Why visit Tenby?
DETAILS
Tenby
4.8 miles from the cottage
A traditional seaside resort
When we first visited Pembrokeshire we knew nothing of the area whatsoever. We’ve spent the last year or so exploring and discovering some absolute gems, most of which are within a 30 minute drive of Old Barn Cottage. Tenby is the largest town close to the cottage so perhaps it’s best to start here.
If you’re after the hustle and bustle of a holiday resort Tenby is perfect.
If you want to sample Artisan foods and eat out every evening Tenby has plenty to offer.
If it’s a stroll with sea views Tenby has plenty to show you.
If you’re after the quintessential UK seaside holiday Tenby most definitely should be on your list.
Tenby is a beautiful Victorian harbour town, with three stunning sandy beaches backed by pretty pastel houses up on the hill.
Other than the stunning beaches, there are many endearing qualities to Tenby. There are pretty cobbled streets lined with gifts shops, restaurants, cafes and ice cream parlours; so many you will be spoilt for choice. There’s a growing number of local artisan shops to peruse, many of which would be more than at home in some of the UK’s larger cities.
There is so much to do in Tenby. From the harbour you can take various boat trips. Water sports are popular around here in particular SUP and Kayaking. There truly is something for everyone - from sandcastles for little people to promenade wanders or coastal path rambles for those desiring sea views.
Be warned though, Tenby is a very popular destination for holiday makers and day trippers. In peak season it will be very busy. Not so much an issue on the beach, in particular the larger South Beach has plenty of space for all. You are, however, likely to have to wait for a space in a car park and will need to queue for an ice cream. But it will be worth the wait.
To be honest with you, we love Tenby for a quick visit. We tend to drop into Tenby frequently during a stay at the cottage but not for a whole day beach trip (we prefer a more rustic and secluded setting for that). Having said that, you would be hard pushed to beat Tenby for a mooch around the shops or a fish and chip supper on South Beach. We can highly recommend early evening beach cricket or frisbee as the sun sets. You will likely have the beach almost entirely to yourselves even in the summer and it really is very beautiful.
Read on for some finer details about the beaches and some favourite shops.
Beaches . . .
As you can see from the photos, the beaches in Tenby are beautiful! There’s North Beach, Castle Beach and South Beach. Each beach has been awarded a Blue Flag and undeniably worthy of it.
North Beach can get totally covered by high tides, so check the tide times before you set out. But if you time it right the shelter of the harbour makes this a great beach for paddleboarding. Sunrises here are delightful, a little harder to capture in the summer months, but wonderful for winter or spring mornings. This beach is also backed by probably the most iconic views of Tenby’s pastel coloured houses.
South Beach and Castle Beach are joined together but sometimes separated by the tide. From these beaches you can see the fort on St Catherine’s Island. Castle beach is sheltered by the cliffs and can be accessed by the harbour.
South Beach looks out to Caldey Island and is the largest of the three beaches. There’s plenty of space for all on this beach with it’s huge stretch of beautiful golden sand. It gets busy but not too overcrowded in summer. A short walk across the sand will provide you with your own patch for the afternoon. Nearby you’ll find toilets, a beach bar and ice creams on offer. If you’re lucky you might even get a space in the car park attached to the beach. If not you can try Rectory Car Park and take the walk down the steps onto the beach.
There are life guards on these beaches in mid to high season making them very safe for families.
If Caldey island looks too good to miss you can reach it by boat from Tenby Harbour.
Artisans . . .
We’ve discovered some very wonderful Artisan shops in Tenby. One of our favourites is Loafley Bakery and Deli, an artisan bakery offering sourdough loaves and delicious cakes. Not to mention all the delicious deli items. This is an absolute ‘must’ for any visit to Tenby.
Another is the Copper Hog butcher and deli. Again this is a ‘must’ visit with an impressive range of locally sourced good quality meat. They stock a wide variety of cuts and in the summer have beef patties and a selection of meat kebabs ready for the BBQ. We can testify - they are delicious!
Mor Tenby is a lovely shop selling local artisan gifts and produce. You’ll find Welsh jams, preserves, chutneys, honey, cheese, coffee and much more, not forgetting ice creams. They have a sister shop Coffi Da which sells take away coffee, hot chocolate and milkshakes in the summer. Both shops are delightful and well worth a visit.
If you’re family is anything like mine when they were little, nothing quite beats a new toy from your holiday adventures. Ebb And Flow is a fabulous toy shop and has plenty to offer your little people.
For the bookworm, The Tenby Bookshop is stocked full of books on every subject and for all ages, with an excellent selection of guide books on the local area. Not only helpful in making the most of your stay, of course the photography is stunning, after all the Pembrokeshire backdrop is unbelievably beautiful. Not only a lovely souvenir these make the perfect coffee table books.
Car parks . . .
There are many car parks in Tenby and some on-street parking, though most of what you see is permit holder only. The beach car parks include South Beach car park, Five Arches, Rectory car park and North Beach car park. There is also a multi storey car park next to Sainsbury’s which is a just short walk to the shops or beach.
I could go on and on. There are many other favourite shops I could mention and I haven’t even touched on restaurants and water sports available here, perhaps a separate post is required. Needless to say, it’s easy to wile away the hours in Tenby - mooching around shops, sitting on the beach or on the water. However you choose to spend your time, you can be sure you will have enjoyed exploring Tenby.