Pembrokeshire Coast

While England and Scotland boasts magnificent cities such as London and Edinburgh, Wales offer something a little bit different: the Pembrokeshire Coast. The coast has been named as the top highlight of Wales, and it is the only national park in Britain designated for its coastal landscape. The coast is a combination of lovely beaches, different unique rock formations, and dazzling cliffs. It is this diversity of dramatic geological features that make the coast a unique treasure of Wales.

The main challenge in visiting the Pembrokeshire Coast is the lack of public transport. There is no easy way to explore the whole national park without a car, and even tour operators are extremely scarce. I used Tenby as my base and fortunately found a tour operator that departed from Tenby for a half-day tour of the coast.

Pembroke

As the Normans invaded South Wales, they built Pembroke Castle in the heart of the Norman-controlled land of South-West Wales. This led William II to create the Earldom of Pembroke. While the title of the Earl of Pembroke was originally attached to the Pembrokeshire area, the title has been recreated so many times throughout the course of history and it is now no longer attached to its original seat in Pembroke Castle.

The castle resisted several Welsh attacks and sieges, however, its place in history became important when the castle was given by Henry VI to his half-brother, Jasper Tudor. Jasper brought his sister-in-law, Margaret Beaufort, who gave birth to Henry Tudor in Pembroke Castle. The castle is thus remembered as the birthplace of Henry VII, the first king from the House of Tudor. Unfortunately, the castle was involved in the English Civil War, which destroyed much of the original structures.

Skrinkle Haven

Skrinkle Haven Beach is a picturesque beach in the Pembrokeshire Coast. The main highlight is a small bay encircled by high cliffs. The bay has golden sands and it is possible to come down to the beach. The beach used to be inaccessible as the area is used for military training grounds. Currently, access is only possible if no firing practice is held, which makes visiting it even more challenging.

I only stopped here for a very brief moment as the tour had to continue. It would be pleasant to actually come down and swim in the beach, however, that would not suit sightseeing tourists. It is a charming beach that is unfortunately, quite difficult to access.

Besides the beach, there is nothing else nearby or to do. Also, the wind blows very strongly at the top of the cliffs, which makes it really cold. It is a unique combination of beach and cliff.

St Govan's Chapel

For me, the main highlight of Pembrokeshire Coast is St Govan's Chapel. It is a tiny stone chapel tucked into a cliff. The legends say that St Govan was chased by pirates when suddenly a cleft opened up in the cliff and he was able to hide inside. After the pirates had left, the cleft miraculously opened again.

St Govan continued to live inside the cleft and he used a bell to warn people should the pirates return. The pirates stole the bell, but their ship was sunk by a storm. The bell was then retrieved by angels and they encased the bell inside a rock so that it will not be stolen again. The bell rock is now inside the chapel and the legend has it that the bell still sounds if the rock is tapped.

This small chapel gives a unique experience which is totally different from visiting the grand cathedrals of Europe. St Govan reminds us of how wonders can take form in simplicity.

Stackpole Court

The tour continued to Stackpole Court, a mansion built near the village of Stackpole. Under the Campbell family, a Georgian mansion in a Palladian style was built, and the landscape nearby was modified to accommodate the expanding estate. A valley was flooded to create the Bosherston Lakes, and a lot of trees were planted to create a designed landscape.

Two world wars saw the decline of Stackpole Court, as the area was used by the government for military usage. The mansion was eventually demolished, and the lakes and woods are now taken care by the National Trust. Stackpole Court shows a sense of faded grandeur, a real representation of what two world wars did to Britain. What was once a great mansion with an artificial lake and park is now a ruin overtaken by nature.

Freshwater West Beach

My journey continued to Freshwater West Beach, a beach renowned for its strong current and hence an ideal location for surfing. It is a good beach, but for me, it does not have any special feature or exceptional historical background that distinguishes it from other beaches in the Pembrokeshire Coast. It is notable, however, for its usage in the filming of Harry Potter. The beach became the filming location for Dobby's grave.

The grave is a simple sand mound, however, Harry Potter fans come from all over the world to keep the memorial alive. They brought 'offerings' in the form of socks and coloured pebbles. The grave is located a bit hidden beneath the sand dunes in the beach, and it offers a fantastic background of the sea.

It would be a must-visit for Potter fans, but again, the problem here lies in the lack of public transport.

West Angle Bay

The next stop on my journey was the West Angle Bay, and I stopped here a bit longer for lunch. The bay is a small cove tucked inside the Milford Haven Estuary, and since it was low tide when I visited, there was more sands than water in the cove.

At first, it appeared as if it is just a typical normal bay, however, the Milford Haven Estuary played a crucial role in British history. Milford Haven was the landing spot chosen by Henry VII when he sailed from France to claim the English throne. His exact landing spot was in Mill Bay, which is located just across the West Angle Bay.

Milford Haven was chosen by Henry VII as it was close to his home and allies in Pembrokeshire while being quite hidden from the king. After landing, Henry quickly marched to Haverfordwest to gain more supporters and then they moved to meet his ally in Carew Castle, Rhys ap Thomas.

Carew Castle

As Henry Tudor landed back in Britain, Rhys ap Thomas, the wealthy owner of Carew Castle, strategically changed side to support Henry. Together, they marched to meet Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth. Richard III was defeated, and the crown of England fell into the new House of Tudor, which ended the Wars of the Roses. Rhys was knighted and he celebrated by upgrading Carew Castle with his newfound wealth.

The castle suffered some damages during the English Civil War, and it was eventually abandoned. The structure was looted for their stones, before it was finally restored and conservation efforts were put in place.