The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is a spectacular and distinctive coastal area. It’s Britain’s Only Coastal National Park, as it’s the only one of Britain’s 14 National Parks to be entirely coastal in nature...
186 miles of walkers paradise on both ild headlands and pristine beaches with picturesque towns and villages like Tenby, St Davids and Solva en route. Most people walk a little bit a time, coming back year after year to explore a bit more. If you want to do the whole lot, allow 15 days...
No other county in Britain has more Blue Flag Beaches or Seaside Award beaches than Pembrokeshire. With over 50 beaches to choose from, there’s going to one that’s perfect for you, whether you want surfing, kayaking or kite surfing, or just somewhere peaceful to relax, sunbathe and build sandcastles... 
There are 51 forts and castles in Pembrokeshire including enormous stone fortresses like Pembroke castle, Manorbier castle and Carew castle. There are medieval walled towns of Tenby and Pembroke and fortified Bishops Palaces at St Davids and Lamphey. 
A pristine environment, clean seas, very little population and lush vegetation makes for rich and varied habitats, most important of which are the Islands: Skomer, Skokholm, Ramsey, Grassholm and Caldey. Home to thousands of Puffins, Gannets and other sea birds. Dolphin, Porpoise and Whale watching boat trips are popular too...
Wildlife in Pembrokeshire
Skomer Island
An island of sheltered bays, exposed headlands, offshore rocks and shaded inlets, all painted with the graduated colours of lichen. The best location is The Wick; a sheer cliff carved with ledges that are ideally suited to nesting seabirds and easily viewed from the opposite cliff.
In the centre of the island is the ruined farm. An education room and interpretation centre can be found here as well as a Visit Wales graded 3 Star Hostel that can sleep up to 16 people in 5 rooms. If you stay overnight, you can witness one of the most remarkable natural events in the UK, the Manx Shearwaters returning to their burrows under the cover of darkness. The noise they make is really spooky.
There are also several Neolithic hut circles tucked under a rocky outcrop.
Visit in May to see carpets of bluebells and pink campion.
Catch up with the news from the island including the latest on the boat sailings on their Skomer Island blog (opens new window)
What to see:
- Puffins (6,000 pairs)
- Manx Shearwaters (120,000 pairs)
- Guillemots (10,000 pairs)
- Razorbills
- Choughs
- Short Eared Owls
- Skomer Voles
- Grey Seals
How to get there:
The Dale Princess runs from Martin's Haven between Good Friday or 1st April (whichever is earlier) and 31st October. It runs Tuesdays to Sundays and Bank Holiday Mondays and leaves from Martin's Haven at 10am, 11am and 12 noon and has return sailings from 3pm onwards. Sailings may be disrupted by the weather - check by calling Lockley Lodge, an information point and gift shop run by the Wildlife Trust (01646 636800) or Dale Sailing (01646 603110). Parking available in a National Trust car park at Martin's Haven for £4 per day.
There is a maximum daily quota for landing visitors. If you arrive too late, you may have to resort to a round island boat trip. At weekends between May and early July, queues can be lengthy. As well as the boat fare of £10 for adults, OAPs and students, and £7 for children under 16 (babies under 1 are free), there's a landing charge of £10 for adults, £9 for OAPs, £5 for students and children are free (2012 charges). Members of The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales do not pay a Landing Fee. There are no refreshments available on the island, but there is a toilet at the old farm.
Map:
Click to view a map » Skomer Island
Links:
The Wildlife Trust (opens new window)
ID: 174 Revised: 24/7/2012
