I visited UK’s ‘most beautiful’ seaside village — now is the best time to visit | UK | Travel

Autumn is my favourite time for a coastal break in the UK. It’s a quieter time to visit and accommodation is potentially cheaper. And one of my favourite spots is a tiny harbour village that Conde Nast Traveller listed as one of the “most beautiful villages in the UK and Ireland”.

Located in northern Pembrokeshire, Solva is known for its picturesque harbour, colourful houses and sandy beach tucked at the end of an inlet at St Brides Bay.

It was also named one of “the poshest villages in the UK” by The Sunday Times, much to the surprise of locals. Using criteria that measured some obscure signs of wealth, including personalised number plates and the number of working-breed dogs per household, The Times described the Pembrokeshire village as being “popular with the posh fashion crowd who can do without the crush in Cornwall.”

I’ve long stopped off in Solva on my travels around Pembrokeshire, and it’s an ideal spot for a coastal walk, a pub lunch or an epic seafood platter enjoyed on the harbour.

While summer is perfect for sea swimming and long afternoons on sun-trap pub terraces, I have come to appreciate Pembrokeshire far more in autumn.

Sure, the weather might not be as sunny, but this is the UK — and, more specifically, Wales. Frankly, you can have a torrential downpour in August and a mini-heatwave in late September. It’s completely unpredictable, so you may as well take a chance on a cheaper autumn visit and hope the weather gods smile upon you.

I love that if you visit Pembrokeshire during the week in mid-October you can escape the crowds and wander the pretty streets and sandy beaches in relative peace. Just wrap up warm, buy a hot chocolate and watch the waves roll in from a chilled-out seaside cafe.

Solva may look familiar to you even if you’ve not been before — fans of ITV’s hit show Unforgotten may have recognised the village in the most recent series. Viewers saw Sinead Keenan and Sanjeev Bhaskar reprise their roles as DCI Jess James and DI Sunny Khan in the sixth series of the critically acclaimed crime drama. In the sixth episode, DI Khan visits a coastal village “in Ireland” but the town is not actually in Ireland at all. The scenes were shot in Solva.

While Solva was traditionally a working harbour, like many coastal towns in Wales, it has since become a popular tourist hotspot where visitors flock for scenic views, coastal walks, and seafood suppers. Further attention from The Times and its food critic Giles Coren, who appears to regularly enjoy a jaunt to the St Davids peninsula, has also driven crowds to Solva.

Giles visited Solva’s 16th-century Cambrian Inn, where he enjoyed “prawn cocktail, Caesar salad, Greek salad, terrific ribeye and chips, hilariously loaded ‘Fat Cow’ burger, excellent Mangalore chicken curry and a perfectly serviceable rosé for £21.50 a bottle.”

Having very much enjoyed the culinary delights on offer, he said, “I’d much rather eat this food here than, say, the food they serve at Sketch or Noma”.

The pub has long been popular with locals and tourists before the Times came calling. Over the years, The Cambrian Inn has built a solid reputation for serving well-executed dishes made with locally sourced ingredients.

The menu perfectly balances comforting crowd-pleasers and a touch of refinement, offering dishes like ham and eggs, burgers, roast chicken, and chips, each elevated with a thoughtful twist.

The Ship Solva is another pub worth visiting. This historic family pub, a member of the Good Beer Guide, features a craft beer selection, a restaurant, a function room, and a beer garden overlooking the river.

Dating back to 1784, it boasts a lot of character, featuring exposed timber, a collection of Toby jugs, and old photographs and memorabilia from the early days of the Solva Regatta.

Foodwise, there is a range of seasonal specials using local produce, and dishes range from fresh mussels and burgers to epic Sunday roasts. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What’s On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here

Along with decent pub eats, Solva is bursting with fresh produce that goes from ocean to plate in just a few short steps.

For the best seafood platter, Mrs Will the Fish is a takeaway with a twist in Upper Solva. Owner Jan carefully prepares and dresses locally caught lobsters and spider crabs, selling them directly from her bungalow in Parc Benny.

Jan started a boat-to-plate business with her fisherman husband many years ago when they started selling his fresh catch straight from his boat. This small and simple enterprise was primarily known to locals, who would call ahead and collect the fresh catch.

The venture has since expanded to offer gourmet seafood platters for discerning tourists seeking a visually appealing feast by the sea.

Jan’s platters have become so popular that they are often sold out by 10 am, so customers are advised to call early to place their seafood orders.

Make sure to try the seafood lobster platter – fresh lobster, crab, prawns and crevettes and eat it right on the harbour with sea views.

After a pub lunch, hit the coast path for bracing sea views and secluded bays. If you follow the Wales Coast Path, you can hike the 7 miles between Solva and St Davids, the UK’s smallest city. This dramatic cliff-top walk offers expansive views of St Brides Bay and provides opportunities for wildlife spotting.

There’s also a 12.5-mile trek to Whitesands Bay, with routes featuring rugged cliffs, coves, and historic sites, or a 5-mile stroll to Newgale. If you’re new to hiking, you can use the All Trails app to download routes in and around Solva to follow or join hiking groups like We Hike Wales, to explore Wales’ best routes with new walking buddies.

Want to stay longer in Solva? You can book a stay at the Cambian Inn, or the Ship Inn for a ‘pub with rooms’ break, or check out self-catering accommodation on Sykes Cottages, HolidayCottages.co.uk or Forest Holidays to find a suitable stay for your budget and group size.