Valentin Bardo

The old fort overlooking Fishguard Bay is one of those Pembrokeshire landmarks that catches you by surprise. Built during the Napoleonic Wars, Valentin Bardo sits on the headland with proper views across the water toward Cardigan Bay. It's a small affair - a handful of stone walls and earthwork defences that speak volumes about 19th-century military paranoia, but the real draw is the walk itself and the spot you're standing in when you get there.

The fort's worth a ramble if you're already in Fishguard for the day, though don't expect a full visitor experience with interpretation boards and a gift shop. This is the sort of place where you wander the perimeter, imagine French invasion fleets bearing down, and let your eyes drift across the water. The coastal walk to reach it beats the fort itself, if we're being honest. Allow an hour tops, unless you're the type to sit on a bench with a thermos and sketch.

Families with older kids will manage fine; younger ones might not see why they've trudged out here. History buffs and walkers get far more from a visit. It's free to access and open year-round, though Atlantic winds can be fierce even in summer.

If you're staying at Fishguard Holiday Park or Fishguard Bay Resort - both just down the road - the fort makes a sensible morning outing before heading inland to explore Preseli Hills or picking a different coastal stretch. It's not a destination on its own, but it's the sort of layered, unglamorous bit of Pembrokeshire that makes the region worth visiting.