Christmas on the Pembrokeshire Coast

Christmas on the Pembrokeshire peninsula is less about the hustle and bustle, and more about the comfort and joy.

Here in westerly Wales, the pace slows as the year ends. It’s quiet and cosy, a season for happy hibernation, where alongside celebrating with the traditional festivities; we relish the opportunity to feel connected to nature, to spend time with our loved ones, and to focus on our own wellbeing.

Here’s why our local team at St Davids Escapes thinks “there’s no place like home” at Christmas…

Home to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, our county is famous for its stunning coastline. At Christmas the landscape is distinctly wild, where the fresh winds blow in off the Atlantic and the boats lie safe in Solva Harbour.

Don’t miss the west-facing sunsets from the Ram’s Nose at Whitesands Beach. And for a Christmassy walk nothing beats a hike up to the top of Carn Llidi.

There’s one thing for certain… we know how to do “cosy” out west. Picture yourself: staying in a traditional Welsh stone cottage, cwtched up under a Welsh woollen blanket beside a roaring log fire, with a glass of something festively warm, and a plate of Welshcakes picked up from an independent deli.

It’s a vision that’s within easy reach at St Davids Escapes.

One of our favourite Christmas experiences in Pembrokeshire is a visit to Melin Tregwynt to peruse the woollen soft furnishings, and have a hot chocolate in the cafe. Then take the five minute drive to the National Trust’s Abermawr Woods for a circular woodland and beach walk.

Whether you want to sit on a bench beside the bell tower and listen to the St Davids Cathedral bell ringers on a Sunday evening; peruse the new and second books at the St Davids Bookshop; or spend an afternoon in your holiday home painting or crafting, there is plenty to inspire mindful moments on a Pembrokeshire Christmas escape.

We’re known for our love of cold water swimming here in St Davids, and nothing quite matches a dip in the sea to blow the Christmas cobwebs away.

Join our local Blue Tits group, or if you’re staying over New Year, head to Whitesands for the charity swim that’s organised there.

After your wild swim, there is now the option to feel warmed to your bones in the traditional cedar Whitesands Sauna.

Or if a festive spa day is on your mind, St Davids has two local options: the new spa at the Twr Y Felin Hotel, and the Menevia Bathhouse & Spa, which offers a range of holistic therapies and a unique boutique bathhouse experience. 

Live music and mulled wine in the pubs; choral singing and festive services at the Cathedral; and options aplenty for hearty, warming fare, from Sunday roasts at The Shed, to coffee and cake at The Refectory.

Yes here in St Davids, Solva and Porthgain we love creating a wholesome atmosphere. One where you can enjoy the simple pleasures that are true to the real meaning of Christmas.

The pubs may be bustling, but there’s no queue at the door. The shops may be open, but there’s no waiting in line. And the food stores may be stocked, but there’s no fighting over the last turkey!

Yes there’s a gentle pace to Christmas here. One that makes time for slow pursuits; like reading by the fire, perusing artwork in the galleries, and sitting in the community gardens listening to the breeze in the trees and the Cathedral bells in the valley.

Away from the pressures of work, and without the distractions of home, a Christmas break to Pembrokeshire allows you the space to reconnect.

Whether you’re staying as a family and the kids are exchanging screen time for sea time. Or you’re visiting as a couple and getting respite from jobs and chores that need to be done in your own home. Here in west Wales you’ll gain the bandwidth to reconnect with those you hold dear, and remember what matters most to you at Christmas: each other.