Autumn is a beautiful time of year

Autumn walks in Pembrokeshire

Our woodlands are a blaze of russet and yellows. Inland rivers provide a calm shelter from westerly winds.

And on those clear, calm days breath-taking views can be enjoyed as far as Ireland and North Wales from the Preseli Hills.

Here are just a few of the colourful walks to enjoy in Pembrokeshire this autumn:

  • Canaston Woods

This wonderful oak and beech forest, near Narberth, is part of the old Slebech Estate on the upper reaches of the Daugleddau estuary. The walk is teeming with wildlife, both in the woodland and on the river, and if you’re lucky otter, kingfisher, heron, fox, owl, woodpecker can all be seen or heard.

  • Bosherston Lakes

Bosherston Lakes, near Pembroke, are beautiful to visit any day of the week and offer lots of shelter from the prevailing winds. Autumn brings an abundance of birdlife, easily spotted around the lakes, with robins being particularly friendly. Early morning walkers have a good chance of seeing the resident otters.

  • Teifi Marshes Wildlife Reserve

There is one very good reason to visit the Teifi Marshes Wildlife Reserve in autumn and that’s birds – thousands of them! Situated on the banks of the river Teifi, between Cardigan and Cilgerran, this marshland area is home to thousands of migratory birds in the autumn. Keep an eye out for osprey, an ear out for an owl and watch flocks of Canadian geese as they take to the air or feed on the mudflats.

  • Ty Canol Woods

Ty Canol, near Newport, is a remarkable 170-acre ancient oak woodland of international importance because it is home to more than 400 species of lichens, which thrive in the light, moist clean air conditions. Artists and scientists love this area equally for its gnarly moss-dripping oaks, abundant flora and fauna and diverse range of wildlife. A great place for some mushroom spotting!

Celtic Routes
View from the summit of Foel Eryr
  • Colby Woodland Garden

If it’s the flaming colours of an autumn fall you’re after then head to the National Trust’s Colby Woodland Garden, near Amroth, to enjoy the bright red Acers, Dogwoods and Sweet-gum leaves amid the yellows and greens of this magical woodland.

  • Gwaun Valley

Across the valley from Ty Canol another secret woodland is waiting to be visited in the Gwaun Valley. This steep-sided valley hosts avenues of beech trees that are awash with colour in the autumn and after the rain the waterfalls are at they’re most spectacular. Well worth a visit!

  • Preseli Hills

On those crystal clear days when the autumn sun is shining and the wind has dropped there is no better place to be than on the Preseli Hills. To the west is Foel Eryr, which is easily accessible from the B4329 near Rosebush. Remember to look up as you walk, because this is a favourite spot for buzzards and red kites. On top, you’ll find a Bronze Age burial cairn and National Park observation beacon to help you find your view across the county.

To the east, near Crymych, is the dramatic hilltop of Foel Drygarn. This is what remains of a Bronze Age fort where stone ramparts, banks and ditches can be found circling the peak. Three massive Bronze Age cairns dominate the area and the views are well worth the climb.

  • Nevern

The pretty hamlet of Nevern is nestled on a steep, wooded valley along the river Nevern and has walks along the riverbank in both directions, which really come into their own in autumn, as the trees change colour and jays and squirrels dive along the trail preparing for winter. If you like medieval history look out for the motte and bailey castle, Norman church, 13ft high Celtic cross and an avenue of bleeding yews.

Walking with little ones? Check out the accessible walks in Pembrokeshire.

Bosherston Lakes

Such a beautiful idyllic place to holiday and I've been visiting every year since I was a child. Would definitely recommend it as top spot to take a break.

Louise, Wolverhampton