|
One mile down from our cottages and hamlet along a quiet country
road is the attractive village of Trefin, located on the clifftops between
the famous harbours of Porthgain and beautiful Abercastle.
|
Click on an image to enlarge

Headland behind Trefin |
|
Trefin has its own cove on the edge of the village at Aberflyn,
with its numerous rock pools in this small sand and shingle beach which is
surrounded on three sides by rugged cliffs. The bay has its own special island
with a tunnel through which you can walk. Porthgain Harbour, about a mile
and a half from our cottages and south from Trefin is a thriving, small community
of fishermen. It also has a couple of artist's galleries, picturesque and
highly popular pub "The Sloop" with much praised bar food, and also a very 'bohemian' restaurant
called "The Shed" specialising in fish meals.
|

Aberflyn Bay, near Trefin |
|
The harbour is sandy-bottomed, and one of Pembrokeshire's finest
beaches lies just around the headland at Traethllyfn; it is owned by the
National Trust and enclosed by high cliffs with steps to the sand.
|

Traethllyfn beach |
|
Just a one mile walk from Traethllyfn along the coast (and less
than three miles from our cottages) is Aberreidy, a 'blue' sandy beach with
dramatic cliffs.
|

Aberreidy Bay |
|
The attractiveness of the scene offered by this location, previously
the home of quarrymen who have left an interesting legacy on the cliffs either
side of the beach, is extenuated by some really pretty colour-washed cottages
on the edge of the beach which must be the most painted scene in Wales, if
not in the United Kingdom. It seems as if every gallery in West Wales has pictures or paintings of this
scene and we ourselves own several.
|

Colour washed cottages |
|
On the Traethllyfn side of Aberreidy is the much admired Blue Lagoon
- once a slate quarry the walls of which have been breached by the sea.
Moving up the coast in the opposite direction from our cottages and from
Trefin is Abercastle (a little over one mile from our cottages as the crow
flies). This harbour is also home to some small fishing boats and there is
a sand and shingle beach.
|

The Blue Lagoon |
|
Just further on in the direction of Strumble Head, and yet only
a few minutes drive away from our cottages, are the two beaches of Abermawr
and Aberbach, adjacent to each other. Backing on to these two lovely, sandy,
quiet beaches is a wonderful valley with various picturesque cottages and
mills straddling a river heading out to the beach. There are numerous short
circular walks to be had in this area.
|

Abermawr Beach |
|
Then further north is Strumble Head with its magnificent lighthouse,
(the banner picture on this web site is that of Strumble Head from our
garden)
which takes you round to Fishguard, a busy small town (wth ferry to
Rosslaire,
Ireland and day trips only costing very little, 24 hour trips not much
more and 3 days hotel breaks extremely affordable), only 7 miles by the
direct route from our cottages. There are of course numerous further
local
beaches and bays, Whitesands (famous for its surfing) and Caerfai being
the
most popular, perhaps due to their being closer to St Davids.
|

Strumble Head |
|
By cutting across country rather than following the wonderful scenic
coast road, we are only 6 miles from Solva, a famed and much photographed
harbour with a couple of very nice pubs. In addition to enjoying the beaches,
coves, bays and harbours, there is of course the excellent coastal path,
one of the twelve National Trails of the United Kingdom, and some 187 miles
in length.
Sections of the Coastal Path can be easily walked, perhaps with
the aid of the excellent year round walkers' bus service which offers returns to the
starting point, thus avoiding the necessity of a walk back the way you went.
No matter how many times you walk this amazing , breathtaking path you will
never become bored with it.
|

Part of the Coastal Path |
|
The village of St Davids, just six miles away along a good but quiet road, (so less than 10 minutes)
boasts the impressive Cathedral (making this the smallest city in the United
Kingdom with a population of just 2,000); this Cathedral is rated by some as the country's most lovely.
For many the adjoining ruins of the Bishops Palace will be even more interesting.
|

St Davids - Bishops's Palace |
|
St Davids has numerous, shops, cafes, craft shops, galleries , a
pub, supermarket and several restaurants. There are numerous places from
which boat trips depart, particularly from the lifeboat station at St Justinians
near St Davids, one of the most popular trips being to Ramsey Island, a famous
RSPB bird sanctuary. The lifeboat station can be entered, and its worthy of a visit in its own right.
|

Waiting for the boat |
|
Ramsey Island offers superb 400 feet high cliff scenery, with dramatic
views of the Pembrokeshire coast from the islands two hills. The wildlife is
typical of an offshore island. There are extensive colonies of seals on the
beaches and coves below the cliffs, (incidentally the chances are that most
walks along the coastal path on the mainland near our cottages will bring
you close to seals basking on the rocky shoreline or wallowing in shallow
waters).
|

Wrecks from the coastal path |
|
We are also just off the route of the Saints and Stones taking you
through to numerous attractive small churches and archaelogical sites on the peninsula. The area
abounds with artists' studios, about three being within one mile of our cottages
alone. The famous Tregwynt Woollen Mills,
about five miles away also offer a tour and factory shop.
|

Butterfly on the coastal path |