The Preseli Mountains

Pembrokeshire is renowned for its superb sandy beaches, wonderful coast path and fascinating wildlife but less well known is the beauty of the Preseli mountains (they are very insulted to be referred to as hills as in this article in The Times!)

From the top on a clear day there are stunning views of both Ireland and Devon, the wide expanse of moorland is dotted with small farms and the beautiful Welsh mountain ponies and sheep graze unhindered by fences. The Preseli mountains is where the Bluestones of Stonehenge originated and recent research has suggested that Stonehenge was actually built by workmen from Pembrokeshire too. Neolithic cromlechs and standing stones are prevalent in the area such as Pentre Ifan in the Preselis just above Newport.

After a long day walking on the mountain a visit to enjoy the “hwyl” or welcome at the wonderfully idiosyncratic Tafarn Sinc at Rosebush, the highest pub in Pembrokeshire, is a must. This pub was once the railway station and has refused to bow to the ‘whims of modernisation’ and steadfastly maintains its nostalgic originality. Welsh is spoken here (as well as English) and, when the publicans who had run it for over 25 years retired, the community got together a syndicate to buy it. This included the actor Rhys Ifans who spread the word and soon people from all over the world heard about the “little tin pub” and purchased shares from as far away as Texas and Canada.

If you would like to visit Pembrokeshire and stay at a luxurious but informal Bed& Breakfast, give Rayner and Carol at Pembrokeshire Farm B&B near Narberth a call on 01834 860338. We specialise in homemade, homegrown and local produce and have been inspected and selected by Sawday’s Special Places to Stay. http://www.pembrokeshirefarmbandb.co.uk

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/a-good-walk-the-preseli-hills-pembrokeshire-9h5vq8dpq – The Times May 2018