How busy/crowded is Pembrokeshire? Beaches? Towns?

[roisin]

We've recently been to very quiet places (Isle of Mull), and are not fans of crowds. I tried to persuade dh to try Pembrokeshire next year, but he said it would be very crowded, and we've opted instead for a quiet corner of Ireland.

But I'd love to hear your Pembrokeshire reviews.

Tenby teaming

St Davids teaming

but not too hard to get off the beaten track on the coastal path, to marloes, marros, even barafundle because you have to walk

but nothing like isolation in summer hols

ah well that's fine timing roisin - we're just back from 2 weeks there (as is Wedgiesmum actually - you shd ask her!!). We stay in Tenby and we love it. I will say tho that the town can get quite busy. We stay in a cottage in town so we can go back there for peace and quiet but I guess if you are staying outside and go in for the day it would be a bit wearing.

Also we have previously gone just the 1st wk of hols, this yr went for 1st 2 weeks and found second week a lot busier, maybe because some schools etc don't break up 20th July but everyone is off by 27th? Or perhaps just because weather was better in 2nd week lol. Some days if we went out in the am and came back lunchtime we couldn't find a space in the car park we had a ticket for!

Beaches - the Pembs coast is soo soo lovely but beaches do get busy. However the kids really liked Barafundle Bay - I foolishly thought that as you have to walk over cliffs to it it would be deserted hah! Not so much. Not as bad as those piccies in brochures of Spain tho.

Tenby beaches are sooooo huge there is still a feeling of space, esp on cooler days! There are secluded coves (we found a good one) which maybe require a walk over farmland or are low-tide only.

Whitesands Bay and Freshwater West are fab for surfing and body boarding. Broadhaven is an enormous beach further round, also there is a small Broad Haven with an NT car park which I liked. Also busyish tho.

On the whole I don't find it anywhere near as busy as Cornwall, for example, but yes, a bit busier than the Isle of Mull I'm guessing.

Oh zippit yes you see I thought that about Barafundle re the walking. We had a lvoely day there tho despite more people that I had hoped. It was DD's favourite thing on the holiday.

I love Tenby - it feels like being in a 1950s Peter and Jane Go To The Seaside book, but yes, heaving.
Pembroke itself was much more pleasant but not so coastal.
We loved Freshie for the surfing and the dunes but the rocky bits of the beach at Manorbier are fun for poking in rock pools for crabs etc and the castle is a good afternoon's distraction.

I like Saudersfoot - not so busy as Tenby and really little more than a village but I haven't been there for years. Maybe its changed.

Suandersfoot is realy busy too

Freshwater east is an easy beach for access if you walk to the end and if the tide is right round the outcrop then it's quieter

Nice national trust beach at mwnt but also gets busy

if you can go in June it would be great

skrinkle used to be nice but it suffers from pollution i think

amroth is fun on a blustery day with crashing waves

Oh dear, it sounds as though dh is right! Mind you the place we're going to in Ireland we previously went to in a September, so maybe dh will be surprised how busy it is there.

Clary did you meet up with WM? She's coming with me to York in a couple of weeks' time.

yes we had a super afternoon with WM and I heard about the york visit

We went to Carew castle with her lot and DS2 was so happy as a nice chap called Richard taught him how to shoot with a bow and arrow.

He rode a horse the following week and now he thinks he is a knight.

We have been to very peaceful places in Pembrokeshire in August. Around Dale there are quiet beaches - one just the other side of Dale village, and Marloes beach just along the coast. Those villages are fairly low key too. Around Broad Haven there are some very quiet bays/beaches/villages too.

Tenby, Saundersfoot, Newgale, St Davids, Whitesands bay get the crowds but Pembrokeshire is a big area and it's not hard to get away from the crowds even in summer holiday season.

MUST be some very quiet places in pembrokshire as my dad likes it there and he is the most other-people-averse individual you have ever met