Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
LAUGHARNE TO PEMBROKE
Laugharne: 20 miles W of Swansea; Pembroke: 45 miles W of Swansea
To the west of the bright lights of Swansea and Cardiff you'll find a very different
Wales. The coast gets wilder and you increasingly find yourself away from it all.
Laugharne
(pronounced
Larne
) is a peaceful estuary town, known mainly as the
spot where Dylan Thomas lived and worked.
Pembroke
is a historic town, with an
impressive castle. They are quaint and as charming as they come, albeit in a very
different manner. But don't be fooled into thinking that this region is quiet and
sparsely populated. Between Laugharne and Pembroke is the other face of coastal
Wales, the jolly seaside experience of
Tenby
with busy beaches, shops selling beach
toys, and ice-cream kiosks. Yet Tenby, Wales's busiest resort town, is a pretty place
with brightly painted townhouses and historic buildings, including a fort. And it's
handy for lots of natural coastal experiences. There's a big choice of caravan parks
nearby, as well as great areas of beauty with smart hotels and cottages to stay in.
Unspoiled beaches abound, from open expanses to hidden coves. There are plenty of
festivals too: The Pembrokeshire Fish Week (www.fishweek.co.uk) takes place across
the county each June, with cookery demonstrations and snorkeling safaris. Laugharne
Weekend (www.thelaugharneweekend.com) is every March—you might find U.S.
rocker Patti Smith reading her poetry here.
Essentials
GETTING THERE
From Swansea, there are trains to Tenby (Arriva Trains Wales,
1
1
⁄
2
hr., £13) and Pembroke (which takes another 30 min.; £13); from Cardiff the
journey takes another hour and is about £7 more.
VISITOR INFORMATION
Tourist information offices
are in a number of
towns, most open year-round with varying hours (see www.visitpembrokeshire for a
list). The Tenby office is in the central Gateway Complex (
&
01834/842402
);
Pembroke, on Commons Road (
&
01646/622388
); and Carmarthen, on Lammas
Street (
&
01267/231557;
www.discovercarmarthenshire.com).
GETTING AROUND
A car is really needed to explore, but there are other
options. An 8-day
Explore Wales Pass
(www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk) gives rail
travel for 4 days and bus travel for 8 days as far north as Aberystwyth for £57 (half-
price for ages 5-25, free children 4 and under) and includes discounts for attractions.
The
Coastal Cruiser
bus runs between Pembroke and several popular beaches, and
there is a network of other services across to Carmarthenshire. A
West Wales Rover
ticket (£6 adults, £3 accompanied children), sold on buses, allows all-day travel in
Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, and up into Cardiganshire. Services are by varied
companies, so local council websites are the best place for info (www.pembrokeshire.
gov.uk and www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk). For times and routes see www.traveline-
cymru.org.uk.
Exploring the Area
Laugharne
sits on the River Taf estuary, with handsome Georgian buildings and
pretty little cottages, a ruined castle, and the
Dylan
Thomas Boathouse
18
(
&
01994/427420;
www.dylanthomasboathouse.com). This is where the poet and
author spent the last 4 years of his life, before dying in 1953 during a visit to America.
The boathouse itself is a museum with family rooms full of photos and information,
