The Manor Town House
Perfect 2 Day Break
A short or weekend break is an excellent way to get some time out. Whether you are need of some rest and relaxation or maybe blue sky thinking, you don’t have to go anywhere near an airport to get a complete change of scene and culture. Only a minor indulgence really, but definitely a treat and something to look forward to.
So, what could be better than to pack a small bag, dig out your hiking books and head to Pembrokeshire? It offers spectacular scenery, fabulous local food along with a reviving, invigorating breath of fresh air.
Here is our edit of the most popular things enjoyed by our guests, and ourselves. Once you are back at the house, we hope you will find that our unique place to stay, (with the most comfortable beds!), has everything else you could wish for. Check our reviews
We think you are going to love it.
DAY OF ARRIVAL
After some warm Welsh cakes and pot of Chantler’s tea, we suggest taking it easy and to dine locally. We are very central so places to eat are very easy to reach, with only a minute’s walk there and back. Options are restaurant JT@3 or The Royal Oak pub and towards the end of the week there is Pepper’s bistro and Ffwrn for crepes / pizza / small plates of welsh and continental delicacies.
DAY 1 PLAN: Pembrokeshire Coastal Path from the North; dinner in Porthgain.
For your first morning, feel free to spoil yourself and make the most of being away by ordering room service breakfast, or if it’s warm enough, breakfast on the terrace? Breakfast is a special occasion with a different seasonal daily special as well as a wide selection of fruits, cereals and yoghurt. Vegan, vegetarian, gluten and dairy-free and Paleo diets are always accommodated, in addition to any allergies or special requirements. We are also quite proud of our freshly ground Welsh coffee beans and Fishguard produced loose leaf tea.
Today’s plan is to start North, in the direction of Newport and walk back to the house. Some guests like to catch one of the local coastal buses, (Poppit Rocket or the T5), to catch the path in Newport or at Dinas and then walk all the way back to Fishguard. Other guests are happier to drive to Pwllgwaelod, take the shorter walk around Dinas Head and take a more leisurely pace to explore the surrounding area. It’s worth mentioning that if you would rather not to carry a packed lunch, The Sailors pub in Pwllgwaelod is the perfect half way point for those walking the entire stretch. They serve fresh crab sandwiches in the summer and picnic tables to enjoy the spectacular views.
The walk around Dinas Head, is about an hour at normal pace, maybe add an extra 30mins for a gentler, ‘photographing pace’. Our children love this walk the most, probably because there’s a very obvious start, middle and end. Dinas Head is 142 metres or 465 feet above sea level. Once you have made the fairly steep climb, the rest is mostly a gentle top of the hill. Walking the route in a clockwise direction gives a great descent back down to Cwm-yr-Eglwys, with some breath-taking views towards Newport and way beyond. It is a popular location for spotting seals and birdlife, and the low-lying neck of land is all that secures National Trust owned Dinas ‘Island” and Cwm-yr-Eglwys to the mainland.
Later, back at the house, feel free to kick off your boots and rest your feet. Make yourself completely at home on the sea view terrace or cosy sofas and toasty fire. We have an easy-going honesty bar for a cooling refreshment or the MTH cream tea is always tempting.
For your second night, we suggest dining at The Shed in Porthgain. It’s about 20mins drive south along the coast to the quiet harbour, a former slate quarry where the Sloop pub is another popular choice. Many walkers pass through here in the summer off the Pembrokeshire coast path, either from St David’s or Strumble Head direction. Small is beautiful and The Shed’s cosy seafood bistro is always very popular year-round. There is a varied choice on the fish and chips menu, and a seasonal a la carte menu, featuring seafood and fresh fish, plus one meat and one vegan option. Fabulously accommodating and friendly, no matter how busy.
DAY 2 PLAN: Morning stroll around Fishguard; explore the coast south; visit to St David’s
Hopefully, you are feeling revived and full of the joys of Pembrokeshire. Maybe make the most of the day and take a pre-breakfast stroll down the hill to picturesque Fishguard Lower Town and up to the old Fishguard Fort. There are more wonderful views to behold over towards Cardigan Bay and even up to the Llyn Peninsula on a clear day. If you wander down to the end of the quay in the summer you might also see the catch of the day landing, likely to be enormous lobster and crab.
After a hearty breakfast, take a wander around town and collect your luggage later, if that’s easier. About town The Last Invasion Fishguard Tapestry situated in the Town Hall, was designed in the same style as the Bayeux Tapestry. Seventy-seven local people helped to make this 100ft depiction of the 1797 and last ever invasion of mainland Britain, when the French landed in Pembrokeshire.
Worth a visit, are the modern standing stones The Gorsedd Stone Circle. These were to mark the National Eisteddfod in 1936. The modern circle stands by Penslade, overlooking Fishguard’s old harbour, the scene used in 1972 as the backdrop for the film adaptation of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood, starring Sir Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor and Gregory Peck. And who thought Fishguard was just a Stenaline ferry port?
The West Wales Art Centre is a gallery exhibiting renowned artists such as David Tress and James Mckeown, Emily Gregory-Smith and Brian Horton amongst others. About town there’s a super independent bookshop Seaways, Wholefoods and Healing an excellent health food shop offering helpful dietary advice. The Gourmet Pig delicatessen and café sources Welsh and continental delicacies and has an especially great selection of local cheeses and craft ales.
Travelling southwards towards St David’s, the first diversion is a right turn on The St David’s Road, to Melin Tregwynt. This woollen mill near Aberbach beach and St Nicholas is completely tucked away, all the more remarkable then that this hidden gem sells its uniquely woven woollen blankets and goods, in high-end department stores all around the globe.
A bit nearer to St David’s and you will see another sign for a Woollen Mill. This is the Solva Woollen Mill, which claims to be Pembrokeshire’s oldest working mill. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall have visited the Solva Woollen Mill and used rugs from the mill in furnishing their property at Llwynywermod.
Once you reach St David’s, Britain’s smallest city, take a walk down to the cathedral and Bishops Palace. Just the very special view of these beautiful historical buildings on the approach, is worth a trip in itself. Although the town is tiny, don’t be surprised if you find yourself amongst the 2,500 daily visitors in the summer. The ice cream queues can take quite a while…
