Serving as the county town of Pembrokeshire, Haverfordwest is a historic market town on the banks of the Western Cleddau River. The area has long been known as the “Little England Beyond Wales” as it has been English-speaking for centuries. Haverfordwest is home to a fascinating local history museum and is an ideal base for exploring the hiking trails and beaches of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
Things to do in Haverfordwest
Forming part of a 12th-century castle complex is the Haverfordwest Town Museum, where you’ll find exhibits related to the region’s cultural and artistic history. It’s housed within the Grade II-listed former governor’s house, which faces the old town prison. Artefacts, prints and paintings bring to life the town’s past from Norman times to the present day.
Golfers can test their skills at the Haverfordwest Golf Club, an impressive parkland course that lies adjacent to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. It offers splendid views of the Preseli Hills from its fairways and greens, which provide challenges for all handicaps. The on-site clubhouse features a lounge, bar and restaurant where home-cooked cuisine is served.
Scenic walking trails wind their way through Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, which is the only national park in the United Kingdom to comprise entirely wild coastal landscapes. In addition to hiking the 299-kilometre-long Pembrokeshire Coast Path, you can swim at Broad Haven Beach or experience the clifftop views from the National Trust-listed Southwood Estate.
Getting around Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest is just over an hour’s drive from Swansea and two hours from Cardiff Airport, which has flights to destinations across Europe and the Middle East. Trains connect from town and cities throughout Wales to the Haverfordwest railway station and the town is compact enough to explore on foot.