Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
post-WWI slump burst the bubble, and the sturdy stone quays and overgrown brick stor-
age 'bins' are all that remain.
Despite having been an industrial harbour, Porthgain is surprisingly picturesque and
today it is home to a couple of art galleries and restaurants.
Eating
Shed
SEAFOOD
££
( 01348-831518;
www.theshedporthgain.co.uk
; mains £7.50-21.50; daily Apr-Oct, call for hours Nov-Mar)
Housed in a beautifully converted machine shop right by the little harbour, this simple
little 'Fish and Chip Bistro' is renowned as one of Pembrokeshire's finest seafood restaur-
ants. The new simplified menu offers upmarket fish and chips in all guises as well as a
short list of daily specials, many of which have been caught by the owners that morning.
Sloop Inn
( 01348-831449;
www.sloop.co.uk
; mains £9-20; )
With wooden tables worn smooth by
many a bended elbow, old photos of Porthgain in its industrial heyday, and interesting
nautical clutter all over the place, the Sloop is a cosy and deservedly popular pub. It
dishes up breakfast (until 11am) and hearty, home-cooked meals to hungry walkers. Book
ahead for dinner.
PUB
££
TOP OF CHAPTER
Porthgain to Fishguard
The section of coast between Porthgain and Fishguard shelters ancient monuments, dra-
matic cliffs and rocky coves. Seals, dolphins and sharks can often be seen in the water be-
low.
The approach to the little cove of
Pwll Deri
follows cliffs that reach 137m in height and
offer expansive views over the sometimes turbulent Irish Sea. The rocky summit of
Garn
Fawr
(213m), topped by an Iron Age fort, rises above Pwll Deri.
Further along, on wild and rocky
Strumble Head
, a lighthouse beams out its signal as
high-speed ferries thunder past on their way to Ireland. The headland makes a good vant-
age point for spotting dolphins, seals, sharks and sunfish; below the parking area is a
WWII lookout that now serves as a shelter for observing wildlife.
