Solva Pembrokeshire
Solva is one of the most picturesque harbour villages on the Pembrokeshire coast, a small settlement tucked into a dramatic ria, a drowned river valley, that provides one of the most sheltered anchorages on the otherwise exposed south-facing section of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The combination of the winding harbour entrance, the colourful village buildings clustered above the tidal creek and the views from the clifftops above toward the open St Brides Bay creates a setting of considerable charm that has made Solva one of the most visited small destinations on this section of the coast. The harbour at Solva is formed by the drowned valley of the Western Cleddau stream, whose narrow entrance from the sea opens into the broader tidal pool below the village, providing shelter that made Solva an important trading harbour and a refuge for vessels on this exposed coast before the development of Milford Haven. The village developed as a trading community, and the lime kilns on the quayside, now preserved as heritage features, were used to process the limestone brought in by sea for agricultural use in the surrounding farming country. The coastal walking from Solva in both directions on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path provides excellent cliff scenery characteristic of the southwest Pembrokeshire coast, the volcanic rocks of this section giving a quite different geological character from the limestone further east. The clifftop above the harbour entrance provides the finest viewpoint for the overall setting of the village and the estuary below. The village has developed a quality arts and crafts tradition with several interesting galleries and studios, and the quality of accommodation and eating available in such a small place reflects the demanding standards of the visitors who return here year after year.