Top 20 Things To Do In North Pembrokeshire

Dolphin spotting is what makes Cardigan Bay & Pembrokeshire such a special place to live & visit.

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This part of the coast is teeming with wildlife and is a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). It is home to the largest resident population of bottlenose dolphins in Europe, and at other times of the year, you might get to see harbour porpoise, Atlantic grey seals, basking shark and whales too.

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Bay to Remember, say 9 out of 10 visitors see dolphins on their extended boat trips! 

There are 2 beaches that are close to Top of the Woods and they are both spectacular.

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This is Dylan’s favourite beach because you can take dogs on all year round (in the summer it is restricted to the right-hand side of the beach).  It has a great little café, wildlife sand dunes, long golden sands and is accessible to all - It’s great family beach !

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Watch mine and Milly Jackdaws Campfire Story "The Shepherd of Allt y Goed at Poppit Sands"

Channel your inner Celtic Warrior!

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I always know when our visitors have been to Castell Henllys, the kids come back with blue tribal face paint and in the meadows, everything becomes a bit ‘warrior’ and ‘tribes!’ and its also a brilliant fun day out!

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Find out more for events, prices and opening times 

The Pembrokeshire Coastal Path is 186 miles of epic coast line!

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​There are walks for everyone, you can do small sections and make a holiday of it with local buses taking you to start and end points, circular walks, or days outs with 50+ wild beaches to discover along the way. It starts at St Dogmaels, by Poppit Sand beach in the north and finishes at Amroth castle in the South. 

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Check out Top of the Woods Campfire Stories with Milly Jackdaw, filmed on the Pembrokeshire coast.

The Bluestones were taken from the Preselis to create Stonehenge, in England

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The Preselis  is a place rich in legends and ancient monuments with standing stones and circles dotted across the Pembrokeshire National Park, reminding us of our ancient ancestors who lived here. 

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This is the place of the Welsh fair folk the ‘Tylwth Teg’, where Arthur battles with the King of Ireland, 3 giant brother fight and kill each other over a legacy and there is even a legend of Noah and his Ark!

A gorgeous beach for swimming, enjoying a picnic and dolphin spotting

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Mwnt beach is a National Trust beach & a great place to spot bottlenose dolphins, basking sharks & porpoises from the shore line. There is a pretty 14th Century church perched above the beach that would have welcomed sailors and pilgrims on route to St David’s in the south and a lovely headline walk around Foel y Mwnt. 

 

There are dog restrictions in place from the 1st May to September

Meet tarantulas, Harry Potter's scorpian's and a 2-headed glow in the dark centipede!

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Discover freaky weird and wonderful bugs at the tropical bug zoo.  Have fun in the bug play barn, get crafty in the nature and bug workshops or go on a bug safari! 

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There is even a Grub Kitchen Cafe where you can try a cricket & chickpea falafel or the classic house bug burger!

Why not throw yourself off a cliff for fun!

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If you love an adrenaline adventure then Coasteering is a must-do in Pembrokeshire, after all this is where the sport was invented! Our guest love it!

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One of the best places to go is the Blue Lagoon in Abereiddy with Celtic Quest Coasteering who has won numerous awards (too many to mention!) for their passion, professionalism and fun! 

An enchanted fairy woodland a one of Wales oldest mysteries, Pentre Ifan

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Pentre Ifan is an ancient monument with many legends associated with it.  A delicately placed huge carved stone across 3 standing stones has stood there for over 4000 years. Ty Canol is an ancient 170-acre oak woodland which evokes romance & magic & is world famous for 400 species of moss &  lichen (and maybe a few fairies!)

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Watch our Campfire Stories, filmed at Pentre Ifan with Milly Jackdaw  

Meet the giant badger, water buffalo & spot otters at the wetland nature reserve

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The Welsh Wildlife Centre has walking and family bike trails to explore.  On site, you could spot otters, kingfishers, and other wildlife species.  You can visit the water buffalo that help to manage the wetland landscape.

 

By the visitor centre, there is a giant badge & a butterfly maze made from living willow artist, Michelle Cain, who planted & designed the Top of the Woods ‘Hide and Seek’ garden. 

Take in the views from between a horses ears! 

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We have some great options for pony trekking and lessons for all abilities

1. Havard Stables offers lessons and treks up the Carnigli Mountain, with wonderful views of Newport and Dinas, suitable for all abilities

2. Preseli Pony Trekking offer escorted riding routes, following ancient tracks across open hills and moorland, amid spectacular scenery, stone circles, wild ponies and birds of prey. 

3. Crosswell Riding Stables have a variety of routes which take in the Preseli hills, ancient bridleways and the magical Ty Canol woods. 

Where ever you turn in Pembrokeshire there is a castle close by!

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1. Cilgerran Castle  - There is an untouched romance, where you can imagine the days of maidens and knights as you walk around the castle. 

2. Cardigan Castle is 900 year old and has been fully renovated in recent years, with a visitor’s centre and a restaurant with lovely views over the river.

3. Newcastle Emlyn Castle – Explore the ruins of Newcastle Emlyn, where the last dragon of Wales was killed by Lisa our camp hosts ancestors! 

Also explore the pretty market town of Newcastle Emlyn with plenty of independent shops

A gastronomic town with boutique shopping, antiques & live music!

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​Try cuisines from all over the world, visit the Golden Sheaf gallery to see local art, ironwork, textiles & ceramics. The Queens Hall is a thriving venue for live music & events, and they host a huge variety of events throughout the year. 

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Narberth Museum has a variety of exhibitions and a diverse collection of permanent artifacts! Malthouse Antiques Centre has several show rooms in a 500 year old building, filled with a huge selection! 

With glorious sandy beaches, rich history and amazing food this colourful town has a bit of everything.

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​Surrounded by 13th century medieval town walls, you will find Wales’ oldest independent museum; Tenby Museum & Art Gallery. 

 

Tenby’s Welsh name, Dinbych Y Pysgod, means ‘little fortress of the fish’, so there is some great fishing and incredible, fresh local cuisine!
Caldey Island is a short boat ride away, a beautiful island owned by Cistercian monks, where you can watch the seabirds and relax on the little beach. 

Yummy cheddar, tangy blue, creamy goats cheese and crumbly Caerphilly cheese - Try them all!

1. Caws Cenarth Cheese - Is in the same village as Top of the Woods and is a 15 minute drive on the other side of the woods. You will find 6th generations of  multi-award winning cheese makers. See how they make their cheeses and the best bit is you can sample their best before you buy and take it home with you.

2. Pant Mawr Farmhouse Cheeses - nestled in the foothills of the Preseli mountains at Rosebush, discover their range of traditionally hand made cheeses.

3. Caws Teifi Cheese - learn about cheesemaking from Britain’s most highly awarded cheesemakers! Located in Llandysul on their organic farm.

St Davids is famous for it's breath-taking 12th century cathedral.

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St Davids Cathedral hosts a number of atmospheric concerts and is a beautiful place to explore it's important history. 

Find Bishops Palace; stunning Gothic ruins that are often the dramatic backdrop to summer open air performances! 
Oriel Y Parc Gallery in St Davids has a variety of displays from national collections. From St Davids you can take boat trips to Ramsey, Grassholm, Skomer & Skokholm islands, where you can get up close with wildlife such as puffins, gannets, whales & dolphins!

Gorgeous hand-crafted real ales, taste tours & live music events!

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 A family run brewery situated on a working farm in the foothills of the Preseli mountains. Producing hand crafted real ales using their own spring water, uniquely filtered through the Preseli bluestones!

 

They have an on-site bar where you can relax and try out their produce and learn about the brewing process. Bluestone Brewery also host a variety of events, including; brewery tours, beer tasting, live music, stand up comedy & feast evenings!

Cenarth is an enchanting village that borders Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire & Ceredigion.

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​The heart of the village is Cenarth falls, a stunning cascade of waterfalls which are famous for the salmons leap in autumn.

 

The National Coracle ( a unique round fishing boat of the area) Centre overlooks the falls, set in a 13th century flour mill. Cenarth has two delightful pubs, and a tearooms.

You can enjoy a beautiful woodland walk from the falls along the Teifi river and do a wild dip in the water pool further upstream.

A bustling market town packed with independent shops, vibrant restaurants and a dramatic history!

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​Located on the river Teifi, which bends around the 13th century castle – where the last dragon in Wales is rumoured to have been killed! Enjoy a beautiful short walk that takes you along the river around the castle grounds.
You can also walk from Cenarth falls to Newcastle Emlyn! 

Only a mile from Top of the Woods, this remarkable ornamental grotto, completely covered (top-to-toe!) in beautiful intricate shells, is a folly indeed.

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Built in the late 1820’s by Morgan Jones in honour of his uncle; who Morgan inherited the Cilwendeg Estate is next door to Top of the Woods! 

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There are information boards which will let you discover the truly unique history of The Shell House and the Cilwendeg estate.

 

It’s open on Thursdays but you can visit and look from the outside any day!