Discover Bluestone Country - a Visitor's Guide
The Preselis are not a mountain range, rather a collection of gentle rolling hills.
That is not to say that they are not spectacular in their own way - the views of the coastline and the vistas are impressive - but it is their intimacy with the little villages that nestle amongst their folds that makes them so different.
For those who want to practice the gentle art of hill walking there are an abundant choice of routes. The Preseli Walkers Bus can take you to the start, or return you at the end of your walk.
There are a number of places that are "off the beaten track" that are well worth exploring. Rosebush once had a thriving quarry that helped fund a Great Western Railway branch line (opened in 1876) Unfortunately it never thrived and opened and closed with great regularity (ending all passenger traffic in 1937). That's really the sum total of large scale industrial activity!
In the foothills there are a couple craft workshops that will interest the visitor - John & Victoria's Jewellery Workshop at Llechryd and The Slate Workshop at Llangolman plus a Chocolate Farm at Llanboidy
A particular favourite of my family at Rosebush is the Old Post Office Restaurant (originally the slate quarry owner's house), but the Tafarn Sinc (corugated sheeting! see picture) is equally worth a visit.
Afterwards we tend to walk it off on the climb to Cerrig Lladron (magnificent views of Pembrokeshire) or visit the Country Park at Llys y Fran and attempt part of the seven mile walk around its perimeter.
Rosebush is also noted for Pant Mawr Farmhouse hand made Cheeses.
Many of the villages nestling in the foothills are very attractive, but the absence of thatched roofs makes them look very different from their West Country cousins.
Not far from Rosebush is a unique thatched cottage - the last one built overnight, Ty Unos - built on land claimed "as far as a stone can be thrown". A practice that the present day County Council planning department would probably not approve of!
By way of a complete contrast, there are impressive castles at Cilgerran and and Llawhaden.
Further south is Scolton Park with one of the most interesting museums of Victoriana that I have seen.
Of greater interest to families is that it has an excellent children's playground, several picnic tables, a Tea Room and the only public toilet on the road from Eglwswrw to Haverfordwest!
On the Northern flanks of the Preselis are a number of interesting gardens to visit - Bro Meigan is truly exceptional and well worth a visit.
Moorland Gardens at Brynberian are open during the Summer.
If you are interested in pre-history, there a lot of stone circles in the Preselis and a dramatically sited neolithic burial chamber at Pentre Ifan and a complete reconstructed Iron Age village at Castell Henllys
To the east is the Gwaun Valley. A secluded valley that time has almost forgotten about - well it has really, for it is one of the last remaining outposts of the Julian (47 BC) calender rather than the Gregorian (adopted 1752) Unlike the rest of the country, they celebrate the New Year on the 14th of January!
Dyffryn Fernant at Llanychaer represents 15 years of endeavour in the creation of a beautiful six acre garden from scratch.
