The Perfect 3 Days in Pembrokeshire
Walking along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, exploring Bosherston Lakes, eating fish and chips, swimming in the Blue Lagoon and relaxing on one of the many beautiful beaches. Here’s how to spend a fantastic 3 days in Pembrokeshire.
Arguably the most beautiful area in Wales, you could easily spend a couple of weeks here lapping up the sunshine on the beaches, walking the magnificent coastline, eating fresh seafood and escaping the pressures of daily life and getting back to nature.
However, Pembrokeshire is also great for a long weekend, as part of a road trip or as part of a larger trip before going on to somewhere else like the Wye Valley for a few days.
This 3 day Pembrokeshire itinerary doesn’t have to be done in this order but can be switched around to what suits you or depending on the weather but here’s how we spent our 3 days in Pembrokeshire.
3 Days in Pembrokeshire
Day 1 - Walk the Pembrokeshire Coast Path
For day 1 of your 3 days in Pembrokeshire, we’d recommend walking some of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Plan it for your first day so if the weather’s bad, you can swap it with another day.
The Pembrokeshire Coast Path has been described by Lonely Planet as one of the best long-distance trails in the world! It was our main reason for visiting the area and we were not disappointed!
Opened in 1970, the Pembrokeshire Coast Path was the first national trail in Wales. It runs from Saint Dogmaels in the north to Amroth in the south for 299 kilometres. It also makes up part of the Wales Coast Path which spans around Wales for 1400 kilometres!
The Pembrokeshire Coast Path is located inside Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and completing the trail in one go would take between 10 to 15 days.
There are many shorter walks to choose from ranging from short 1 kilometre-loops to longer, more challenging full-day hikes. If you’re up for a challenge and want to see a large portion of the trail and the diverse landscapes it encompasses, hike between Whitesands and Porthgain.
This 16-kilometre hike will lead you past picture-perfect beaches, secluded bays, dramatic limestone cliffs plummeting into the ocean, rolling red sandstone bays, volcanic headlands and flooded glacial valleys.
A great swimming stop en route is in Abereiddy. Here, you’ll find a pebbly beach and the stunning Blue Lagoon; a former slate quarry with piercing blue-green water!
Stop for a dip, or, if you’re feeling adventurous, book a coasteering tour and spend a couple of hours clambering over the rocks and jumping from the cliffs into the deep Blue Lagoon.
Once you’ve reached the little small coastal hamlet Porthgain, there are two restaurants to choose from. If you fancy a traditional pub lunch head to The Sloop Inn, or, if first-class fish and chips are what you’re after, check out The Shed (book in advance as this place is very popular!).
For our full Whitesands to Porthgain guide, click the link below.
Day 2 - Visit Stackpole, Pembroke and Freshwater West
For day 2 of your 3 days in Pembrokeshire, head south to Stackpole where there’s a 9-kilometre walk through a National Nature Reserve that takes in some of the best places to visit in Pembrokeshire.
About half of the walk is on a coast path with magnificent cliff-top scenery, jagged limestone peaks, secluded sandy beaches and vast open grassland.
Our Top Tip: if you’re looking for a quieter beach, check out Barafundle Bay. This beach is only accessible on foot from Stackpole so tends to have fewer people than most.
The second half of the walk you’ll head inland where the trail meanders its way around Bosherston Lily Ponds, across tiny stone bridges and up to panoramic viewpoints across the ponds.
Stackpole is absolutely teeming with wildlife year-round, in particular by the ponds. Bats, butterflies, herons, buzzards, wrens, owls, otters and so many more so keep your eyes peeled!
For our full guide to the Stackpole Wildlife Walk, click the link below:
After Stackpole, we’d recommend heading to Freshwater West; a wide sandy beach with the best surfing waves in Wales!
The beach is also backed by an extensive system of sand dunes and nestled away behind some of them is Dobby’s grave from the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows films.
Every year the memorial grows with fans leaving their own contributions such as messages on rocks, socks or other items of clothing. Although it’s a memorial for a fictional character, you can’t help but get a bit choked up!
Now it’s time for some fish and chips!
The place we’d recommend for fish and chips not far from Freshwater West is Rowlies in Pembroke. You’ll probably have to pass through Pembroke anyway to get back to where you’re staying so it makes sense to stop here and have a wander.
There are some seats and tables overlooking the River Pembroke and Pembroke Castle so come down here to enjoy them.
Day 3 - Explore St Davids
For the last of your 3 days in Pembrokeshire, explore St Davids; the UK’s smallest city. You’ll hardly believe it’s a city as you wander through its tiny streets and square. It definitely feels more like a village.
Firstly, head to St David’s Cathedral which dates back to the 6th century when St David founded a monastery here and trained missionaries to spread Christianity to Ireland.
Over the next four centuries, the monastery was raided numerous times, however, it was a site of such religious and intellectual importance that King Alfred summoned the help of the monastic community in St Davids in its rebuilding.
The cathedral we see today was constructed in 1181 and is thought to be the 4th to stand on this site. One of the first things you’ll notice as you enter the cathedral is the sloping ground and pillars due to the swampy ground the site is built on.
One of the best things to do in Pembrokeshire, if you time your visit right, is to browse the local stalls at St David’s Market. This market is on every Thursday in the heart of the city at Cross Square (City Hall in the winter months).
The stalls are full of locally produced crafts, souvenirs, food, drinks, artwork, plants and much more.
St David’s is full of cosy country pubs serving fresh, seasonal and local food so you absolutely must go for at least one pub meal during your time in Pembrokeshire.
The Farmer’s Arms has a beer garden sun trap with sweeping views of St David’s Cathedral, The Bishops is a cosy haven all year round and The Grove Hotel has a welcoming garden and serves a range of beers and fine wines.
If you have any more time, we’d recommend relaxing as it’s a busy few days. Head to either Whitesands or Newgale Beach and lap up the sun before you head off.
Everything Else You Need to Know
Where should I stay in Pembrokeshire?
We camped at Hendre Eynon Campsite which was small, clean and quiet. A perfect base to explore Pembrokeshire for families and couples. If you want a large campsite, check out Celtic Camping. This one’s ideal for larger groups of people and older families.
If you don’t fancy camping, check out hotels in St Davids.
How do I get around Pembrokeshire?
Pembrokeshire is quite tricky to get around without a car so if you don’t have one, we’d recommend renting one.
Alternatively, if this isn’t possible, you can use the Coastal Bus Service, though bear in mind the buses are few and far between and you’ll have to do some planning on timings.
Even if you have a car, you’ll need to use the bus for the Whitesands to Porthgain walk. We parked in St Davids and took the first Celtic Coaster bus at 8:25am to Whitesands. From Porthgain, we took the last Strumble Shuttle bus at 17:11 back to St Davids.
You may find there’s a bit of waiting around in Porthgain as there are only 3 buses a day to St Davids. You can pay either by cash or card and each bus was £1.50.
We hope you enjoyed our 3 days in Pembrokeshire guide, if you have any questions, leave a comment or get in contact 🙂
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