Ask the Experts: The best photo spots in Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire is a destination renowned for its picturesque landscape; from outstanding rural landscapes to dramatic coastal views, it serves as a fine example of the natural beauty of the British Isles. Because of this, the first thing many pack in their suitcase for their Pembrokeshire cottage holidays is their camera to capture these stunning landscapes for themselves. If you have come to South Wales in search of fantastic photos, we’ve asked the experts to tell us their favourite location.

1: Heather Cowper

Image Credit: Heather Cowper

“I visited Skomer Island in May when the puffins are starting to settle into their burrows and lay eggs, while in June and July the chicks hatch and the parents go to and fro with fish to feed them. Skomer Island, off the coast of Pembrokeshire, can be visited by boat as a day trip and is one of the few places you can get really close to the puffins.”

Click here to read Heather’s travel blog.

2. Emma Garratt

Image Credit: rhedeg.co.uk (Flickr.com) Note: Image shown is not taken by Emma Garratt

“Often voted Britain's most beautiful beach, Barafundle Bay is a stunning location for photography. You will have to walk the half mile across the cliff tops from Stackpole Quay car park to reach the secluded location, but it's certainly worthwhile; the clear water and golden sand is unforgettable.”

Click here to read Emma Garratt’s blog.

3. Paula J James

Image Credit: Paula J James

“My favourite location for taking photographs in Pembrokeshire is Tenby, as it has such a great variety of subject matter and is so picturesque. There's everything from boats to beautiful, pastel coloured old townhouses and also several beaches to choose from. The sunsets can be spectacular too.”

Click here to see more of Paula’s work.

4: Stuart Jason Lee

Image Credit: Stuart Jason Lee

“My favourite photo spot in Pembrokeshire has to be Barafundle Bay. Not only is it a stunning location for photography shoots, it is also a place where I can go to chill out and forget about the world for a few hours. It's also a great location for exploring the coastline whilst kayaking.”

Click here to see more of Stuart’s work.

5: David Wilson

Image Credit: David Wilson

“My favourite spot in Pembrokeshire is Barafundle beach. Park early morning at Stackpole Quay and enjoy a leisurely stroll over the headland with views for miles along the coast, to a beach voted one of the top ten in the world. The view as you approach Barafundle is breath-taking. Be the first to arrive and have it all to yourself….for a short while!”

Click here to see more of David Wilson’s work.

6. David Evans of Pembrokeshire Coastal Photography

Image Credit: David Evans

“My favourite spot is ‘Mother Carey's Kitchen’ on Lydstep Headland. The vertical Limestone Cliffs are popular with Climbers who have given this Bay an exotic name.

“My image shows a view, from an impressive Saddle / Ridge Headland - Whitesheet Rock, showing the complex coastline where the rock strata has been forced into the vertical. Skrinkle Haven Beach is in the distance.

“A National Trust car park is nearby, tricky to find however, and a short distance to the west, on a very low tide a sandy beach is revealed at ‘Lydstep Caverns Beach’ and a spectacular Limestone Arch can be found at "Skrinkle Haven.”

Click here to see more of David Evans’ work.

7. Stuart Hall

Image Credit: Stuart Hall

“Parrog, Newport

I took this shot of the slipway at Parrog, Newport, Pembrokeshire in Summer when the Poppies were at their best.

Friends of mine run the superb Morawelon restaurant to the left of this shot and also tend to the planting.

Before I could take the photograph a chap was busy explaining to me about the art of balancing stones at the same time as balancing the stone just to the left of the Poppy.”

Click here to see more of Stuart Hall’s work.

8. Heather Bennett

Image Credit: Heather Bennett

“Asking me to name one place is an almost impossible task. The whole county is extremely photogenic and doubly so if you take the differing seasons into the equation. I travel widely for my work and people ask me where I think is the most beautiful place I have photographed – my answer is always Pembrokeshire.

The spring flowers here and the bird life are simply stunning: from a photographers point of view what really makes the area attractive is that it is possible in one moment to take a broad view landscape and in the next focus in closely on the texture of a lichen covered rock or a puffin with a beak full of sand eels. There is no limit – what you can imagine you can find here.

I have two favourite places. One is the island of Skomer cloaked in early spring by Bluebells and Red Campion becoming shortly afterwards the summer home of the ever fascinating characterful puffins. Its rocky coastline set in ever changing seas are a challenge to the camera and create beautiful memories to capture. The second is Newgale Beach with its wide expanse of sand and sea held against a backdrop of its massive stone bank. Newgale changes not only in every season but often at each time of the day: I have been there when the huge clear blue sky rapidly gives way to an effervescent white cloud which sweeps down right across the beach wrapping itself around walkers and surfers creating a superb photographic moment.

I recommend both but give each place the gift of time so that it communicates to you as a photographer its sense of self. I guarantee you will enjoy it.”

Click here to see more of Heather’s work.

9. Peter Hill

‘My favourite photo spot? It's Porthgain!!! The picturesque village provides a stunning backdrop to the remnants of its eerily beautiful industrial past and tiny harbour. It also happens to have a rather nice pub.”

Click here to see more of Pete Hill on his GB Coast Walk

10. Drew Buckley

Image Credit: Drew Buckley

With its varied terrain, stunning coastal views and sheer spectacular coastal rock formations, the stretch of the Pembrokeshire coast path from the Green Bridge eastwards is my favourite walk to take photos. Not only is it a stone’s throw away from my front door, but it also encompasses everything I love about the coast. One of the more level walks along the coastal path, there's a lot to see in this relatively short distance. Main highlights being the Green Bridge, which is a large natural limestone sea arch and also the two prominent towering sea stacks. Aptly named Elegug Stacks, due to the world Elegug meaning Guillemot in Welsh; these are important nesting sites for sea birds come summertime.

Click here to see more of Drew’s work.

11. Kersten Howard

Image Credit: Kersten Howard

"When I was asked to select a favourite location from my home county of Pembrokeshire so many names popped into my head. It is true to say that we are very spoiled for choice down here. Being a south Pembrokeshire lad I naturally started thinking of the south coast, but in the end I picked Marloes Sands on the west coast.

At just under a mile long Marloes offers enough beach for everyone, although it's never overcrowded due to it being a good 10 minute walk from the car park. It is a bit more rugged than some other Pembrokeshire beaches, but there is plenty to explore when you are there - rock pools, beautiful cliff formations and the coastal path above it to name a few. The wide variety of photographic opportunities is what keeps me coming back throughout the year.

It has even had the Hollywood seal of approval, as they filmed 'Snow White and the Huntsman' down there in 2012, and National Geographic magazine declared it the 2nd best coastal destination in the world in 2010. Don't take our words for it though, visit it yourself and be prepared to fall in love."

Click here to see more of Kersten’s work

While these photo spots are great to visit during your cottage holidays in Tenby, Saundersfoot or other areas in Pembrokeshire, there are still plenty of places you could explore for yourself. If you have a special spot to suggest or perhaps even have your own photo, why not head to our Facebook page and share your top photo spot with us?

This content was written by Ben Edwards. Please feel free to visit my Google+ Profile to read more stories.

Image Credit: Mike Charles (Shutterstock.com)