It’s been a pretty unsteady year – the virus, and its ongoing lockdowns have thrown lives and businesses into turmoil. Trying to keep everyone safe while trying to keep some semblance of normality has been hard on everyone, and it’s meant that we’ve not always been able to accommodate everyone who has wanted to visit us here at Atlantic View. We’re grateful to everyone for their patience and we’re glad that most guests have still been able to join us and have a fantastic time. We’re blown away that we still managed to win an award during a worldwide pandemic!
Leading on from this boost of positivity, we want to look forward to 2021 and remind you all that, when it’s safe to do so, you should put Pembrokeshire at the top of your bucket list for refreshing trips to do post-virus, and we’d like to remind you why! Here’s your 2021 Pembrokeshire holiday bucket list: everything you need to tick off while staying with us at Atlantic View!
Get away from the crowds – tick!
While we’ve all been craving connection during what’s been an isolating year, it’s true to also say that we all fancy a break where we don’t have to worry about mixing with others too much so that we’re still staying as safe as possible. And while Pembrokeshire draws in over 4 million visitors each year, there’s so much open space that you’re bound to find your own little peaceful patch, be it sandy cove or cairn top calm. We’re about as far west as you can get, so if it’s dramatic, unspoilt open skies and clifftops you’re after, then you can tick this off your bucket list. For guaranteed quiet times, come outside of school holidays and enjoy beaches all to yourselves!
Try the latest healthy activity craze, wild swimming – tick!
While we advise that you always swim under the guidance of lifeguards at popular beaches, if you’re an experienced swimmer then there are plenty of stunning wild swimming spots within a few miles of Atlantic View, including Broad Haven beach, right below your holiday accommodation!
Other popular spots for that bucket list tick are the blue lagoon, a sunken mine shaft at Abereiddy, as well as Rosebush quarry up on the Preseli Mountains and the plethora of beaches along the 186-mile coastal National Park. Always check tide times and let someone know where you’re going as the weather and tides can turn quickly on this wild coast.
Try a totally new watersport – tick!
While this is a fantastic coast for surfers, kitesurfers and kayak enthusiasts, you can’t come to Pembrokeshire without trying its very own original watersport, coasteering. Outdoor adventure company MUUK-adventures are local experts at this activity which is a combination of climbing, cliff diving and swimming. So, if you’re looking for more adrenaline-fuelled days to tick off your bucket list after months of sitting on your sofa, you can’t get better than coasteering in Pembs!
Find out who else likes living near the water – tick!
You’re not the only ones who flock to Pembrokeshire for its stunning, fertile landscape and breath-taking beaches. We enjoy a plethora of wildlife in peaceful Pembrokeshire, including the much-anticipated arrival of the Manx Shearwaters from South America, and Pembrokeshire’s most famous part-time residents, the puffins. They make their way from Canada all the way to Skomer Island for the breeding season, and there are many boat companies such as Falcon Boats who will take you to the island for a quick visit, and also around the coastline to spot other visitors such as September’s seal colonies and year-round porpoise visits. Keep an eye out for whales passing by, too!
Sampling the delicious fresh produce of West Wales – tick!
It doesn’t get fresher than straight out of the sea or pulled from the soil that day, and that’s mostly what you’ll find in Pembrokeshire – being in the middle of nowhere means that we live and eat from our surroundings! Local dishes to sample that you may not have tried before are laverbread which you can sample as part of a Welsh breakfast at The Mill St Davids. A visit to Mamgu Welshcakes in Solva is a must, as we’re sure you’ve never tried Welshcake flavours like ginger and cranberry and white chocolate before…and how about savoury cheese and leek welsh cakes?! Our favourite place for fresh seafood is Lobster and Mor just down the road from us in Little Haven – they do the best fresh crab sandwiches in Britain, we reckon!
Sea air and snoring – tick!
After a long spell of being confined to our houses, there’s nothing like fresh, salty sea air in the lungs. This coastline is known for blowing the cobwebs away with its varying weather and cliffside beauty spots, but it’s also known that a day in the Pembrokeshire sea air will induce the best night’s sleep you’ve ever had. Want to fact check this? We’ve got Hypnos beds for the inevitable crashing out waiting right here for you…
A mindful, restorative break away – tick!
If Pembrokeshire’s known for one thing it’s being one of the most mindful spots in the UK. Whether it’s with your feet in the sea on one of our outstanding beaches, looking outwards the horizon, or perched upon a cairn overlooking (almost) the entire county while the sun is setting, we can guarantee that you’ll have an “ahhhhh” moment where the world feels calm and the beauty and tranquillity of this exquisite natural setting will draw you back to a calm, mindful place.
Meeting new people – tick!
Whether it’s your cottage neighbours at Atlantic View or locals down in the village pub, when we’re able to meet up again, you’ll find that people living and staying in Pembrokeshire are a pretty cheerful bunch – we put it down to the dopamine hit from all that fresh air!
If you’d like to join in with some local chatter in shops and bars, then try these phrases out – in Pembrokeshire, we love a trier!
Bore da (Bore-eh Daaah) = Good morning
Ble mae’r traeth? (Blee myre try-ith) = where’s the beach?
Peint o gwrw, plis (Paint oh guru, please) = a pint of beer, please
Ni’n caru Sir Benfro! (Neen car-ee Seer Benvr-oh) = we love Pembrokeshire!
For more information on activities to add to your holiday bucket list, take a look at our past blogs, and keep an eye on our website and Facebook page for updates about what’s opening up and when over the coming months. In the meantime, stay safe and we hope to see you soon!