South Pembrokeshire Coast

Pembroke Castle and the Mill Pond

Circuit of the tidal mill pond below one of the largest castles in Wales, with herons and kingfishers on the water.

Distance: 3.1 mi / 5 km
Time: 1 hr 40
Ascent: 80 m
Difficulty: Easy
Shape: Circular

Where it is

The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.

The route

A made path runs right round the mill pond from the castle, returning through the town. Flat and easy.

Worth knowing

The castle keep is 25 metres high with walls six metres thick at the base.
Henry VII was born in the castle in 1457.
The Wogan Cavern beneath the castle is a natural limestone cave used since prehistory.

What you’ll see

The castle from every angle, the mill pond, herons and kingfishers.

Background

Pembroke was never taken by the Welsh. It fell only once, to Cromwell after a seven-week siege in 1648.