Carmarthenshire & Pembrokeshire

[Paulie Tandoori]

So then, we've booked a week to stay in a lodge thing first week of August in St Clear in Carmarthenshire, me and the missus and my 15 y/o son.

Any tips about good places/beaches/castles/wildlife/walks that you lovely people could recommend around the area?

We'll have a hire car so can get about a bit but i'd rather keep it to a minimum if possible.

All help gratefully appreciated as ever

 

[ddraig]

gotta go see this near you
http://www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/index.asp?locID=7089&docID=15439
there's Kidwelly Castle which is not to bad

Cefn Sidan - Pembrey Country Park
http://www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/index.asp?locID=3538&docID=-1
Beach, long. woodlandy bits, train thing and a dry ski slope.
also motorsports place next to it

Tenby and Saundersfoot - touristy but v nice seasidey places and beaches.

St Davids for a visit and walks

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

What were the Rebecca Riots then?

 

[ddraig]

What were the Rebecca Riots then?

where the tollgates were smashed up by dirty Welsh anarchists dressed up as women raaaaaaaaaa

 

[ddraig]

more info

The Rebecca riots took place in the rural parts of west Wales, including Pembrokeshire, Cardiganshire, and Carmarthenshire, in 1839-43. They were a series of protests made by tenant farmers against the payment of tolls (fees) charged to use the roads. Turnpike Trusts or groups of businessmen owned most of the main roads. These men fixed the charges and decided how many tollgates (turnpikes) could be built.

During the riots, men disguised as women attacked the tollgates. They called themselves “Rebecca and her daughters”. This is most likely to be after a passage in the Bible where Rebecca talks of the need to “possess the gates of those who hate them” (Genesis XXIV, verse 60). People at that time knew the Bible well.

Tolls were a big expense for small farmers, who used the roads to take their crops and animals to market, and also to collect lime (a chalky mineral). Lime was used to improve the quality of the soil so farmers could grow better crops. It could cost as much as five shillings (25p) in tolls to move a cart of lime eight miles inland. The people of west Wales did not want to pay to use their roads.

 

[editor]

There's an interactive thingy on this site http://www.visitwales.co.uk/ here: http://www.visitwales.co.uk/server.php?show=nav.6856
Castles and attractions galore!

And if you want a bit of steam action: http://www.gwili-railway.co.uk/home.html
http://www.teifivalleyrailway.com/

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

The steam engine looks great, reckon we'll give that a go.

I think i can remember hearing about the Rebecca Riots now, sounds like an interesting slice of history.

 

[davesgcr]

Laugharne - Dylan Thomas Boathouse and Browns Hotel

Plus castle , cockle infested coast , Georgian architecture , book shops etc etc.

 

[niclas]

I think i can remember hearing about the Rebecca Riots now, sounds like an interesting slice of history.

It was the only way the non-conformists could dress up in women's clothes (it may explain the Eisteddfod druidic circle too)

 

[teqniq]

Pretty much anywhere around Stackpole is beautiful - Barafundel bay is possibly the jewel in the crown (we're going back there in September). also Cresswell quay and Lawrenny quay are worth a visit - the former has a time-warp pub and the latter has nice walks. Need a car for all of these though.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

thanks for the tips everyone, starting to get excited about this now

 

[Gavin Bl]

The coast around St Davids is gobsmackingly gorgeous, the cathedrals worth a look.

The Pentre Ifan burial place is worth a look.

As a kid I had very happy trips to places like Caswell bay (big waves) and Langland bay, to name but a few.

Bacon, Cockles and Laverbread for breakfast. Tidy!

 

[_pH_]

Skomer!

Puffinsnchoughs!

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

apparently, a chough has turned up in cornwall for the first time in nearly 150 years!

[/derail]

what is Skomer then?

 

[_pH_]

apparently, a chough has turned up in cornwall for the first time in nearly 150 years!

[/derail]

what is Skomer then?

little island off the coast covered in birds. you can go by boat

http://www.welshwildlife.org/skomerIntro_en.link

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

Wow, that looks wicked. Thanks for the tip, we'll definitely be up for a day trip there. Cheers, much appreciated

 

[sheothebudworths]

My bezzer and want to go to Pembrokeshire, somewhere around Barafundle Bay...to go to the beach itself obviously, but also cos it's supposed to be ace for coastal walking...but not sure if we'll make it that far, so might have to be Dorset instead.


But look....

So beautiful!


(It's doesn't get too busy either, cos you have to get there by foot)

Anyway - I'll keep an eye on your thread, just incase!



Actually - if anyone has any recommendations for good campsites near there, I'd be interested in those too, if that's allowed on Paulie's thread )

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

very allowed sheo. i want to go to that beach

 

[jannerboyuk]

very allowed sheo. i want to go to that beach

I go there and freshwater wet loads (my girlfriend lives in Pembroke) and they are very beautiful and unbelievably quiet. Going down again this weekend with some friends - looking forward to showing them around. Nice place (just avoid Paddles nightclub in Pembroke for gawds sake!) Nice country pubs.

 

[sheothebudworths]

Campsites!

 

[Belushi]

Caswell bay

I love Caswell Bay, wonderful place when your a kid.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

Well, that was very wet. Only had one day when it didn't piss down. Other than this, we had a good time. Went to Skomer on the day when you can't get a boat onto the island, which was actually a blessing in disguise as we instead went for a boat trip around the island. Despite the warnings from the bloke on the boat that virtually all the puffins having already gone, we first saw one solitary puffin floating on starboard, then three, then loads of them, flying about on the waves and grabbing sand eels for their remaining chicks. Also saw some gannets, plovers, threadbills, a couple of buzzards and best of all, a peregrine sitting proudly at the top of a rocky outcrop. Also followed by a school of leaping porpoise and a couple of grey seals showed themselves.

Luagharne was enjoyable for an afternoon, poking around the lanes as well as Dylan Thomas's gaff (didn't go in though, best part of a tenner to look around a house), but Pendine sands wasn't up to much really, big signs telling you that you could walk along the beach but look out for unexploded ordanance. A walk along the Pembroke Coastal Path in Broadhaven was very pleasant indeed, beautiful views across the bay both north and south. We also walked from Saundersfoot to Tenby on a very challenging part of the coastal path, in high winds and torrential rain. Nearest pub was an hour's walk away from where we were staying but luckily found some Brain's Dark Mild in the local Spar. Did the steam railway which was a let down, they took our cash and then we found out when the train arrived that they couldn't find a steam driver that day so we had a diesel one instead. Ah well.

Some pics (got more buy flickr's being an arse and keeps stopping uploads atm).

Castle in Laugharne

Rebecca Riots in St Clers

Tickets please!

 

[ddraig]

nice one, you now probably know my yard better than me!
sorry bout the rain like

 

[davesgcr]

Cant beat West Wales ! (if the weather doesnt play up) - sorry !

Shame you didnt go round the Boat House in Laugharne though - or pay the bard and Caitlin your respects in the churchyard......

Good job you found the Brains !

 

[Belushi]

Well, that was very wet. Only had one day when it didn't piss down. Other than this, we had a good time.

You've managed to perfectly sum up my homeland in one sentence

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

Cant beat West Wales ! (if the weather doesnt play up) - sorry !

Shame you didnt go round the Boat House in Laugharne though - or pay the bard and Caitlin your respects in the churchyard......

Good job you found the Brains !

We tried to find their graves but were unsuccessful unfortunately. Thought we'd found the graveyeard but i think it twas the wrong un. We made do eating chips and mushy peas on a bench overlooking the estuary, with Under Milk Wood playing on my son's i-pod instead. Followed by a nice drop of Double Dragon.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

Here's Mr Thomas' writing shed

And a view across the estuary

Herding wild horses on Broadhaven cliffs

Enjoying the walk from Saundersfoot to Tenby

 

[davesgcr]

For future reference (and shame you didnt get to the bard) - its St Martins which is the Church in Wales with a lych gate at the St Clears end of the town. the grave is easily found with a simple cross.

Dylan wouldent have minded as he was a dab hand at missing appointments and people etc ! ..........

 

[Elpenor]

A useful thread to bookmark. Off to a cottage near the Pembrokeshire coast path for Midsummer week. Very excited

 

[Elpenor]

Right, I’m staying near Newgale beach in St Brides Bay, Pembrokeshire in the middle of June. My first visit to this part of Wales

My plans are to walk part of the coast path from Martins Haven to St David’s peninsula using the coastal buses to get “back” to the start. I’ve also got some circular walks in a guidebook. The countryside and coastline looks wonderful but my plans feel like they lack a wet weather alternative

I will probably spend some time mooching around St David’s one of the days, see the cathedral. Anything else to see in St David’s, and are any of the other towns worth a visit?

What else is there thats a must do? I’ve read about boat trips to the islands but will need to check the cost as on a bit of a budget. I’ve also found there’s a coracle museum which sounds intriguing but it’s about an hours drive away from my digs and I’m keen not to drive that far if I can as I am on holiday

Lastly - on my final day (a friday) I have to drive across Wales to Hagley in the West Midlands - is there anywhere interesting to stop on the midpoint of this journey? Google map suggests I’ll be passing close to the Brecon Beacons so what I’m after is really a circular walk of a few hours or an interesting museum if the Welsh rain has got to me.