Pembrokeshire Coast National Park

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Pembrokeshire Coast National Park [1] in Wales was the first national park in the United Kingdom.

[edit] Understand

The Pembrokeshire National Park was created in 1952 and is the UK's only coastal national park. It follows the coast and also runs a small distance inland for most of the county of Pembrokeshire apart from the Milford Haven estuary due to the oil facilities located there. It's designation as a national park limits development and so the area has remained unspoilt despite it's popularity as a tourist destination.

[edit] History

[edit] Landscape

The landscape is known for it's rugged cliffs and many sandy beaches that can be viewed from the coastal path which runs along the coast for the entirety of the national park.

[edit] Flora and fauna

Many of the offshore islands nearby have important colonies of seabirds that are resident for parts of the year, including Gannets and Puffins. From the coastal path porpoise and seals are also frequently seen.

[edit] Climate

[edit] Get in

[edit] Fees/Permits

[edit] Get around

There is a limited bus service but a car is really needed to successfully explore the park. The roads are narrow in places and so travel can be quite slow. The national park runs subsidised bus services that cover sections of the coast and some important inland locations such as St David's. These are reasonably priced and can be stopped at any point in their journey.

[edit] See

• St Davids is the UK's smallest city.
• Ramsey Island is an RSPB nature reserve that is home to important seabird colonies.
• Milford Haven, one of the deepest natural harbours in the world.

[edit] Do

• Talk a walk along the coast path. The national park maintain a coastal path that runs along the coast for the entire length of the national park. It's clearly signposted from all the villages and beaches so you can just turn up and walk to the next place along the coast without the need for a map. The walks are not strenuous and there are subsidized bus services that will take you back to your starting point.
• Take a boat trip around Ramsey Island or one of the other coastal islands famous for their seabird colonies. There are many different operators running trips on rigid inflatable boats that can get very close to the shore to give a unique perspective on the marine landscape. Be aware that these trips can get quite wet, although the operators are trying to get around this by installing seats in the middle of the boat so that passengers do not have to sit on the side.
• Spend some time on the many sandy beaches in the national park. Pembrokeshire is home to some spectacular sandy beaches that are perfect for families to spend their day. The beaches are universally very clean and there are usually cafes and lavatory facilities available.
• Try some surfing. The beaches at Newgale and Whitesands usually have good surf, especially on windy days. Surf equipment hire is available at both beaches, and several operators run surf and surf kayak lessons.

[edit] Buy

[edit] Eat

[edit] Drink

[edit] Sleep

[edit] Lodging

[edit] Camping

[edit] Backcountry

[edit] Stay safe

[edit] Get out