We love North Wales and, because we’d never been to the Island before, decided a Pembrokeshire to Anglesey road trip was in order.
This drive takes you right up the West coast of Wales. We passed, and sometimes stopped at, some fantastic places along the way. Here’s how we did it.
Haverfordwest
Starting the Pembrokeshire to Anglesey road trip from Haverfordwest would seem a sensible option. At the western end of the A40 it’s very accessible and exactly 2 hours form Cardiff.
Haverfordwest is the the main town in Pembrokeshire and, as such, has a wealth of places to refresh yourself, make a few purchases and/or refuel your vehicle.
From here you have options. Head North East over the Preseli Hills or West(ish) to Newgale.
Newgale
This will be your first glimpse of the coast on this Pembrokeshire to Anglesey road trip. And what a sight it is! We’re on this road on a regular basis and it still gets us every time. Truly breathtaking!
We’re willing to bet that you won’t be able to resist pulling in to the large layby as you descend the hill!
St David's
The smallest city in the UK, St David’s is the birth (and resting) place of the Patron Saint of Wales. This fact alone would make it a must visit on a road trip in Wales.
But it’s also home to the magnificent Cathedral which makes this incredibly atmospheric location one not to be missed.
Fishguard
As you drive through Fishguard you’ll pass the Royal Oak on your left hand side. This is where the Last Invasion of Britain Peace Treaty was signed in 1797!
And, after passing through colourful Lower Town…
…you’ll see a layby at the top of the hill which is perfect if you want to see the remains of the Fort.
Newport
Just 7 miles further along you’ll pass through the popular holiday town of Newport. There are plenty of opportunities to detour off the main road if you want to see one of beaches. And, like, Haverfordwest, St David’s and Fishguard plenty of places to eat or drink before leaving Pembrokeshire behind.
Aberaeron
From Newport the Pembrokeshire to Anglesey road trip will take you into Ceredigion. Through, or past, Cardigan and on to Aberaeron (34 miles from Newport).
A lovely little harbour town, this is a good place for a comfort break. We usually get honey ice cream here but there’s also a great chip shop, plenty of restaurants and accommodation if you choose to take an overnight stop here. We never have but the Harbourmaster Hotel has a great reputation locally.
Aberystwyth
The stretch of road between Aberaeron and Aberystwyth is undoubtedly our favourite on the Pembrokeshire to Anglesey road trip. It’s also one of our favourites anywhere! Look at it! So close to the coast. And those views. They make it impossible not stop. Everytime!
Although our Pembrokeshire to Anglesey road trip bypassed Aberystwyth it is a great place for a break or even an overnight stay. There is so much to this coastal University town, not least it’s promenade and pier. Not on this occasion we’ve had great chips on the prom here before! And there is an absolute abundance of shops, accommodation and places to eat and drink.
Tan y Coed
This is one of our usual places to stop for lunch. Tan y Coed is a picnic area owned/maintained by Natural Resources Wales. We like it here. It’s always well maintained, quiet and clean. There are a few circular walk trails here too, which we’re looking forward to doing in the future.
Ganllwyd
There are public conveniences in Ganllwyd and we stopped here briefly. Depending on the weather you may also get some photographic opportunities!
Caernarfon
Next stop Caernarfon. 8 miles south of the Britannia Bridge, this Royal town is home to a magnificent 700 year-old castle. There’s plenty of parking available here. Most of it is subject to fees but we managed to get a free space for an hour on the High Street.
There are also plenty of places to eat. In the main square we came across Nemo Fish and Chips. We couldn’t help but notice the hygiene rating of 5 and from the outside it looked really nice. It was around 5 o’clock and we all agreed it would be rude not to. We were glad we did. The chips here really were fantastic, so much so we went back for another portion! You know, just in case.
From Caernarfon we headed to Anglesey via the Britannia Bridge. This was a fairly short drive along the A55, but at 5.30pm on a Friday it was quite busy.
Anglesey
Crossing the Britannia Bridge brings the Pembrokeshire to Anglesey road trip to its ultimate destination. Although you don’t need to end your journey here.
There’s so many things to do on Anglesey that we spent a couple of days exploring as much of the Island as we could.
We didn’t get around it all though. Which means another Pembrokeshire to Anglesey road trip is on the cards!
Thoughts on the Pembrokeshire to Anglesey Road Trip
Overall our journey to Anglesey took around 10 hours! For a 5 hour drive! But this was because we made the journey part of the trip. We know that sounds obvious but it’s not something you have to do. We could have driven at breakneck speed (within the law of course!) and stressed ourselves out with trying to get where we were going in the shortest possible time. But that’s not the point. Sometimes its about slowing down. Noticing things. Taking in what’s around you. Shared experiences. Taking detours here and there. Being flexible and adaptable with the plan. Recognising opportunities and taking them.
You still get there. Eventually. And you may just have more fun along the way!
Feel free to leave a comment if you’d like any more information and we’ll do our best to help. If you enjoyed this post why not leave check out our other posts on Wales
More Info on the Pembrokeshire to Anglesey Road Trip
Anglesey is Wales’ largest island and can be reached by crossing one of two bridges. The Menai Bridge and the Britannia Bridge. Off the coast of North West Wales, it’s the fifth largest island in Britain.
Tan y coed is around 4 miles North of Machynlleth on the A487. The Post Code is SY20 9AT. The OS map grid reference is SH 755 054. There are picnic tables and conveniences here. Parking is free.
Ganllwyd is approximately 6 miles North of Dolgellau on the A470 heading towards Trawsfynydd. OS map grid reference SH726244. Post Code District LL40. There is a small car park on the road with conveniences.
More places to visit in Wales
2 thoughts on “Pembrokeshire to Anglesey road trip”
What an inspired road trip guys. Gorgeous place.
Ryan
Never did the whole road trip in one go, but did the southern bits of it end of last year and greatly enjoyed it. St David’s has such an amazing atmosphere. Also managed to spot some baby seals bit further up the coast from there.