Pembrokeshire, away from the tourist trappings

When visiting Pembrokeshire, most visitors journey to the more well known southern regions of the county. But Pembrokeshire is a county of contrasts, with its comparatively and sadly, all too often overlooked and little-known northern reaches. I want to take you on a brief tour of the county and show you just what this county has too offer the more intrepid traveller....

Pembrokeshire is a coastal county at the south western most reaches of Wales, a principality of England, and is a well-liked area that captivates tourists in their hundreds of thousands, who come back year after year. Attracted to its unspoilt natural beauty, vast stretches of pristine golden-sandy beaches, and the U.K's one and only Coastal National Park, the southern vicinity of the county of Pembrokeshire is a hive of action and hussle and bustle in the summer months. But winter is also a breathtaking part of the season to travel to Pembrokeshire as well, being less busy and with a choice of cultural celebrations occuring around this season.

There is an abundence of holiday accomodation to choose from in the county. One of the more popular choices of accomodation in a private holiday rental. There is a profusion of holiday cottages in Pembrokeshire to choose from, some of the more prominent and respected websites have online booking tools as well as allowing you to examine the holiday cottage of your choice through a variety of multimedia. Camping is as well, a popular option for Pembrokeshire in the summer and eco-camping has fast started to increase in momentum.

If you decide to visity the county, it is wise to keep in mind that Pembrokeshire has a rather informal division inside the county that splits roughly across the middle, and indeed, this os often the joke of many locals - akin the the north/south divide in the England. Each segment has its own ambience and deep rooted culture, but for me to present a more precise description, it would be fairer to roughly separate the county into an additional three fragments. This can be represented by only major road in the the county, the A40, which traverses and separates, very roughly, the southern 16km, longitudinally, of the county. And the A487 which runs north from the ferry port of Fishguard and divides the western half, latitudinally, by roughly 16km again. Finally, the expansive center borders some considerably less active and far more secluded northern coastline. Below we will explore all three sections.

The southern section is completely different to the rest of the Pembrokeshire in terms of both geology and ambiance. I can be forgiven for suggesting that this is Pembrokeshire's predominant tourist corridor, and draws the most holiday makers to the more heavily marketed places like St. Govens Head, Saundersfoot and Tenby. Whilst it is perfectly possible to discover places off the beaten track around here if you know where to look, throughout peak seasons this area is a hive of activity and tourists, with plenty of popular things to see and do. This strip for the most part is more aimed at 'bucket and spade' family orientated holidays.

The western corridor, our second segment, has a vastly different atmosphere to it. Whilst it can still be somewhat tourist driven in some more prominent locations, here you will start to come across the true hidden charms the locals keep guarded to themselves. The atmosphere is rather more wild and rugged with gems like Whitesands Bay, Marloes Sands and Skomer Island, but is still suitable for family holidays, allbeit ones who prefer a bit more adventure and to be a bit more active. The more north you travel along this western Pembrokeshire coastline, the more rugged and less cultivated it feels. Perfect for those seeking a taste of real Welsh coastal life.

Then we move into the central region and northern coastline of Pembrokeshire. This area, whilst still more than suitable for family holidays, is an area for those who possess an adventurous heart and seek unspoilt beauty. Aside from a couple of well known beach resorts there are countless small coves and sandy beaches to find, and once found, you are pretty much guaranteed to be left uninterrupted and un-bothered by another passer by, and pretty much have the beach to yourself.

Still within our third 'segment' but moving away from the coast and into the heartland, you will find the Preseli hills. Still part of the National Coastal Park, they are sadly overlooked by tourists and have a significantly more rugged feel to the more genteel, tourist driven south region of Pembrokeshire. This area has impressive vista's and a lonely feel as well as being dotted with prehistoric remnants and ancient burial chambers. It is an area with its agricultural ancestry still highly prevalent, with farming and agricultural being main economy. Being one of the highest peaks in Pembrokeshire, once you ascend the peak of Foel Eryr, in good weather, you'll be greeted with views over the whole south west Wales peninsula, an awesome spectacle. On exceptionally clear days, you'll be able to see as far Swansea, into the Cambrian mountains and over to Ireland and the Wicklow mountains. The Preselis are surrounded by ubiquitous rolling Welsh hills and valleys that are dotted with small villages. Those looking for an authentic taste of Wales will take pleasure in the heartland.