The area

Carreg Wen is located on the magnificent St. David's peninsula, a part of the world famed for its dramatic coastal scenery and the beauty of its National Park.

Once a magnet for pilgrims who sought out the early medieval cult centre of St. David’s, the area now draws visitors who return again and again to explore its wonderful sandy beaches, rugged cliffs and secluded rocky coves. The spectacular landscape also offers a wealth of rare habitats and species for the wildlife enthusiasts and provides a stunning backdrop for the many artists who’ve made this remote part of the world their home.

 

The perfect bolt-hole

If it’s peace and quiet you’re after, then Carreg Wen is an ideal spot to get away from it all. Sit in the sunroom with a book, switch on the Bose music system, and take in the coastal scenery from the comfort of the sofa there. Or simply enjoy it all from a chair on the terrace overlooking the lawn (a real sun-trap in the summer), where you can watch and listen to the wildlife without taking a step off the farm!

 

Take a walk on the wild side

Or if you'd rather have your breath taken away by something a little more physical then at the end of a 400 metre footpath (which you can join just a minute from the house) you have direct access to the 186 mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Take a short stroll to the wonderful Solva harbour, or walk the entire path – it’ll take you between ten and fifteen days. Regularly voted one of the finest stretches of coastline in the world, it is just a five minute stroll from the farm.

 

If it’s a family holiday you’re after then you need go no further than the area’s many unspoiled local beaches: Whitesands, Newgale, Caerfai, Nolton Haven, the list is endless. Build sandcastles, drag your fishing nets through the rockpools or play cricket on the beach at Whitesands, try surfing at Newgale, horseriding near Nolton Haven, or maybe take a boat trip to the islands of Skomer and Ramsey and spot the Atlantic grey seals and puffins. For the younger ones, crabbing in Solva harbour is also a highlight.

 

If it’s a rainy day then you can always head to the Blue Lagoon waterpark at the Bluestone National Park resort, Oakwood theme park or the very popular Folly Farm, where you can enjoy a great day out with the children.

 

For the teenagers and more adventurous, you can have a go at kitesurfing; sea kayaking; rock climbing; or get immersed in the world of coasteering, pioneered in Pembrokeshire and now offering award-winning days out where you can scramble, climb, swim and cliff jump your way around the spectacular rocky coastline.

 

Foodies are also especially well catered for in Pembrokeshire. Solva village, with its galleries, crafts and cafes is just a minute away (by car) and ten minutes in the other direction is Britain's smallest city – St David’s – where you can try delicious locally produced food, soak up the relaxed atmosphere and visit the world famous cathedral.

Top Ten Tips
  1. Admire the incredible view from the ‘g & t’ spot on the lawn with only the birds for company
  2. Get to know Solva – leave the car at Carreg Wen and walk there along the coast path to try your hand at crabbing on the quayside
  3. Take a stroll along the two miles of beach at Newgale, recently voted one of the ‘50 hotspots for lovers’ by the Independent newspaper
  4. Spoil yourselves in the area’s many restaurants and gastropubs, including the Cambrian in Solva which is an easy walk away from the house
  5. Draw the curtains, light the fire, cwtch up on the sofa with a glass of wine and watch a DVD after a day of fresh air
  6. Pull on your walking boots and get onto the stunning Pembrokeshire Coast path. If you're lucky you'll see seals and even porpoises on your walk
  7. Pop into Ma Simes’ Surf Shack in St David’s and book yourself a surf lesson at the glorious Whitesands beach
  8. If that’s not adventure enough try your hand at kitesurfing or at coasteering in the place that invented it
  9. Visit the historic (and tiny) city of St David’s with its cathedral built on the site of the 6th century monastery of Wales’ patron saint
  10. Explore the local galleries and see how this beautiful landscape has inspired so many artists. View the work of the late John Knapp Fisher in Croesgoch, while Chris Neale is just outside Mathry. Don’t forget the summer exhibition every year in St David’s where you can snap up a bargain