About Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the southwest of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and the sea everywhere else.
The county is home to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the only national park in the United Kingdom established primarily because of the coastline; the Park occupies more than a third of the area of the county. Rated by National Geographic magazine experts as the second best coastline in the World. With 186 miles of magnificent and varied coastline and over 50 beaches, there is plenty of space for everyone. Choose between lively Tenby and Saundersfoot or peaceful St Davids and Newport. Perfect for outdoor activities or just relaxing.
The Pembrokeshire coastline includes numerous bays and sandy beaches. The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the only park in the UK established primarily because of its coastline, occupies more than a third of the county. The park contains the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, a near-continuous 186-mile (299 km) long-distance trail from Amroth, by the Carmarthenshire border in the southeast, to St Dogmaels just down the River Teifi estuary from Cardigan, Ceredigion, in the north.
We are also home to the smallest city in Britain: St Davids.
Transport
The A40 crosses Pembrokeshire from the border with Carmarthenshire westwards to Haverfordwest, then northwards to Fishguard. The A477 from St. Clears to Pembroke Dock and the Cleddau Bridge carries the A477 across the Cleddau Estuary. The A478 traverses eastern Pembrokeshire from Tenby in the south to Cardigan, Ceredigion in the north. The A487 is the other major route, running northwest from Haverfordwest to St Davids, then northeast following the coast, through Fishguard and Newport, to the boundary with Ceredigion at Cardigan.
The main towns in the county are covered by regular bus and train services, and many villages by local bus services, or community or education transport.
Pembrokeshire is served by rail via the West Wales Lines from Swansea. Direct trains from Milford Haven run to Manchester Piccadilly. Branch lines terminate at Pembroke Dock, Milford Haven and Fishguard, linking with ferries to Ireland from Pembroke Dock and Fishguard. Seasonal ferry services operate from Tenby to Caldey Island, from St Justinians (St Davids) to Ramsey Island and Grassholm Island, and from Martin’s Haven to Skomer Island. Haverfordwest (Withybush) Airport provides general aviation services.
Economy
Pembrokeshire’s economy relies heavily on tourism; agriculture, once its most important industry with associated activities such as milling, is still significant. Since the 1950s, petrochemical and liquid natural gas industries have developed along the Milford Haven Waterway and the county has attracted other major ventures. Milford Haven Waterway is one of the deepest natural harbours in the world, it is a busy shipping channel, trafficked by ferries from Pembroke Dock to Ireland, oil tankers and pleasure craft.
For more details about the history of Milford Haven Waterway please click here.
Tourism
The Pembrokeshire coastline is a major draw to tourists; in 2011 National Geographic Traveller magazine voted the Pembrokeshire Coast the second best in the world and in 2015 the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park was listed among the top five parks in the world by a travel writer for the Huffington Post. Countryfile Magazine readers voted the Pembrokeshire Coast the top UK holiday destination in 2018, and in 2019 Consumers’ Association members placed Tenby and St Davids in the top three best value beach destinations in Britain. With few large urban areas, Pembrokeshire is a “dark sky” destination. The many wrecks off the Pembrokeshire coast attract divers.
Tourism supports over 10,000 jobs and the county attracts over 4 million tourists each year, who spend over £550 million per annum.
Pembrokeshire County Show, celebrating 65 years at Haverfordwest Showground this year, is Wales’ largest county show. This major county event showcases agriculture, food and drink, sport, entertainment and other great activities, attracting around 100,000 visitors.
The county has a number of theme and animal parks (such as Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo, Manor House Wildlife Park and Oakwood Theme Park), museums and other visitor attractions including Castell Henllys reconstructed Iron Age fort, Tenby Lifeboat Station and Milford Haven’s Torch Theatre. There are 25 marked cycle trails around the county and Pembrokeshire is home to many medieval castles.
