Newport
Newport is an idyllic little town on Pembrokeshire’s north coast. Newport has very loyal visitors with many spending the entire summer in Newport every year and with good reason. Newport is an undeveloped haven with a laid back way of life that acts as a perfect antidote to the excesses of modern life. The contrast with the Newport in Monmouthshire couldn’t be more stark!
Picture: Newport Bay from Carn Ingli
The Welsh name for Newport is Trefdraeth. Translated, this means 'town by the beach'. The beach in question is Newport Sands, a mile long, wide, flat, dune-backed beach. Newport and Newport Parrog were designated as a conservation area by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park in 1999.
Picture: Sunset over Dinas Head looking from Newport Bay
The nearest hotel is at Newport Golf Club but there are also Inns, B&B’s, restaurants with rooms and guesthouses in Newport. Camp sites and touring caravan site are available including several that have direct access to The Parrog. There is a holiday park with camping facilities near The Parrog or at nearby Llwyngwair Manor on the way to Cardigan. They have self catering static caravans to rent. There are numerous self catering cottages throughout this part of Pembrokeshire including in Newport itself.
Picture: Cafe on Market Street
Newport is a town of two halves, The streets around Market Street and the area around the Parrog. Market Street was once wide enough to accommodate market stalls but has since been narrowed with the enclosure of front gardens at many of the properties. Newport’s commercial hub can be found in the surrounding streets, where you can find interesting shops, cafés, pubs and restaurants. Newport Tourist Information Centre (TIC) is in nearby Long street as well. The TIC is run by The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and is open daily from Easter to October.
Picture: Market Street in Newport
There are a number of good pubs in Newport including The Castle, The Royal Oak and The Golden Lion. They all provide food at lunchtime and in the evening. The BBC presenter, John Humphreys said that The Golden Lion was one of his favourite places in the UK. Fronlas Café and Café Fleur are both on Market Street providing teas and lunches. There are also two excellent restaurants in Newport, Cnapan and Llys Meddyg.
Picture: The Golden Lion in Newport
Cnapan is named after a game that is said to be a forerunner to rugby and involved the occupants of both Newport and nearby Nevern. The game covered the whole of the countryside between the two villages. It may have originated in the Middle Ages as a form of organised chaos and relief for the monotonous work of the local peasants. There are few rules so as to minimise hindrance to play. There were two groups of players on each side, some who grappled for the cnapan or ball and others who were the fastest runners. There were also features similar to scrums and lineouts. The game was recreated for about ten years in around 1985 to 95 in Newport and the Cnapan Trophy still exists.
A number of interesting shops includes Wholefoods of Newport, Jen’s Pantry, Havards, an Aladdin’s Cave stocking a wide variety goods including wetsuits and kayaks, The Gwalia Gift Shop, Horse & Rambler, The Carningli Centre second hand book shop and The Newport Collective, selling a selection of arts and crafts created by a local makers.
Newport Wholefoods also hire mountain and road bikes for children and adults including child seats, tag-a-longs. They also provide 'CycleQuest' adven