Five Days on the Pembrokeshire Coast: A Wildlife Fanatic's Pilgrimage

By Marcus Chen

I'll be blunt: I came to Pembrokeshire for the puffins. Everything else—the cliff walks, the Celtic ruins, the suspiciously good seafood—was supposed to be filler between seabird encounters. By day three, I realized I'd underestimated this place badly. Britain's only coastal national park doesn't just "protect" 186 miles of coastline; it hoards some of the most absurd wildlife densities in Western Europe. Three hundred and fifty thousand pairs of Manx shearwaters nest on a single island. That's not a typo. The entire population returns to Skomer at night in spring, and if you camp nearby, you can hear them—not see them, hear them—swarming overhead like a feathery hurricane.

This itinerary assumes you're here to actually do things, not tick boxes. I've included the puffins (obviously), but also the walks where you won't see another human for hours, the beaches that require genuine effort to reach, and the restaurants where locals actually eat. I've done this trip three times now, tweaking the route each visit. What follows is the version I'd send my closest friends.

When to Go: The Spring Window

March through May is your sweet spot. The summer crowds haven't arrived yet, the puffins are back on Skomer from mid-April, and the coastal path isn't a conga line of hiking poles and Gore-Tex. Yes, the water's cold—10-12°C if you're masochistic enough to swim—but the trade-off is empty beaches and accommodation you can actually book without selling organs.

The Reality Check:

May is puffin prime time. The birds return mid-April, but by May they're settled, breeding, and approachable. June onwards and you're sharing the island with selfie sticks.
Weather is a suggestion, not a promise. I've had hail in April and t-shirt weather in March. Pack for four seasons in one day.
Book Skomer now. Not tomorrow. Now. The boat limits are strict and weekend slots vanish weeks ahead.

Getting Your Bearings

Pembrokeshire is not "on the way" to anywhere. It's a deliberate detour, a thumb of Wales jutting into the Irish Sea. The nearest motorway is an hour east, and that's the point. You can fly to Cardiff and drive (2.5 hours), or take the train to Haverfordwest, but realistically, you need a car. Public transport exists—there are buses on some days, sometimes—but you're here for remote coastlines. Embrace the independence.

Car Rental Reality: Book early and small. The lanes here were built for sheep, not SUVs. I've seen German tourists in Range Rovers reverse half a mile because they met a tractor at a bottleneck near Marloes.

Day 1: Barafundle Bay and the Art of Effort

Morning: The Walk to Barafundle (9:00 AM)

The Harsh Truth: Barafundle Bay is not a secret. It's regularly voted "Britain's best beach" by magazines that measure these things, which means on a sunny Saturday in July, it looks like Bournemouth. In spring, though—specifically a Tuesday in April—you might share it with a dog walker and a determined German family.

Getting There (The Real Way): Park at Stackpole Quay National Trust Car Park (SA71 5LS, £6 all day, free for NT members). Ignore the temptation to park closer at Broad Haven South. The 20-minute walk from the quay is the point—the approach through pines, the first glimpse of turquoise between the trees, the realization that yes, the water really is that color.

GPS Pin: 51.6156°N, -4.9083°W

The path involves steps. Quite a few. If you have mobility issues, this isn't your beach—Broad Haven South is accessible and almost as good. For everyone else, the minor exertion acts as a filter; the less committed don't bother.

The Beach Itself: Barafundle is a crescent of golden sand backed by dunes, enclosed by low limestone cliffs. No facilities. No ice cream truck. Just sand, sea, and whatever you carried in. The National Trust owns it, which explains the absence of development.

What to Actually Do:

Rock pool at the eastern end at low tide. Bring a net if you have kids, or just patience. I've seen blennies, shore crabs, and once, a small octopus that I still think about.
Swim if you're brave. The cold is shocking for exactly four seconds, then your skin goes numb and it's fine. Probably. I make no medical claims.
Walk west along the coast path toward Broad Haven South. The cliffs here are low enough to scramble down in places, and you'll find smaller coves where you're genuinely alone.

Practicalities:

Arrive before 10 AM on spring weekends. The car park fills by 11.
Bring everything. Water, food, sun cream (no shade), a windbreaker (it can turn cold fast).
Check tides. Some sections of cliff become impassable at high water.

Lunch: Stackpole Quay (1:00 PM)

The Boathouse Tea Room (01646 672460, 10 AM–5 PM daily) occupies the actual 18th-century boathouse. It's not trying to be fancy, which is refreshing. The Welsh cakes are homemade, the soup is decent, and you can sit outside watching the tiny harbor.

Cost: £8-12 for lunch, £6-8 for cream tea.

Alternative: Pack a picnic and eat on the rocks above the quay. The café closes in winter and sometimes has random off-days in shoulder season. Don't rely on it.

Afternoon: Bosherston Lakes and the Lily Ponds (3:00 PM)

The Stackpole Estate is National Trust land, free to wander. The Bosherston Lakes were created in the 18th century by some aristocrat with too much time and money, damming streams to create a series of artificial ponds. They're now a wildlife haven—otters, kingfishers, waterfowl.

The Walk: A flat, 2-mile loop circles the main lake. There's a causeway across the center, and in June/July, it's famously covered in white water lilies. In spring, you get buds and early flowers, plus the satisfaction of not fighting through summer crowds at the bird hides.

Bird Hide Specifics:

Eastern hide: Best for waterfowl, particularly in morning light.
Western hide: Views across the lily beds, better in afternoon.

I've seen otters here twice, both times early morning. They don't perform on schedule.

Evening: Stackpole Inn (7:00 PM)

The Stackpole Inn (01646 672324, stackpoleinn.co.uk) is a genuinely good gastro-pub, not a village pub pretending to be one. The menu changes seasonally, but the Pembrokeshire crab is usually excellent, and they stock serious Welsh craft beer—not just the mass-market stuff.

Cost: Mains £18-28. Booking recommended for dinner.

The Honest Assessment: It's popular for good reason, which means it can feel busy. If you want somewhere quieter, The Kings Arms in Pembroke (15-minute drive) is less polished but more pub-like, with a better selection of local ales and a locals' atmosphere.

Sleep: The Stackpole Inn has rooms above the pub (£130-180/night, B&B). They're comfortable, clean, and you can't beat the location for an early start tomorrow.

Day 2: Skomer Island or Bust

The Full Disclosure

Everything about today depends on getting to Skomer Island. If the boats aren't running—too windy, too rough, mechanical issue—your plans collapse. Check the Dale Sailing website (or call 01646 603110) the evening before, then again at 8 AM. They update conditions religiously.

Booking is non-negotiable. The boats are small, the demand is high, and "just turning up" hasn't worked since approximately 2015. Book at welshwildlife.org weeks ahead for weekends. Midweek in spring, you might get lucky with a few days' notice, but don't count on it.

The Logistics:

Departure: Martin's Haven, Marloes (SA62 3BJ)
Cost: £15 landing fee + £12 boat fare (adults), cash or card
Times: First boat 10 AM, then hourly depending on demand
Crossing: 15-20 minutes of potential seasickness

Arrive 30 minutes early. The walk from car park to boat is 10 minutes down a steep lane. If you're prone to motion sickness, take tablets before you leave the car. The crossing can be choppy even on relatively calm days.

On the Island (10:30 AM – 4:00 PM)

Skomer by Numbers:

730 acres
~6,000 breeding puffin pairs
350,000+ Manx shearwater pairs (the world's largest colony)
Zero shops, cafés, or shelters beyond a basic toilet block

The Puffins: They arrive mid-April and immediately start looking ridiculous. By May, they're in full breeding plumage—those technicolor beaks, the orange legs, the awkward waddle. Skomer's puffins are remarkably tame. Sit quietly on the cliff path at The Wick and they'll walk within meters, sometimes closer.

Photography Reality: You don't need a massive lens. A 70-200mm is plenty; I've shot perfectly good puffin portraits on a 24-70mm because they came so close. What you need is patience and a willingness to sit still.

The Walking Route: The marked circuit is 3 miles and takes most people 3-4 hours with stops. It's not strenuous, but it's uneven—rabbit burrows, rocky sections, slopes. Sturdy boots, not trainers.

Key Stops:

The Wick: The famous puffin spot. Gets busy by midday; go early or late.
The Neck: Narrow isthmus, puffin burrows on both sides, fewer people.
North Haven: Good for seabirds flying in with fish.
The Old Farm: Picnic tables, some shelter, the only real gathering point.

What Else Lives Here:

Manx shearwaters: You'll see them at dusk if you stay nearby, not during the day.
Razorbills and guillemots: On the cliffs in thousands.
Short-eared owls: Hunt over the island during daylight—I've seen three in one visit.
Seals: In the water around the island, occasionally hauled out.

What to Bring:

Packed lunch and plenty of water (no food for sale)
Binoculars (essential)
Camera
Warm layers (windy, even in sun)
Sun protection (zero shade)
Cash for the boat (sometimes card readers fail)

What Not to Do:

Don't stray off paths. The burrows collapse easily, killing the birds inside.
Don't bring dogs. They're not allowed, full stop.
Don't underestimate the weather. I've seen people in shorts shivering by noon.

Late Afternoon: Marloes Peninsula (4:30 PM)

Back on the mainland, drive 5 minutes to Marloes Sands car park (National Trust, £5/day). The beach here is vast at low tide—over a mile of sand backed by red sandstone cliffs. Church Rock stands offshore, a dramatic sea stack that dominates photos.

The Tide Warning: Marloes Sands completely disappears at high tide. Check times before you walk down. Getting trapped means a long scramble up cliffs or a wait of hours.

The Deer Park Walk: From the car park, a 4-mile loop takes you around Marloes Deer Park (never actually a deer park, just an Iron Age promontory fort). The headland gives panoramic views to Skomer, Skokholm, and distant Grassholm. I've watched seals here for an hour without seeing another person.

Evening: The Lobster Pot (7:00 PM)

The Lobster Pot (01646 636474, thelobsterpotmarloes.co.uk) is a 10-minute drive from Marloes, and it's worth every minute. This is not a fancy restaurant pretending to be rustic; it's a genuinely unpretentious place that happens to serve some of the best seafood in Wales.

The Truth: The menu depends entirely on the morning's catch. If they have lobster, order it. If they have crab, order it. The seafood platter is generous, the lobster thermidor is classic, and the service is warm without being performative.

Cost: Mains £20-32. Booking absolutely essential—they're small and popular.

Sleep: Runwayskiln Farm Cottages (01646 636488, runwayskiln.co.uk, £120-200/night) offers converted farm buildings near Marloes. Self-catering, peaceful, perfect for early Skomer starts.

Day 3: St Davids and the Smallest City in Britain

Morning: Cathedral and Context (9:00 AM)

St Davids has city status because of its cathedral, not its size. Population: under 2,000. It's essentially a village with delusions of grandeur, which makes it oddly charming. The cathedral sits hidden in a valley, invisible from the sea—a deliberate choice when Vikings were a concern.

St Davids Cathedral (SA62 6RD, free entry, donations welcome, 9 AM–5 PM):

The nave ceiling is Irish oak, installed in the 16th century.
The choir stalls have medieval misericords—carved ledges for monks to lean on during long services.
The shrine of St David was restored; the original was destroyed during the Reformation.
The treasury (£5) contains religious artifacts and a few genuinely interesting illuminated manuscripts.
The tower climb (£4, 133 steps) gives panoramic views if your legs are willing.

Free guided tours run at 11 AM and 2 PM. The guides know their stuff; I've learned something new each visit.

Bishop's Palace (adjacent, £6.50 adults, Cadw property): The ruins are impressive—13th and 14th-century stonework, elaborate carvings, a sense of medieval wealth and power. It's worth the entry fee if you're interested in architecture or history.

The City Itself: Spend an hour wandering. Cross Square is the center, surrounded by independent shops and cafés. The Pebbles leads to the cathedral, lined with craft shops that are actually worth browsing. Oriel y Parc (free, 10 AM–4 PM) is a National Park visitor center with a decent gallery of Pembrokeshire-inspired art.

Lunch: The Farmers Arms (1:00 PM)

The Farmers Arms (01437 720508, Goat Street) is a proper pub. No gastro-pretensions, just solid Welsh food, local ales (try the Cwrw if it's on), and a beer garden for sunny days. The Welsh cawl is hearty, the cheese board features local Pembrokeshire cheeses, and the atmosphere is genuinely local.

Cost: Mains £13-19.

Afternoon: Ramsey Island RIB Safari (3:00 PM)

Ramsey Island is an RSPB reserve, and landing requires advance booking that's increasingly hard to get. The alternative—a RIB safari from St Justinians—is, honestly, more fun.

Thousand Islands Expeditions (01437 721721, thousandislands.co.uk) runs 2-hour trips for £45. You blast out through Ramsey Sound in a rigid inflatable boat, hitting speeds that count as thrilling, then slow down to watch wildlife.

What You See:

The Bitches: A notorious tidal race between Ramsey and the mainland. The water boils and churns; it's genuinely impressive.
Seabird cliffs: Thousands of guillemots, razorbills, and kittiwakes. The noise and smell are intense.
Seals: Ramsey has one of the largest grey seal breeding colonies in southern Britain. You'll see them hauled out on rocks.
Porpoises and dolphins: Regularly spotted in the sound. I've seen common dolphins on two of three trips.

The Reality: You will get wet. Not soaked, but splashed. They provide waterproofs and life jackets. If you have back problems or are pregnant, this isn't for you—the ride is bumpy.

Alternative: If you prefer solid ground, book a landing trip well ahead. It's £18 return plus £5 landing fee (RSPB members free), and you get 3-4 hours to walk the island's trails.

Evening: Cwtch Restaurant (7:30 PM)

Cwtch (pronounced "kutch," meaning a cuddle or safe place—01437 720871) is the best restaurant in St Davids. Not the most expensive, not the fanciest, just consistently excellent. The menu is contemporary Welsh, the seafood is local, and the atmosphere is relaxed.

Cost: Mains £18-26. Booking strongly recommended.

Sleep: Twr y Felin Hotel (01437 725555, twryfelinhotel.com, £180-280/night) is a contemporary art hotel in a converted windmill. Walking distance to everything, genuinely stylish rooms.

Day 4: Tenby and Caldey Island

Morning: Tenby Old Town (9:00 AM)

Tenby is the postcard-perfect town of the trip—medieval walls, colorful Georgian houses, three beaches. It's also the most touristy, which means in August it's unbearable. In spring, though, it's lovely.

The Walls: Walk the surviving medieval walls for views over the harbor and beaches. The Five Arches gate is the most impressive section.

Tudor Merchant's House (Quay Hill, £7.50 adults, National Trust, 11 AM–4 PM Fri-Tue): A remarkably intact medieval townhouse. The furnished rooms show Tudor life convincingly, including the shop that once opened onto the street. It's small—45 minutes is plenty—but genuinely interesting.

The Beaches:

North Beach: Sheltered, sandy, good for swimming.
Castle Beach: Largest, views of St Catherine's Island.
Harbour Beach: Small but picturesque.

St Catherine's Island: Tidal access. The Victorian fort on top occasionally opens for tours—check locally. I've never bothered; the view from the beach is enough.

Lunch: The Sloop Inn (1:00 PM)

The Sloop (01834 842411, thesloop.co.uk) is Tenby's most famous pub, dating from the 18th century. The harborside location is the draw—watch fishing boats unload while you eat. The crab sandwich is good, the fish and chips are decent, and the atmosphere is lively.

Cost: Mains £14-20.

Afternoon: Caldey Island (3:00 PM)

Caldey Island is home to a community of Cistercian monks who've been there, in various forms, for 1,500 years. It's only accessible by boat from Tenby, which creates a self-selecting visitor base—you have to make an effort to get there.

The Boats:

Departure: Tenby Harbour
Cost: £14 return (adults)
Times: 10 AM–3 PM departures, returns 11 AM–4 PM
Season: Easter to October only
Phone: 01834 844453 or caldey-island.co.uk

What to See:

Caldey Abbey: Modern church (early 20th century) with an Italianate tower. Services are open to visitors; dress modestly.
St Illtud's Church: Tiny medieval church with a 6th-century Celtic cross in the churchyard.
The monastery shop: Monks make chocolate, perfume, and shortbread. It's good quality, reasonably priced, and the proceeds support the monastery.
The post office: The most westerly in Wales. Send a postcard with the Caldey postmark.

The Island Walk: A 2-mile circular path takes 1.5 hours. It passes Redberry Bay (secluded cove), Priory Bay (main beach, swimmable), and through woodland where red squirrels live. I've never seen the squirrels, but I keep looking.

Important:

No dogs allowed.
Bring cash—the shop doesn't take cards.
The island is closed on Sundays.

Evening: Coast Restaurant (7:30 PM)

Coast (01834 842227, coasttenby.co.uk) is the splurge meal of the trip. It holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand and serves genuinely creative food based on local seafood. The tasting menu (£65) with wine pairing is the full experience, but à la carte is available.

Cost: Mains £26-34, tasting menu £65.

Alternative: The Bay Tree (01834 842283) is less expensive, less formal, and very good. Contemporary Welsh cooking in a Georgian townhouse.

Sleep: The Park Hotel (01834 842501, parkhoteltenby.co.uk, £140-220/night) is a Victorian hotel with views over North Beach. Old-fashioned in a good way.

Day 5: The Preseli Hills and Ancient Stones

Morning: Pentre Ifan (9:00 AM)

On your final day, head inland to the Preseli Hills, the source of Stonehenge's bluestones. Pentre Ifan (SA41 3TZ, free, small layby parking) is Wales' largest and best-preserved Neolithic dolmen—essentially a massive stone doorway to a burial chamber that lost its earth mound millennia ago.

The Monument: A 16-tonne capstone balanced on three uprights, pointing toward the Nevern Valley. Built around 3,500 BC, it's older than Stonehenge. The engineering is genuinely impressive—how they lifted that capstone remains debated.

The Atmosphere: Visit early, and you might be alone. There's something genuinely moving about standing beside stones that have been here for five millennia. The views across the hills to the coast are excellent, especially with spring wildflowers.

Mid-Morning: Foel Eryr Walk (11:00 AM)

From Bwlch Gwynt car park (free, between Crymych and Crosswell on B4329), walk to the summit of Foel Eryr (468m). The route is 3 miles round trip, taking 2 hours.

What You'll See:

Bluestone outcrops: The spotted dolerite that was carted 180 miles to Wiltshire.
Wild ponies: Herds of Welsh mountain ponies graze the hills.
Views: On clear days, Snowdonia to the north, the Pembrokeshire coast to the south.
Carn Menyn: The specific quarry where the Stonehenge stones came from.

Spring Specifics: The moorland is patchwork with heather, gorse, and bilberry. Red kites and buzzards circle overhead. Lambs everywhere. It's properly wild—no cafes, no gift shops, just landscape.

Lunch: The Golden Lion, Newport (2:00 PM)

The Golden Lion (01239 820321, East Street, Newport) is a traditional pub at the foot of the Preselis. The Welsh rarebit is excellent, the local lamb is local, and they serve proper Pembrokeshire ales. It's unpretentious, friendly, and exactly what you want after a moorland walk.

Cost: Mains £13-19.

Afternoon: Newport Sands (4:00 PM)

End your trip at Newport Sands (Traeth Mawr, SA42 0XR, £5 all-day parking at Newport Parrog). It's a mile-long beach at low tide, backed by dunes and the Nevern Estuary. This is where Pembrokeshire feels most like itself—quiet, uncommercial, beautiful without trying.

The Estuary: Wading birds—oystercatchers, curlews, redshanks—feed in the shallows. I've seen seals here regularly, often close to shore.

Dinas Head Walk: If you have energy left, the 3-mile circular around Dinas Head (1.5 hours) offers coastal views and seabird colonies.

Farewell Dinner: Llys Meddyg (7:30 PM)

Llys Meddyg (01239 820008, llysmeddyg.com) is my favorite restaurant in Pembrokeshire. It's in a Georgian townhouse in Newport, serves modern Welsh food with serious attention to foraged ingredients, and has a warm, unpretentious atmosphere. The Preseli lamb is exceptional, the seaweed dishes are genuinely interesting, and the tasting menu is worth the time.

Cost: Mains £22-32.

Practicalities: The Boring but Essential Stuff

Weather and Packing

Spring Reality:

March: 8-12°C, unpredictable
April: 10-14°C, improving
May: 13-17°C, often lovely

Pack:

Waterproof jacket (non-negotiable)
Warm fleece
Walking boots (ankle support essential—coast path is rocky)
Trainers (for beach)
Sun hat and sun cream
Warm hat and gloves (for boat trips and wind)
Binoculars (essential for wildlife)
Cash (many car parks and island facilities are cash-only)

Safety

Emergency: 999 or 112. Coastguard: 999, ask for Coastguard.

Coastal Specifics:

Check tides before beach walks. Some areas cut off completely.
Never turn your back on the sea. Waves are unpredictable.
Stay on marked paths near cliffs.
Mobile signal is patchy. Tell someone your route.

Wildlife Etiquette:

Stay on paths on Skomer. Burrows collapse.
Keep dogs on leads near wildlife.
Don't approach seals closely. They bite.
Take all litter home.

Costs Summary

Daily Budget (per person, excluding accommodation):

Frugal: £40-60 (self-catering, one pub meal, free activities)
Moderate: £70-100 (café lunches, restaurant dinner, paid attractions)
Comfortable: £120-150 (good restaurants, boat trips, taxi occasionally)

Accommodation:

Budget (YHA, camping): £15-30/night
Mid-range (B&Bs, pubs): £100-180/night
Luxury (hotels): £200+/night

Final Thoughts

Pembrokeshire rewards effort. The best beaches require walks. The best wildlife requires early starts and patience. The best experiences—sitting alone on a cliff watching shearwaters return at dusk, sharing a beach with seals, hearing nothing but wind and waves—come from accepting that this place isn't trying to entertain you. It's just here, as it has been for millennia.

I've been three times, and I'm already planning a fourth. There's still a beach I haven't reached, a cove I haven't explored, a dawn walk I haven't taken. That's the thing about this coastline—it doesn't reveal itself all at once. It makes you work for it. And the work is worth every blister, every early morning, every rain-drenched hour.

See you on the coast path.

—Marcus Chen