It has a campsite, a beach and not much more, but this idyllic spot on the tranquil west coast of Wales is Liz’s happy place
Words & pictures ❚ Liz Morrell
ROAD TRIPS PEMBROKESHIRE
Sometimes there are places that you just fall in love with instantly. The pull is so strong that it draws you back month after month, year after year. And with a ’van on standby it’s so easy to head off when you need a fix of that special place.
Such locations provide the sense of escape we all need sometimes. They’re somewhere that you turn up, breathe, and instantly relax. You can’t necessarily explain it. You just feel like you’re home. Their draw is irresistible. For me, that place is Newgale in Pembrokeshire.
Pembrokeshire is a county of beautiful villages, towns and beaches and is part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. There are some incredible sights to see in the area, some stunning coastline and bays to explore and some great campsites to stay at.
But it’s Newgale that has stolen my heart and to which I return whenever I can.
Newgale comprises a campsite, a beach and not much more. It sits in the wider expanse of St Bride’s Bay, accessed by the A487 that cuts through the middle. There’s a breathtaking view of the campsite, beach and sea as you descend into the village from the direction of Haverfordwest – the largest town in Pembrokeshire – followed by a steep climb out if you then head from Newgale towards the St Davids Peninsula.
The moment that I drive over the bow of the hill from Roch to arrive in Newgale always excites me, no matter how many times I have now experienced it. The beach comes into sight below, and my first reaction is always the same: ‘How are the waves looking? Can I go in yet? Is the campsite busy?’
Newgale Campsite sits on one side of the road that slices through the valley. On the other is a stone embankment beyond which lies the beach and sea. This huge pebble mound was created by a storm in 1859 and today helps to provide a flood defence for the road and the campsite.
It doesn’t always work. In February 2014, ten people had to be rescued from a bus passing along the road after it was caught by a large wave during high winds and high tide. In the winter the area – including the campsite – floods regularly and the shingle bank is understood to have a limited lifespan as coastal erosion bites.
The heart of Newgale
The beach, sea and campsite are the main features of Newgale. There was als
