Description:
The heritage coast reaches 40 miles from Caldey Island, near Tenby,
to Angle Bay in the Milford Haven estuary. The area is also included
in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Tenby can justly claim
to be one of Pembrokeshire's most popular holiday resorts, but
in general the coast is blessedly free of crowds, especially in
May and September.
The
sandy bays near Tenby quickly give way to more rugged scenery
to the west. The cliffs are sheer and rugged, but provide excellent
walking along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Just
south of Tenby is Caldey Island, which lies one mile off Giltar
Point. The island is owned and farmed by a small community of
Cistercian monks, and can be visited via a 20 minute boat trip
from Tenby. The monks provide guided tours of their monastery
(for men only!) and there is excellent walking and great views
along the coast. St. Illtyd's Chapel houses an ancient Irish ogham
stone within its walls.
Back
on the mainland, the village of Manorbier is the home of Manorbier
Castle, the 12th century fortification that was the birthplace
of Geraldus Cambrensis, medieval scholar and tutor to both Richard
I and King John. The castle is open from Easter to September.
Nearby are the Neolithic standing stones of King’s Quoit.
For
a real treat, try the steep climb down the cliffside to St Govan's
Chapel near Bosherton. The chapel is an amazing medieval relic
clinging to the rugged rocks halfway down the cliff. There was
at one time a holy well near the chapel, but the well has since
dried up.
Legend
has it that the chapel was founded when St. Govan hid in a rocky
fissure of the cliff to escape from pirates. A further legend
states that King Arthur's knight Sir Gawain lies buried beneath
the stone altar of the chapel.
Bosherton,
just inland from St. Govan's Head, is famous for its freshwater
ponds, home to lilies which bloom in June. The ponds are manmade,
created in the 18th century, and the effect when the lilies are
blooming is strikingly beautiful. There are woodland paths around
the ponds.
Area
Countryside attractions: Pembrokeshire Coast National Park
A gently rolling plateau overlooking the rugged coastline. This
is good birding area, with sanctuaries at Grasholm, Skomer, and
Skokholm Islands, while Ramsey Island is renowned for its large
grey seal population. More
...
Pembrokeshire Coast Path
The 186 mile path follows the heritage coast and takes in the
entire length of the Pembrokeshire National Park. The walking
is superb, the scenery breathtaking, as the path climbs along
cliffs and beside sandy bays. Thankfully, this trail is more sparsely
traveled than most other long-distance paths in Britain. More
...
Marloes
and Dale Heritage Coast
The cliffs along the heritage coast are generally rugged, but
there is a good sandy beach at Marloes Sands. The Sands are a
Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to the steep cliffs
of Silurian rocks that fringe the beach. The heritage coast includes
Skomer Island, a nature reserve famous for its large puffin population
and bird breeding areas. More
...
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