My Favourite Place

Ever since I was a little girl my parents have taken me and my brother camping in Bosherston for a few weeks each summer. Of course, this was always subject to the welsh weather (which we all know can be appalling), but even if we could't camp we've always visited each year without fail. What began as a small family tradition eventually snowballed into a summer holiday for us and our close family friends. Many a happy memory has been made in the small village in Pembrokeshire and it's hard for anyone to say that it isn't a breathtakingly beautiful place. 

The beach is a 10 minute walk from the village and can be accessed either through the stunning Lily Ponds or over the cliff top from the campsites. Broadhaven beach has glorious white sand and a fresh water spring which runs along its side, and at high tide, runs into the sea. The sand dunes have often hosted myself and my rabble of friends' multiple games of hide and seek and our dune surfing competitions. On the left hand side of the sandy beach is a large rock stack from which me and my friends were often found jumping off into the sea (much to our mothers' disapproval). In the summer, the sea is wonderfully refreshing, yet you must always be careful of the cross-current that can easily pull you across the beach without your knowledge. Broadhaven is also a wonderful place for a crisp winter walk: its wonderful scenery coupled with a cold breeze and enough space for the dog to run happily fits the criteria of a perfect winter's day. Click here for further information about Broadhaven.

The Lily Ponds that lie between Bosherston and Broadhaven beach are run by the National Trust and are absolutely teeming with wildlife. The walk around the Lily Ponds is relatively short and the terrain is not difficult making it the perfect place for young families and elderly people. The wild birds found at the ponds are very confident around humans, and if you take some bird seed with you and hold it out to them they will land in the palm of your hand to eat the seed. The ponds themselves are full of different types of fish, eels and insects, and is home to a majestic family of swans who can usually be found by the stone bridge half-way through the walk. There have been many occasions on which we've spied Herons, and when I was younger, Billy Goats could be found roaming wild along the cliffside. The ponds are particularly beautiful in the spring when the Lily's are in full bloom!

More information about the Lily Ponds can be found on the National Trust website.

 

No trip to the beautiful little village of Bosherston would be complete without a trip to the Ye Olde Worlde Cafe which has stood in the same place, practically untouched, for decades. Mrs Weston, also known as Auntie Vie, runs the cafe which she inherited from her mother. She's has worked at the cafe since she was a young girl and was recently awarded an MBE for her services to tourism. The cafe is quaint and fits into its surroundings perfectly. The menu is limited, but the character of the building more than makes up for a lack of choice. The scones with jam and cream are out of this world, as are the other cakes available. It became a great Towler family tradition for us to get on our bikes each morning to the cafe to chomp down on a breakfast of poached eggs on toast before getting on with the days activities. One thing I must note here, although it does give me great pleasure to watch tourists make this mistake, the tea in the tea pots served here is loose tea leaves not tea bags so make sure to use the tea strainer or you'll end up with one rather horrible cup of tea! There is also a small shop at the side of the cafe that can be opened if you ask politely. There's a wide range of sweets, ice creams and beach toys to be purchased - I have to admit, I wasted my 50p a week pocket money here on a regular basis!

Bosherston is a fantastic destination for those of all ages as there truly is something for everyone. It's a tranquil place where adults can enjoy a relaxing walk and take in the beautiful scenery, yet is an adventure ground for imaginative children. I will admit there is no signal at Bosherston, so probably not the best place for stroppy 14 year olds who can't be apart from their Twitter feed for longer than half an hour, but even so it is and always has been my favourite place in the world!

Do you have a special place where most of your childhood memories were formed?