There and Back

A `must visit` place in Pembrokeshire is the NT Stackpole estate which has some of the most stunning coastal views to be found anywhere. It’s difficult to imagine the many buildings that may have graced the Stackpole Court site over the centuries. Occupied since Norman times, the Stackpole Estate has seen its fair share of boom and bust over the centuries. The Campbells built the early Georgian mansion of Stackpole Court in the Palladian style in the 1730s on the site of the earlier fortified house. Two world wars heralded a century of decline at Stackpole. Half of the estate, around 6,000 acres, was requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence to form Castlemartin Range in 1938. Sir John Campbell II inherited the estate in 1777 and began landscaping work on a grand scale. What was once a valley was later flooded to create the Bosherston Lakes, as part of a designed landscape, and thousands of trees were planted. Thirteen years later, what was left of this historic estate was bro...

Pembrokeshire is one of our favourite places in the UK, and the small island of Skomer off the coast with it's amazing wildlife, an obvious attraction. So, with this in mind we booked a cottage in Little Haven which is an area we have stayed in before, and is not too distant from the embarkation point for the island. The weather did not look to promising when we arrived and was not much better on the Sunday, resulting in the cancellation of the ferry. Monday is a rest day which left us with fingers crossed for our last day of tuesday! Little Haven as we walked down the hill toward the village from our holiday cottage. On Broad Haven beach but not sure what this gate is for! Little Haven beach - such crowds! Some patterns in the sand. Settlands Beach and flowers taken on the path above as we walked between the two Havens. I just loved the colours against the fluffy clouds in the blue sky. Rosey contemp...

A `must visit` place in Pembrokeshire is the NT Stackpole estate which has some of the most stunning coastal views to be found anywhere. It’s difficult to imagine the many buildings that may have graced the Stackpole Court site over the centuries. Occupied since Norman times, the Stackpole Estate has seen its fair share of boom and bust over the centuries. The Campbell's built the early Georgian mansion of Stackpole Court in the Palladian style in the 1730s on the site of the earlier fortified house. Two world wars heralded a century of decline at Stackpole. Half of the estate, around 6,000 acres, was requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence to form Castlemartin Range in 1938. Sir John Campbell II inherited the estate in 1777 and began landscaping work on a grand scale. What was once a valley was later flooded to create the Bosherston Lakes, as part of a designed landscape, and thousands of trees were planted. Thirteen years later, what was left of this historic estate ...

We found the cottage, which is a part of a converted farm building, in a gloriously quiet area, just up from Little Haven. We are opposite the owners farmhouse, and it's idyllic! Our holiday cottage in Broad Haven ... and part of the garden, leading to some woods. One wind bent tree seen one late afternoon in the woods near our cottage  Looking across Broad Haven beach from the war memorial.  Saturday, our first full day, we took a walk from Broad Haven, near to where we were staying, to Little Haven – along the coastal path and back by the beach. Followed up with a really good fish & chip lunch. After lunch, a short drive north of Broad Haven beach and a walk back along the coastal path. Three Geocaches found for the day, including one Earth Cache. Not bad.  Broad Haven beach with ripples left by the retreating tide.  One of several caverns cut into the cliffs along this coast – this one was called the Fox...

St Anne`s Head protrudes from the bottom of Pembrokeshire - if you excuse the expression! This was the area we had decided to explore today, starting on the left side at Westdale Bay and making our way along the coast in an anti-clockwise direction. As with most bays and inlets, there was hardly another soul about. Westdale Bay - not a soul in sight. Wheatear sitting by the fence. Around the area of Frenchman's Bay with the beautiful rock formations. Wonderful rock formation at St Anne`s Point St. Ann’s Head Lighthouse was built in 1844 to guide shipping bound for Milford Haven, replacing two leading lights established in 1714. Trinity House approved in principal a private application to build a coal-fired light at St. Ann's Head in the second half of the 17th century to guide Milford-bound shipping; it was to be supported by voluntary payment of dues. However, the owners extracted dues illegally from shipowners and the ...