Pembrokeshire break

August 2019

After living in England all of our lives and travelling a pretty big chunk of the world we decided to take the short road trip over the bridge to discover some of Wales.

Tenby Beach

After a couple of nights in Camarthenshire (blog coming soon) we drove west one hour to the

county of Pembrokeshire. We couldn’t believe how quick all of the drives were on this trip in comparison to road tripping in the likes of Canada, The USA and Australia. We knew our campsite was closest to Tenby so we decided to head there for the day as check in wasn’t until the afternoon. We arrived on a very wet Welsh and miserable day but as soon as we set eyes on all of the coloured houses lining the streets of Tenby our day was instantly brightened up. Our plan was to walk some of the coastal path along to the next town of Saundersfoot which was a three mile walk and as the weather was set to brighten up we decided to just go for it.

Although only three miles, the walk is quite a tough one with lots of steep inclines which was made harder due to the wet weather making everything slippery. We did plan to walk back but by the time we got there we decided to bus it back to save some time and also our legs. We checked the bus times on arrival and they ran every hour so we spent an hour in Saundersfoot which was suitable on a day when the weather wasn't great. Saundersfoot is a typical little Welsh seaside town with its amusements and souvenir shops. We had a drink in the pub, a walk around the harbour where we picked up some amazing fresh seafood and a stroll along the beach. On a good day you could definitely spend some time on the beach as it did look lovely. Just watch out for the jellyfish which were all washed up on the beach. The bus back was super easy as the bus stop is just outside the arcade and it was a quick fifteen minute drive back in to the centre of Tenby.

Saundersfoot

When arriving back in Tenby the sun had finally come out just as it was setting so we headed for a little stroll around the harbour area which catches the last of the days sun. It was beautiful there with great views of Tenby in one direction and out to sea in another. We quickly fell in love with this cute place. As our tummies started to rumble we headed to find our campsite.

Glamping pod at The Buttles Caravan Park

The Buttles Caravan Park is just a short five minute drive from Tenby. It is a family run campsite with lovely welcoming and friendly staff. We stayed in their 'glamping pod’ for two nights. On arrival one of the owners; Paul gave us a tour of where we would be staying and the facilities which was really helpful. Inside of our pod we had everything that we needed; there was a double bed, a sitting area with a TV, a little kitchen area with a mini fridge, cupboard space, a sink, a kettle, a full range of cutlery, all linen and even an en-suite complete with shower. We have never been glamping before and had an en-suite. Don’t get too excited it is just a small wet room with a toilet, sink and shower but how amazing not having to go out in the cold and dark to use the toilet in the middle of the night. We wouldn’t have minded using the facilities as they were brand new and always so presentable and clean. It really did not feel like you were on a campsite.

After a long day of being outdoors and travelling we just wanted food and bed. Outside of the pod was our own little garden area with a parking space, table and BBQ. We cooked up some pasta on the hob of the BBQ and had an alfresco dinner as the sun went down around us. The campsite was so lovely and peaceful. Around us were mostly caravan trailers and next door was a 'shepherd’s hut' which also looked cool. After dinner we went to see Paul as he said he could give us some tips on what to do in Pembrokeshire. The reception is located inside of the family home and they are always around to help you with anything and give you information. We planned out a really exciting day with his help which would start with an early morning tuk tuk ride…

Tuk tun time Tenby

After a super cosy night in our pod and a really good night’s sleep we headed down to Tenby in the back of a tuk tuk to create some content. The good old travelling days came flooding back to us. The family have another business alongside the caravan park called ‘Tuk Tuk Time’. They have bought and done up tuk tuks from India for sightseeing tours around the area and also for hire for weddings and events. It was a little cooler than riding in a tuk tuk in India but they had blankets at the ready and it was so much fun and a lovely way to start our day. We drove around the cute back streets of Tenby lined with independent shops and eateries, around the pretty harbour, along the coast and past all of the coloured houses. We then headed back to the campsite ready to set off on our road trip of west to north Pembrokeshire for the day.

Barafundle Bay

Our first stop was Barafundle Bay; what we were told would be a hidden gem of a beach. You need to head to Stackpole Quay which is a national trust car park and around a twenty five minute drive from Tenby. It is around £3 to park and there are facilities and a nice little café there. We fuelled up with a coffee before heading over to the bay which is a ten minute walk along the coast. As you hit the coast you will instantly see how beautiful the water is, turquoise in colour and the amazing rugged coastline. Then as you reach the bay your breath will be taken away. A beautiful pristine and untouched beach with white sands, turquoise water and surrounded by greenery almost representing a jungle. Paul told us during a heatwave you could be on a Caribbean island and we could totally see what he meant. It was a pretty cool and miserable day so we just had a walk along the beach and headed back to the car. We wanted to fit in as much as we could in one day. If you were visiting on a good day you could have a good beach day here. Just remember there are no facilities on the beach so come prepared.

Stackpole Quay

Our high quality Gaston Luga backpacks were the perfect day bags for our Welsh adventures with its vast amount of space and handy pockets such as the laptop slip. You can receive 15% off Gaston Luga with our discount code DERIVEINLOVE You also get a free travel bag with every purchase made.

Freshwater West

Just a fifteen minute drive up the coast you will find Freshwater West. The United Kingdom’s version of a ‘surfers paradise’. The surfing championships are held here each year. You will find the biggest beach we have ever seen, waves crashing in all sorts of interesting ways and the best food van you will ever find. Here we went for a stroll onto the beach after parking in the free car park. There were lots of surfers out; individuals and classes so we enjoyed watching them for a while and then as our stomachs started to rumble we headed straight for Café Mor.

Cafe Mor Freshwater West

Paul recommended this be our lunch spot as this little food van is recognised and has won awards all over the UK and the world so we did just that. As you would expect there was a little que but when we read the menu and realised they catered for gluten free we were more than willing to wait and boy was it worth it. Café Mor specialises in fresh seafood caught straight outside their van mixed with artisan products such as their famous seaweed butter. We both went for a crab sandwich and wow this was no ordinary crab sandwich, it was the tastiest thing we have ever eaten and we just didn’t want it to end. Washed down with a cup of green tea our stomachs were filled and we left Freshwater West with big smiles on our faces. If you are passing by this area you must stop for a bite to eat or even make a journey just for it!

Cafe Mor - crab sandwich

Next, it was off to Aberiddy to find the blue lagoon. The blue lagoon is famous for cliff jumping championships. We got to the area via the sat nav and got a little bit lost but just asked some local people who directed us and we also followed some signage for the blue lagoon. It is £4 to park here but a little sneaky tip from us would be to park in the overflow car park at the top of the hill which is not manned for free. There are toilets here and a food van should you need it. It is a quick five minute walk to the lagoon, you will pass lot’s of people wrapped in towels wearing jumpsuits. It is quite a busy place with adventure groups doing various activities. As it was a cold day we didn’t swim here but you can swim or do some jumping or just have a chill on the small sandy area and watch all of the adrenaline junkies. This place is not called the blue lagoon for nothing. The water is a gorgeous vibrant shade of blue and that was on a cloudy day. It was so inviting if only it would have been a gorgeous sunny day im sure we would have been in there swimming kit or not. We just spent around half an hour here watching people jump before moving on.

Blue lagoon

The last stop of the day for us was St David’s. A little cathedral town that had been highly recommended by a few people. Unfortunately, we were pretty disappointed with this place. We didn’t feel there was much there to catch our eyes and attention. There were a couple of pubs and some gift shops and it looked as if we had just missed the market. Most of our time here was spent wandering around the cathedral which is pretty impressive and free to enter. We then had a drink in one of the pubs and made our way back to Tenby which took around one hour. On the way back we passed a little place on the coast called Sulva which was also recommended to us and it looked a lot more inviting than St.David’s. It’s just a ten minute drive away.

St David's Cathedral

We did plan to go back to The Buttles Caravan Park and cook a BBQ but we were so tired after our long road trip and it was already 7pm when we arrived back so we decided to head back in to Tenby and check out a pizza restaurant we discovered on Instagram. Top Joe’s is located on one of the main little back streets and offers such a cool vibe with amazing pizza and good gluten free and vegetarian options. It was so busy and fully booked that we only got in luckily as we sat and ate at the bar so definitely check it out and book in advance. They also do take out. Full of pizza and red wine we headed back to our cosy pod and couldn’t wait to chill.

Pembrokeshire coast

Our last night at The Buttles Caravan Park was spent cosying up in our comfy bed watching a film on our television with a glass of wine and it was perfect. We honestly didn’t want to leave. This is the perfect spot to stay and have a base in Pembrokshire. Summer or winter it makes the perfect Pembrokeshire base. You can even stay here at Christmas for a little seasonal break as the site is open all year round.

With love from the globe,

Isabelle & George.

Currently in England.