Favourite things to do in Tenby, Wales | Guest Post

If you’ve been following my blog for a while you’ll know I love a staycation. There’s just something about exploring my own back yard and having the chance to learn more about the UK that I really enjoy.

With that in mind, today’s guest post comes from the lovely Jen of Bookworm Jen Blog. Whose talking about her favourite things to in Tenby, Wales. Somewhere I’ve never been! So of course I was happy to learn more about it.

[Missed a post in my staycation series? Catch up here.]

Favourite things to do in Tenby

Guest post by: Jen

Tenby is my home from home, I spent so much time there as a child that I know my way around like I’ve lived there all my life. Going back there is like going home.

There are so many beautiful places that I’ve been to and want to visit. I get so attached to a place I end up visiting year after year rather than going somewhere new.

I dont stay in Tenby anymore but its only a short drive away, about an hour and half, and I visit for the day a few times a year.

Tenby is a historical coastal town in the county of Pembrokeshire. Its Welsh name is Dinbych-y-pysgod meaning ‘little fort of the fishes.’ It boasts gorgeous beaches that often win awards for cleanliness and the town itself is historical and surrounded by 13th century stone walls.

As you can see from my first photo the houses are painted different colours. It is a pretty place and very popular with tourists from all over.

Things to do in Tenby

• There are numerous places to eat, from a small lunch to a seafood platter.
• Plenty of shops to browse in, a few well known brands but lovely independent shops selling Tenby themed items. My favourite shop is the Nook as they stock a lot of handmade items. But Equinox has been there for longer, its always been a quirky shop and I love the dragon/gothic room upstairs.
• There are many places of historical interest within driving distance including castles: Pembroke and Carew.
• For families Folly Farm is probably most popular, not only is it a working farm but in recent years theyve became a zoo, they have lions now. And also an old fashioned fun fair, with a small ghost train (I havent been in a while so I assumed these facts are right).
• Other fun places: Oakwood Park, the biggest theme park in Wales, very popular. Heatherton is close by with various activities to keep the whole family busy.

Theres so many fun family places in the area, farms, theme parks, a dinosaur park. Tenby is central to them all which why its a great base for a family holiday.

Why I love Tenby?

My family used to go on holiday there at least twice a year. And also visited every Easter Sunday since I was a child. At the end of the winter I itch to go to Tenby, its a calming place for me. I love going there just to watch the sea. It could be the sentimentality, the associations with fun family days or it could be the sea air and the sea itself which leaves me feeling calm and rested. Whatever it is Tenby will always be a special place for me.

Interesting Facts

• There are tunnels hidden under Tenby High Street which are believed to have been used to hide Jasper Tudor, who was born at nearby Pembroke Castle and an heir to the English throne. During the civil war which affected the whole of Britain, the War of The Roses also known as The Cousins War, Jasper Tudor fled to France, it is believed he used these tunnels as they lead to the harbour.
• St. Catherines Island was used to film an episode of Sherlock in the last series, it was meant to be an island in the middle of the sea.
• Tenby has featured on tv: once when they showed the transformation of the old lifeboat house and also a series about Tenby harbour on the BBC.
• The local name for the entrance to the town is the Five Arches because as you enter the town you go through old arched stone walls but there are actually six!
• In the 19th century Laston House was used as an assembly room and also had seawater baths, above the entrance you can see the quote: The sea washes away the ills of man which was also added to the new sign on the way into Tenby, I say new, its new to me but the sign was probably put there in 2016.

I hope to visit many new places, over the last few years Ive been going to Boscastle in Cornwall and I previously I liked going to Swanage in Dorset but Tenby will always be the place I went to as a child and therefore always be one of my favourite places to visit.

---

I hope you enjoyed Jen’s guest post. 🙂 Have you ever been to Tenby? Let me know in the comments.