Haverfordwest

The River Cleddau cuts through this ancient county town like a silver thread, with the imposing ruins of Haverfordwest Castle perched dramatically above the water. Down in the town centre, independent shops line the steep streets while the weekly market still draws farmers and locals from across west Pembrokeshire. It's proper Welsh market town territory - none of your sanitised high street chains here.

Pembrokeshire's wild coastline lies just minutes away. The sweeping sands of Newgale stretch for miles, brilliant for surfing when the Atlantic swells roll in. Broad Haven offers calmer family-friendly waters, while the dramatic sea stacks at nearby Marloes Peninsula provide some of the finest coastal walking in Wales. Sweet Home Alpaca makes for an unexpectedly delightful encounter with these woolly characters.

Inland, the Preseli Hills roll away to the north - ancient moorland dotted with stone circles and the very rocks that built Stonehenge. Great Treffgarne Mountain and Plumstone Mountain offer cracking views across the whole peninsula, while walkers can explore the quieter paths around Dirty Pool Wood. The Parish Church of Saint Mary Roch sits beautifully in this landscape of small fields and stone walls.

Getting here couldn't be simpler - the A40 runs straight through town, connecting to the M4. Trains from Cardiff take about three hours, changing at Swansea. Fishguard ferry port is twenty minutes north for Irish connections.

Staying at one of the holiday parks around Haverfordwest puts you bang in the middle of Pembrokeshire's best bits. You're close enough to nip into town for supplies, yet surrounded by some of Wales' most spectacular countryside and coast.