Croeso i Sir Benfro (an introduction to Pembrokeshire)

Okay, so you're looking at coming to the UK on holiday, or maybe to study abroad. You hear Oxford University is one of the BEST in the world... perhaps you'll go sightseeing in London: 

• Big Ben
• Buckingham Palace
• The London Eye

 Your friends have just been to Scotland! (However, you come to realise they have just been in Edinburgh for 3 days to see a show and walk to the top of a pretty hill to get a new insta pic...)

    So is that it? Where else can you actually go in the UK?

You head to Wiki, or Google, or TripAdvisor, and find some cool articles about Bristol's best restaurants, or Machester's amazing nightlife, or the Guiness Factory in Dublin. (Wait... is Dublin even in the UK?...) You remember the UK is made up of England, Scotland, and Ireland... no! Northern Ireland (Ireland is its own thing)...                                 

And then, your rugby-fanatic friend tells you you're missing one more place..

                                           WALES

                  Of course! The land of sheep and... what else is there?

In this article, I'll tell you about this amazing nation of people (and yes, sheep), full of history, castles, countryside, some of the UK's finest beaches, and some basic Welsh phrases to help you on your way. 

      Welsh is just English in a weird accent right? 

       -Wel, yn anffodus, rydych chi'n bendant yn anghywir iawn. (Just English, yeah?)

Remember:

lush = beautiful, amazing, cool, awesome

cwtch = a good ol' hug

dwi'n hoffi coffi = I like coffee

dwi ddim yn siara cymraeg = I don't speak Welsh

IN PARTICULAR, I want to write about my home county of:

                 PEMBROKESHIRE (Sir Benfro in Welsh)

(photo taken by me near St David's on the coast near Ramsey Island)

It's time to see the UK like none of your friends have seen it. West Wales is utterly stunning, and super lush (a word you'll need in this part of Britain).

(photo taken by me on the Snowdonia National Park near Llanberis)

As a languages student myself, having lived in Argentina and Spain, I know how it feels to travel the world, but also see places only the locals recommend. That's why I think it's time I offered my advice on where to visit in my beautiful county.

(photo taken by me on Marloes Sands, near Dale, mid-Pembrokeshire)

I live in the town of Pembroke. Pembroke is famous for being the birthplace of Henry Tudor VII (the 7th), who was the father of the infamous Henry VIII (the one with 6 wives). The town surrounds the medieval Pembroke Castle, with the moat still intact and now used for paddle boarding and canoeing! The main street is full of old shops, butchers, grocers and churches. It can be a quiet place until the tourists arrive at the end of July ready for the summer holidays.

   Pembroke is split into Pembroke and Pembroke Dock. The latter is where the Irish ferries sale over from Rosslare, an hour south of Dublin, to the mainland UK. There are more highstreet supermarkets like Tesco, Asda, Aldi and Lidl here (as it's a good stop-off point for Irish tourists who have just arrived). Be careful: ferry traffic out of Pembroke Dock is bad at both 1am and 1pm, so try to avoid the main roads at these times. 

(photo taken by me, on Freshwater West beach near Pembroke on a windy day)

   My favourite beach is Freshwater West. It is a 15 minute drive from Pembroke, and has a mile-long beach, with huge sand dunes perfect for sand boarding down, and great waves if you like to surf or bodyboard. It's been used as a filming location for films such as Robin Hood (2010), and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One (2010). Other amazing beaches include Barafundle Bay (voted as one of Europe's best beaches), Broadhaven South, and Coppett Hall in Saundersfoot. 

(photo taken by me, of Caldey Island from Tenby South Beach)

Top tip: Tenby is super lush. It's a famous little fishing village with 2 beaches, a harbour and plenty of sightseeing spots. But once summer hits, you cannot move. So try to avoid Tenby and Saundersfoot on super sunny Saturdays in the summer holidays, as you will be waiting in queues continuously. 

   Other towns include Milford Haven, which is more of a residential area, with the county's only public cinema, the Torch Theatre. Here you can go bowling, have a walk along the marina, and work out those thighs on the steep streets on the hillside.

   The main county town is Haverfordwest, where Withybush hospital is located. (Christian Bale AKA Batman was born here). The nightlife here is pretty good, I definitely recommend DJ's to anyone - 3 floors, different musical genres, and drinks are cheaper than most of the UK). Not far away is St David's City, the smallest city in Great Britain. This is because it holds the cathedral of St David in the centre. Inside at the far back right of the cathedral, you can find a box which supposedly still holds the finger of St David). He is a famous figure across Wales, and on the 1st March every year we celebrate St David's Day, where everyone wears white, red and green, and either a leek or a daffodil on their chest, and performances are held that include Welsh dancing, male voice choirs and harp playing.

(photo taken by me, St David's Cathedral, north Pembrokeshire).

   The further north you go, the more rural the landscape becomes. The magnificent Preseli hills are worth walking in (and are extra fun in the winter when everyone sleds down them). On the coast, you hit towns like Fishguard and Abereiddi, also known as, the Blue Lagoon. Words can't describe how beautiful it is. Locals go jumping into the deep water, where the Red Bull Diving Championships have been held. Here's a photo below:

   There's also a Blue Lagoon waterpark in Pembrokeshire which has a giant wave pool, 2 jacuzzis, 4 big water slides, and a lazy river. The park is nextdoor to Oakwood themepark which has many rollercoasters and rides. Near Tenby you can find Manor House zoo, and Heatherton outdoor activities centre. Folly Farm Adventure Park and Zoo (where I once worked) is in Begelly, and is a great day out for all ages. Especially if you love giraffes and penguins.

   This is just Pembs in a nutshell. I can't express how beautiful this part of Wales is, but it is definitely worth a visit. No matter the time of the year, a rainy beach walk followed by a hot chocolate in a coffee shop and then some cawl (traditional Welsh soup) in a local pub is 100% something to put on your bucket list.

Now you've written it down, it's time to start planning!

Photo gallery