About my map of Pembrokeshire – a painting of the county in west Wales

There are so many interesting things to discover in Pembrokeshire. No wonder it’s such a popular destination for UK holidays! My hand painted map illustrates some of the features, settlements, history, geography and nature to be found in this beautiful county in the far south west of Wales.

It shows some of the many activities in which you can take part: sailing, kayaking, riding, hiking, biking, flying, diving, wildlife watching, surfing.

My map of Pembrokeshire charts my experience of the county

I first went to Pembrokeshire as a small child – my dad loved Wales – and I have returned numerous times over the years.

My first time seeing dolphins in UK waters was from Mwnt beach in about 1974. More recently, we have been going to Skomer in the puffin breeding season (April – late July) to enjoy that most unusual of things – a guaranteed wildlife experience. It’s also very easy to spot grey seals and gannets in Pembrokeshire. And in the summer guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, choughs, and stonechats abound! And very unusually a walrus spent some weeks at Tenby in 2021!

On holiday in 2003, my late friend Bec and I toured the ancient monuments of the county, including the dolmens Carreg Coetan Arthur and Carreg Samson. Just four years later, when she died, we discreet left a few of her ashes under a hedgerow at Pentre Ifan. These Neolithic monuments are all included on my map, as are some of the ancient features to be enjoyed on the Golden Road. The Golden Road is a 7 mile long ridgeway trail running along the running along the spine of the Preseli Hills. The trail takes in hillforts and ancient quarries, from where archaeologists believe Stonehenge’s famous bluestones were extracted. Did you spot two of our Neolithic ancestors hauling stones on my map?

Walking, weather and wildflowers

For my money, Pembrokeshire’s outstanding feature is its rugged and varied coastline. Dramatic cliffs and sheltered coves. Glorious beaches – some pebbly, some sandy. Endlessly changing views! Although hiking is, to me, a dangerous sport, even I am inspired to potter for along the the clifftops on the Pembrokeshire coastal path. You’ll encounter friendly people every step of the way – and every one seems to be out with their dog!

I prefer to get out into the landscape on horseback. I feel safe up there with four sturdy legs beneath me. And there are plenty of horses in Pembrokeshire. There are lots of places from which you can ride (I’ve illustrated myself). And there are many ponies living wild and free on the hillsides, including a small herd of appaloosas (spotted horses) on the hillsides south of Newport.

West Wales gets a lot of weather! But that’s hardly surprising when you’re a rocky peninsula sticking out into the north Atlantic. Nevertheless, in my mind’s eye, it’s always sunny. In the spring and summer, Pembrokeshire comes alive with wildflowers. The verges of the ancient narrow lanes burst into colour with primroses, campion, bluebells, foxgloves, poppies and more.

Where we stay

As a child we stayed in Tenby, but more recently I have been enchanted by North Pembrokeshire. A few years ago some friends moved to a charming bluestone cottage near Newport. Happily for us it has B & B annexes. So now we have somewhere familiar and welcoming to stay. I have, of course, illustrated this. We highly recommend Banc-Yr-Eithin. But don’t just take my word for it, guests consistently give both the cottage and vintage caravan at Banc-Yr-Eithin five-star reviews!

Notes on scale and language

Modern Welsh is derived from ancient Celtic Brittonic and has a rich and fascinating history. The beauty of the Welsh language is not lost on me. I had to make a decision when I began my painting as to language. If I had painted place names in both Welsh and English, the space taken up by painted text would have left little room for colourful and fun illustrations. There’s only so much room on a sheet of A1. So you get a bit of both. Ultimately, I am an English-speaking visitor to Pembrokeshire, and this is a painting of my experience.

As ever, with my hand painted schematic maps, nothing is to scale. If you want scale and topographical accuracy, reach for these maps from the Ordnance Survey instead.