Things to do in Pembrokeshire

Built in 1270 by Nicholas de Carew the castle had its origins in a stone keep built around 1100. Due to the family's financial difficulties, in the 15th century the castle fell into the hands of Rhys ap Thomas who extended the castle with luxurious apartments. Due to conflict the castle became Crown property in 1531 and 1592 but was re-purchased by the de Carew family in 1607. During the English Civil War the castle changed hands three times, returning to the de Carew family in 1686. From 1984 Cadw has carried out substantial restoration to the castle.

Spectacular castle that wasn’t quite as secure as the Normans hoped Cilgerran is one of the most spectacularly sited castles in Wales. Its two great round towers loom high above the deep gorge of the River Teifi and the fast-flowing stream of the Plysog. The perfect spot, you might have thought, from which the invading Anglo-Normans could defend their newly conquered lands. Take the thrilling wall-walk from the east tower to understand just what a daunting obstacle it must have presented to the rulers of the ancient kingdom of Deheubarth. But it wasn’t quite impregnable enough. Probably first built as a ‘ringwork’ castle in 1108 by the Norman adventurer Gerald of Windsor, Cilgerran changed hands many times over the next century or more. It was only in 1223 when the dashing earl of Pembroke, William Marshal, built ‘an ornate castle of mortar and stones’ on top of the original site that Norman control stood firm. Despite the best efforts of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and Owain Glyndŵr, Cilgerran never again fell to the Welsh.

Folly Farm near Begelly in Pembrokeshire is one of Wales's most popular family attraction destinations, combining a working farm, zoo, adventure playground and seaside-themed entertainment area within a single comprehensive day out. The attraction hosts a wide range of animals including big cats, giraffes and penguins alongside farm animals and working farm demonstrations. Investment in new exhibits and rides over the years has made Folly Farm a destination that occupies visitors of different ages for a full day throughout the year. The attraction is situated close to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, with nearby beaches at Saundersfoot and Tenby, the medieval castle town of Pembroke and the Preseli Hills bluestone quarries all providing additional day trip options.

Haverfordwest Castle is a substantial medieval castle dominating the skyline above the county town of Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire, one of the more complete medieval castle complexes in south Wales despite its largely ruinous condition. Founded in the twelfth century and extended over several centuries of use as a royal stronghold, military garrison and county gaol, the castle occupies a commanding hilltop position above the Western Cleddau river with panoramic views over the town and surrounding countryside. The castle now houses the town museum presenting the archaeology and history of Pembrokeshire from prehistoric times to the nineteenth century, providing one of the best introductions to the remarkable heritage of this diverse county. Haverfordwest is the main service centre for Pembrokeshire and is well placed for exploring the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

Mighty medieval castle, Tudor mansion and poet’s hideout This is the ‘brown as owls’ castle beloved of Dylan Thomas, Laugharne’s most famous resident. He wrote Portrait of the Artist as a Young Dog in the castle summerhouse perched above glorious views of the Taf estuary. Here two giant medieval stone towers stand guard over the remains of a magnificent Tudor mansion, all set in 19th century ornamental gardens. After centuries of conflict between Welsh and Anglo-Normans, Laugharne was rescued from near ruin by Elizabethan courtier Sir John Perrot. He turned the dilapidated 13th-century castle into a residence fit for a gentleman, including a grand hall whose gaping windows still stare out over the water. But his rapid rise had made him many enemies – and even the rumour that he was really the queen’s half-brother couldn’t save him. Convicted of high treason, Sir John died in the Tower of London in 1592 while awaiting execution. Some believe he was poisoned just as Elizabeth was about pardon him.

Forgotten castle-cum-mansion that stays in the memory It’s worth taking the short detour off the busy A40 as you drive through Pembrokeshire to visit this little-known castle. Occupying a commanding location amongst serene forest and rolling farmland, Llawhaden’s unconventional mix of military and decorative features reveal its main purpose in life: that of a fortified mansion more than out-and-out castle, designed as a residence for the wealthy bishops of St Davids who liked their home comforts. The site had seen much active service before being reconstructed along its present lines in the 14th century by Bishop David Martin. There were private apartments, a courtyard, lodgings for guests and quarters for a permanent garrison. Most impressive of all is the front of the gatehouse, added in the later 14th century, still standing to its full height.

Odo de Barri's original castle was fortified in stone by his son William de Barri in the early 12th century. In 1645 the castle was siezed by Parliamentarian forces and slighted to prevent further use by the Royalists. Left to decay in the 17th and 18th centuries the castle was partially restored in 1880 by its tennant J.R Cobb.

Narberth Castle is a ruined thirteenth-century stone castle in the centre of Narberth town in Pembrokeshire, associated with the Mortimer family and part of the Anglo-Norman network of fortifications controlling south Pembrokeshire. Narberth appears in the ancient Welsh legends of the Mabinogion as the court of Pwyll, prince of Dyfed, giving the site an additional layer of mythological significance. The castle ruins of towers and curtain wall fragments occupy a raised position above the town centre. Narberth today is a thriving market town known for its independent food shops, galleries and restaurants that have made it something of a culinary destination in Pembrokeshire, within easy reach of the national park's spectacular coastline.

Pembroke Castle is the finest medieval castle in Wales, a great natural fortress on a tidal peninsula above the Pembroke River whose massive round keep, the largest and best preserved in Britain, and extensive circuit of walls and towers make it one of the most imposing and most complete castle complexes in the country. The castle was the birthplace in 1457 of Henry Tudor, later Henry VII, the founder of the Tudor dynasty whose claim to the English throne and subsequent victory at Bosworth in 1485 ended the Wars of the Roses and began the Tudor century that produced his son Henry VIII and granddaughter Elizabeth I. The castle's Norman origins lie in a wooden fortification built by Arnulf de Montgomery around 1093 at the southwestern extremity of his Welsh territory, exploiting the natural defensibility of the limestone peninsula for one of the earliest Norman strongholds in Wales. The stone castle that replaced it was developed primarily by William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, in the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries into one of the most powerful castle complexes in Britain. The great round keep that Marshal built around 1200, rising over 23 metres and with walls five metres thick at the base, is the finest surviving example of a great cylindrical keep in Britain and a masterpiece of early medieval military architecture. The castle was held by Cromwellian forces during the Civil War and subsequently besieged and damaged when the Royalists recaptured it in 1648, an event that gave the town of Pembroke the distinction of being the last town in England and Wales to hold out for the king. The castle's restoration and development as a visitor attraction in the twentieth century has preserved it as one of the most complete and most accessible medieval castle experiences in Wales. The medieval town of Pembroke, with its well-preserved town walls and medieval street pattern, provides an excellent architectural setting for the castle visit.

Picton Castle near Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire is a fourteenth-century castle that has been continuously occupied by the Philipps family since 1413, making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited castles in Wales. The medieval structure was substantially modified in the eighteenth century to create a comfortable Georgian country house while retaining the tower and corner turrets of the original medieval building. The castle is set within remarkable gardens extending to some 40 acres that include formal walled areas, woodland walks, a tropical garden and collections of rhododendrons and rare plants that make the Picton Castle gardens one of the finest in Wales. The garden and woodland are open to visitors and the castle itself is open by guided tour. The surrounding central Pembrokeshire landscape, with the Preseli Hills visible to the north and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park to the south and west, makes Picton an attractive heritage destination in the heart of the county.

Ramsey Island is a National Nature Reserve and RSPB reserve off the Pembrokeshire coast near St David's, separated from the mainland by the treacherous tidal races of Ramsey Sound. Covering approximately 650 acres, the island supports one of the largest grey seal colonies in the country, breeding choughs, peregrines and short-eared owls, and rare coastal grassland plants. The autumn seal pupping season when white-coated pups are born in the island's caves and beaches attracts considerable numbers of wildlife boat trips from St Justinian's on the nearby mainland. Boat trips to the island operate throughout the season allowing visitors to land and walk under RSPB supervision. The surrounding waters of Ramsey Sound are nationally renowned for wildlife boat trips offering observations of porpoises, dolphins, grey seals and seabirds.

Built by Adam de Rupe in the second half of the 12th century. The de Rupe family died out in the 15th century and it was taken over by the Walter family in the 17th century. During the English Civil War the castle changed hands twice and was burned by the Parliamentary forces in 1644. Left to decay, in 1900 John Phillipps, 1st Viscount St Davids purchased and partially restored the castle. In 2008 the Griffiths-Roch Foundation purchased the castle restored it into a luxury hotel.

Skomer Island is a National Nature Reserve and RSPB reserve off the Pembrokeshire coast, one of the most important seabird islands in the North Atlantic and the most accessible puffin colony in Britain. The island supports one of the largest puffin colonies in the UK, with around 360,000 pairs nesting in burrows across the clifftops and slopes each summer, alongside one of the largest Manx shearwater colonies in the world, with over 300,000 pairs nesting underground. Grey seals breed on the rocky shores in autumn, and the island also supports significant populations of short-eared owls, peregrines and various raptors and seabirds. Day trips to Skomer operate from Martin's Haven near Marloes from April to October, with limited overnight stays available. The extraordinary concentration of wildlife and the beautiful coastal setting make Skomer one of the finest wildlife destinations in Britain.

Tenby is one of the finest and most beautifully preserved medieval walled towns in Wales, situated on a rocky headland on the south Pembrokeshire coast with four beaches of exceptional quality and one of the most attractive townscapes in Britain. The medieval walls enclosing much of the historic town centre, though partially restored, remain substantially complete and give the town a distinctive enclosed character that sets it apart from most British seaside resorts. The colourful Georgian and Victorian terraces lining the medieval street plan, the harbour where fishing boats and pleasure craft mingle, the ruins of the Norman castle on the headland and the nearby Tudor Merchant's House together create a heritage townscape of considerable quality. Tenby has been a popular resort since the eighteenth century and continues to attract visitors drawn by its combination of medieval heritage, coastal beauty, seafood restaurants and the traditional seaside atmosphere that makes it one of the most quintessentially enjoyable towns in Wales.

Tenby Castle is a ruined twelfth-century Norman fortification on a rocky headland above Tenby Harbour in Pembrokeshire, commanding views over the harbour, the town's beaches and Caldey Island to the south. The castle remains form part of an exceptionally complete medieval townscape that also preserves the town walls enclosing much of the historic centre, the Tudor Merchant's House and a medieval street plan. Managed by Cadw, the headland provides the most dramatic viewpoint over the town and sea. Tenby itself is one of the most beautifully preserved medieval walled towns in Wales, its colourful Georgian and Victorian terraces, four quality beaches, picturesque harbour and vibrant cultural life making it consistently one of the most popular holiday destinations in Wales.