Grab a bottle of wine and watch the sunset down at Porthselau Beach
At first, I couldn’t tell you what the name of this beach was for the life of me. I had to do a little googling to find it.
To be honest, Gaz and I just knew we wanted to watch the sunset while having a drink at the beach so we just walked towards the coast until we stumbled upon one.
I mean, there’s gotta be a beach somewhere close, right?!
We were pleasantly surprised by this hidden little bay.
After some more googling, I found out that at low spring tide it’s possible to walk from Porthselau Beach to the far larger and more famous Whitesands Bay, which also merits a visit.
Saturday
Morning: Visit Freshwater West
After what will hopefully be the best sleep of your life (I slept over ten hours in a tent, who knew it possible?!), it’s time for the main day of the trip.
The first place you should visit is the famous Freshwater West beach.
Freshwater is well known as a surfer’s paradise so in the height of summer the beach is riddled with surfers and families alike.
But don’t let that put you off visiting this beach. It warrants the crowds and you will always find secluded spots if you search hard enough!
Freshwater West is probably most famous for its role as the backdrop for Dobby’s Shell Cottage in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and the place where the world’s most loved elf also goes to die. RIP little guy!
Early afternoon: Visit Stack Rocks and The Green Bridge of Wales
This part of the trip was by far my favourite!
Seriously, if you do anything during your trip to Pembrokeshire, or to the UK as a whole, make it a visit to the Stack Rocks and the Green Bridge of Wales.
Well, it certainly took my breath away, at least!
The Stack Rocks are dramatic rock pillars protruding from the sea off the southwest coast of Pembrokeshire, and the Green Bridge of Wales is a natural rock arch.
The cliffs themselves are staggeringly beautiful, as are the turquoise waters below.
You really do just need to visit this place to see its natural beauty for yourself!
Late afternoon: Visit Tenby
Tenby is Pembrokeshire’s premier holiday destination and the place on this list you are most likely to have heard of!
The town was heaving when we visited, and while that was certainly down to it being an August weekend, you can expect crowds here all year round.
Tenby is a destination that you could easily spend a few days in just exploring all of its nooks and crannies.
There are just so many things to do in Tenby!
However, we didn’t have time for this, so we just wandered around for a bit soaking up the atmosphere, before heading to Hope & Anchor for dinner.
Both Gaz and I ordered a half and half chicken tikka masala and oh boy, was it delicious. Amazing portions and great prices too!
If you get the chance to spend longer in Tenby, I’d encourage you to visit Tenby Castle, St Catherine’s Island, and all of the town’s cute independent gift shops!
Evening: Visit St David’s
Named after the patron saint of Wales, St Davids is the smallest city in Britain.
It has a population of just over 1,600!
There isn’t much to see or do here (I mean it is the smallest city in Britain after all) but it’s a lovely little town (sorry, city) to mooch around in.
St Davids is only a five-minute drive from the campsite, and you have to drive through the city to get to the campsite, so it’d be wrong not to visit it, even if only for five minutes!
Wander around the city’s shops before paying a visit to St Davids Cathedral, a beautiful cathedral built from a local stone with a beautiful pink and grey colouring.
So have you ever visited Pembrokeshire? Where was your favourite place in the county?
Let me know in the comments below as I absolutely love this part of Wales and would love to return!
This post was sponsored by Compare & Choose but as always all opinions are my own.
