G’day fine people of the interweb! Today im going to blabber on about Tenby, or in it’s native tongue “Dinbych-y-psygod” (yeah, try saying that ten times fast), is a gorgeous walled seaside town located on the Western side of Carmarthen Bay, Pembrokeshire. Famous for it’s rich history that dates all the way back to the Vikings, it’s striking coastal views, golden sandy beaches and the fact it looks a little bit like Balamory, to name a few! It’s a very popular tourist destination and definitely a place you’ve gotta’ visit if you’re passing through South Wales. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “why should I waste my time and hard earned money on visiting Tenby?” Well, let me tell you my picks for the top 7 incredible things to do in Tenby and, hopefully, persuade you to come and visit 😉
So, in no particular order…
1. Check out the Beaches.
Come on. The site’s name is ‘going coastal’, you knew this was coming. Tenby is home to three incredible beaches. North beach, South beach and Castle beach. Castle beach is situated between North and South beach, North beach is situated North of South beach, and South beach is situated South of North beach. So yeah, wrap your head around that!
North beach is one of the most photographed beaches in Wales, which doesn’t surprise me in the slightest. It is absolutely gorgeous! I’ve visited all of these beaches, however North Beach is my favourite. It is an East facing beach that is enclosed by Castle hill on the South side of the beach, and cliffs on the North. It is known as a real sun trap, so if you visit on a hot day, make sure you stock up on suncream!
An added bonus for any surf junkies like myself, North beach has been known to have some decent waves, however, they occur mostly in winter and tend to be fast moving and hollow. Visit magicseaweed.com to see what the surf’s doing in Tenby. Also, if you’re a surfer, there’s some decent surf and skate shops located in Tenby, but more on that later.
Castle Beach is situated, as stated earlier, between the two other beaches. It is so called because it’s located just beneath Castle hill, where Ten
by castle resides. The beach itself is only accessible at low tide, as the incoming tide hides it beneath the waves. Very popular with
families who have young kids. It’s the smallest of the three beaches but that is almost a blessing, as the cliffs on either side of the beach keep the wind at bay and also host a number of small rock pools scattered at the base and around the edges of the beach. It is also a very clean beach, with little to no rubbish in the water or on the beach. No wonder it is voted one of the top attractions in Tenby!
South beach is the largest of the three, a whopping 2 miles long! perfect for beach games, social distancing (if you’re reading this during the Covid-19 pandemic) and dog walks (depending on the time of year you visit). It boasts some very good reviews on tripadvisor, 4.5 stars out of 5 to be exact!
All 3 beaches are lifeguarded from the 1st of May to the end of September, which is fantastic because once you see the water you won’t be able to stop yourself from going for a dip! (Just remember to wear a wetsuit, it’s cold).
There are also strict dog restrictions on North beach from the 1st of May to the 20th of September however, South beach does allow dogs further along the beach where there is plenty of space for them to run around. There are signs on each beach regarding key information regarding dos, so have a quick look before you take your furry friend onto the sand.
You could also visit some of the nearby beaches that surround Tenby, but more on that later. Visiting the beaches are definitely up there with my favourite things to do in Tenby, and once you see them for yourself, you’ll really understand why!
2. Explore Tenby’s history
As I said earlier, Tenby as a town is traceable back to the Hiberno-Norse settlers and is first mentioned in a poem, written in the 9th century. So it’s safe to say that Tenby is full to the brim with history, and I could honestly go on for hours about all of the amazing historic landmarks, however I’ll go into detail about a few and leave some honorable mentions for you to check out. So, first of all we have the Tudor merchants house.
The Tudor merchant’s house is (unsurprisingly)Â a Victorian indoor skydiving centiare… I’m kidding. It is a house that was owned by a Merchant and was built in the late 15th century, when Tenby was a busy commercial port and was donated to and repaired by the National Trust in 1938. The ground floor was a shop where the Merchant would conduct their business, the first floor was the living space for the family and the second floor would’ve been a sleeping area. If you’re interested,
take a look at the Tudor merchants house website for opening times, prices and all that good stuff!
The Tudor merchant’s house is located on Quay Hill (SA70 7BX) and is definitely worth a visit if you’re at all interested in Welsh history, and allows for people to peer back in time to how people lived in the Tudor period.
Tenby castle is another historic location you can’t afford to miss! Built in the 12th century by the Normans during their invasion of Wales, the castle was a key strategic point for the Welsh throughout the Centuries. It’s located on Castle hill (I wonder why it’s called that…) Just above the Tenby museum and art gallery, (another great place to visit). It is another brilliant place to visit and definitely on my recommendations for the best things to do in Tenby.
Similarly, the Saint Catherine’s island and fort are a very popular destination for history buffs and tourist’s alike. Accessible via front crawl or breaststroke at high
tide, (not advisable), but normally you’d reach the island by walking across Castle beach to the main, gate 3 hours either side of low tide, where you will then ascend the 74 or so steps and cross a bridge across a sheer drop and then up towards the WW2 gun placement. Sounds pretty badass eh?
The gun deck and Casemates are open to the general public, however to take a tour of the historic fort it will cost you £3.50 for adults (over 15 yrs), £2.00 for kids (3-15 yrs) and free for under 3’s and dogs, however they must be kept on a lead… The dogs that is, not the babies. That’s rather frowned upon in modern society. If you have a weak bladder, you may wish to utilize one of the public toilets back on castle beach, as there are no loo’s on St Catherine’s island.
Of course there are plenty of other historic places across Tenby, but I’m not gonna tell you where they are 😉 It’s up to you to go out and see for yourself! If you do visit these sites, you can really see why these sites are so popular among locals and tourists, and many peoples favourite things to do in Tenby!
3. Hike on the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path
The third on my list of things to do in Tenby is go and explore the Pembrokeshire coastal path is 186 miles of pure beauty, stretching from St Dogmaels to Amroth and provides some amazing views over the South Welsh coastline.
If you want a really immersive experience of the beautiful British seaside, take a walk from Tenby across to the small village of Amroth (where I have stayed twice, and can honestly say it’s absolutely gorgeous). It is a 5 mile walk or so and takes you through some beautiful landscapes including towering cliff tops, dense woodland, beaches and tunnels. Tunnels? Yes, tunnels. Let me explain.
As you walk from Wisemans bridge to Saundersfoot, you walk through 3 old miners tunnels which once carried coal from the local mines to Saundersfoot Harbour,
where it was then placed on boats and distributed across the UK. The images here of the miner’s tunnels were kindly given to me by Callum Witts, a photographer with some brilliant pictures from Tenby and all across the world! Take a look at his Instagram page if you’ve got a minute, you won’t regret it.
As you walk North from Tenby to Amroth, you’ll come across 6 beaches, First Bay, Second Bay (imaginative name), Waterwynch Bay, Monkstone Beach, Saundersfoot Beach and Amroth Beach. All of which have some fantastic qualities including being secluded, having a large area, having easy access and stunning scenery. Amroth is a small village where the Pembrokeshire coastal path ends, and they couldn’t have picked a better place for it. I’ve stayed there twice, and both times were absolutely amazing!
If you walk South of Tenby down the coastal path, you could potentially walk for 181 miles, all the way to St Dogmaels! (If you’ve got nothing better to do that is). But if you’re lazy like me, you can get the bus for the entire length of the path, but I would consider that cheating! Either way, you’d come across some of the most amazing and beautiful beaches in the whole of the UK.
4. Take a Boat Trip to Caldey Island!
Caldey island is 538 acres of green fields and woodland, located in Carmarthen Bay just over 2.5 miles away from mainland Tenby. With multiple golden sandy beaches and a calm, tranquil environment. Inhabited only by a group of 40 Cistercian Monks, a religious order linked to the Catholic faith, that have inhabited the island during Celtic times! If you don’t like talking to people all that much, you’re in luck! The Monks on Caldey Island avoid unnecessary speech and live their lives focusing on work and hard labour. Sounds perfect for me…
I know this is a list about all the incredible things to do in Tenby, however, there are also some incredible things to do on Caldey Island, such as visiting the 109 year old monastery, where the monks live and work. Take a tour of the Caldey Island chocolate factory, the only place on planet earth here you can buy Caldey fudge! You should also definitely visit the historic lighthouse, built in 1827 to protect ships from colliding with the Pembrokeshire coast, and aiding ships in identify the Bristol Channel. And of course, take a walk and admire the astounding natural beauty of this ancient landscape!
To reach Caldey island you will have to take a short boat trip across the bay from Tenby Harbour. The boats run from Easter to October and are owned and run by local boatmen. To book a trip, you’ve got to reach the Caldey Island Kiosk at the top of Tenby Harbour and book a trip in person, or by calling 01834 844453. An adult ticket costs £14, kids tickets (14 and under) cost £14, seniors tickets cost £11 and a family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children costs £35. For more information, visit caldeyislandwales.com.
5. See some Dinosaurs…
Yes, you heard me correctly! 65 million years ago, an asteroid between 7 and 50 miles wide struck modern day Chicxulub in Mexico, it brought an end to the dinosaurs reign across the planet… Apart from in Tenby, where they still walk among people in the real life Jurassic park!
Okay, I may have stretched the truth ever so slightly there, the Dinosaurs aren’t actually alive (unless you count my grandparents…), But if you take a trip to the dinosaur park! Located in Great Wedlock, Tenby (SA70 8RB), you’ll be greeted by 30 very lifelike and true to size replicas of some of histories most fearsome predictors and herbivores.
The dinosaur park is perfect place to take your kids. There’s all sorts to do, including visiting the outdoor and indoor playground, have a go on one of the multiple rides and check out the latest and greatest attractions that the park has to offer. As of writing this, the park plans to re-open on the 8th of July, so take a look at the website for booking details for your next day out with the kids.
If you’re not interested in seeing our prehistoric ancestors, just a short trip up the road will take you to Heatherton World of Activities, where you can engage in loads of adrenaline pumping, well, activities! So what are these activities Josh? Paintball, go-carting, escape rooms, tree-top-trails, mini golf and all that god shit! Activities for kids and adults alike, to see what’s going on, take a look at their website and book your day out…Or don’t, I don’t care.
Just across the road from the Heatherton World of Activities, you’ll discover the Manor Wildlife Park, sort of a living relative of the dinosaur park that I mentioned earlier. The park is full to the brim with exotic animals that would be rather out of place out and about in Wales, such as Zebras, Ostriches, Tapirs, Meerkats and monkeys, to name a few! Entry fees vary depending on age, £12.95 for kids from 2-16 years old, seniors, disabled people and student card holders, £14.95 for adults from the ages of 17-64 and registered carers have free entry!
If you’ve got a love for animals, old and new, or a deep desire for adventure, I think you can agree that this corner of South Wales will be at the top of your list for the things to do in Tenby when you visit! (you can thank me later…)
6. Get Trollied!
Probably my favourite of all the things to do in Tenby, (I promise I’m not an alcoholic…) If you take a walk down Sergeants lane in Tenby and you’ll come across the Harbwr brewery, a small, family run craft brewery and taproom, founded in 2015. The owners of the brewery have over 25 years of experience in high end food, drink and tourism area, so it’s fair to say that they know a thing or two about the catering industry.
The brewery is open 7 days a week, from 10:30 am and is open to all ages. That doesn’t mean your 7 year old is allowed to get pissed up with you though, it’s more for the tour side of things. “A tour?” Yes, a tour. The brewery hosts a tour for groups of 4 to 40 people, complete with a taster session, great food and drink (obviously) and an interesting tour of the artisan craft brewery. They only ask that you book your tour prior to coming to the brewery, don’t turn up with 39 of your best pals and request a tour on the spot. The price of the tour all depends on how many people are attending and the food requirements.
The taproom offers a wide range of Harbwr craft ales, extensive gin menu and a guest real ale menu. It’s also available for private hire, which is always a nice touch, much nicer than going down your local and having to speak to that pissed up, middle aged bloke at the bar about his bitch of an ex-wife, I suppose. If you do fancy letting out your social butterfly, but you don’t wanna spend the money, the ales are also sold in some local pubs, such as the Buccaneer Inn, The Hope & Anchor and The HARBWR Bar & Kitchen in Saundersfoot! If you’re an antisocial sod like me however, you can just order the craft ales from the Harbwr.wales website. Makes life easier 😉
There are also a Crap-ton of other pubs and bars across Tenby and it’s surrounding towns that are worth a visit if you’re feeling parched and in need of a cold pint after a long day on the beach. Take a look The Tavern, which boasts one of the highest reviews of any pub in the town. If you fancy a visit, The Tavern is located on St George’s Street and open from 11am to 11pm every day.
7. The Old Market Hall and Shops!
Okay lets be honest here. Tenby is part of Britain, and as you know Britain has some of the most unpredictable (and shite) weather in the entire universe! Well… Maybe not quite, but when it rains, it pours. So if you need to nip to the shops or fancy a wander through town you’d better remember to bring a coat or umbrella… Or just man up and realize that it’s only rain! Whatever the case, nobody wants to get drenched when they are going shopping. Luckily for you, some very smart people living 700 years ago decided that they would resolve this issue by building a big old fancy indoor market, and it was so damn popular, that they would keep it running to the present day!
So, what is there to do in the market? Well, there are loads of small stalls inside to check out, including a very nice cafe, small grocery shop, photography stall, pet shop and loads more for you to check out. The market is located between Upper Frog street and High street and has some amazing historic architecture, including an amazing glass roof, ancient stone walls and a 30 foot statue of Keanu Reeves… Okay that may not be true, but it would be cool wouldn’t it?
The old market is in a brilliant location, pretty much smack-bang in the middle of town, so there are plenty of modern shops that surround the ancient building, so even when you’ve left the walls, there’s still ample opportunity to spend some dosh on some new shoes, a slice of pizza, or that ointment that you desperately need but are too embarrassed to buy…
The shops in Tenby aren’t just in the market hall though, they’re dotted all over the place, from new big scale supermarkets and cafes to small, family owned businesses. The area is really a clash between the old and new in that regard. There are also loads of high end and affordable restaurants and pubs in and around Tenby to check out.
If you’re a surfer or skater boi like myself, there are a few small surf and skate shops located in the middle of Tenby that are definitely worth a visit. The Underground Surf shop is one of my all time favorite places to buy surf and skate hardware in Tenby. In fact, it’s the only place in Tenby to sell surf and skate hardware.
The shop opened in 1990 and is the longest running surf shop in the whole town and sell anything from second hand surfboards, wetsuits and skateboards all the way to clothing and footwear, such as their own brand of ‘underground apparel’ and all the best brands like Vans and Santa Cruz, all that good stuff. IF you fancy a visit then they’re based on number 4, Church street in, you guessed it, Tenby. But, if you’re like me and you live half a Gajillion miles away, just have a look at their online shop instead 😉
Anyway, I hope I made your next trip to Tenby a little more exiting and gave you a better insight into what the historic town of Tenby is actually like to visit and gave you a few extra activities to take part in when you get here.
If you cant be arsed visiting Tenby and you’d rather check out the South West for your next summer holiday, check out one of my recent posts about the 5 most stunning south west beaches in the UK to visit this summer.
Maybe you’re a Northerner, and you can’t be bothered to drive all the way down south for your next surf trip. Fear not, I’ve got the perfect place for you! Check out my post on Cayton Bay, and see why it will be your new favourite surf spot in the whole of the North West!
Right, I’m off. Cheers for reading!
~Josh
