Dogs go for Pembroke

Striding along a vast beach with your four-legged friend frolicking in the waves is truly hard to beat. And when you’ve got this stunning setting almost to yourself, it’s a recipe for a doggone amazing trip.

Our family’s week of exploring the staggering beaches of Pembrokeshire was certainly perfect for our cockapoo Bertie. The rest of the family appreciated visiting somewhere so dog-friendly, too.

While dogs are man’s best friend, they’re not always welcomed with open arms everywhere you go.

Yet Pembrokeshire – in the south west of Wales – is pretty close to doggy heaven, as far as I can tell.

All of its beaches welcome Bertie and friends, although there are understandably restrictions on some of the ones popular with bathers – including Newgale, Broad Haven and Tenby South – between the start of May and the end of September.

Your furry friend doesn’t need to be in the doghouse when you eat out, either.

We found many pubs and restaurants were more than happy to allow (well-behaved) dogs inside.

One where they’re not is The Shed Bistro at Porthgain. But it’s a small price to pay for the best fish and chips I’ve ever had in my life. The seaside diner – a favourite with The Mirror’s Pride of Britain host Carol Vorderman – also does takeaways.

Finding dog- friendly accommodation can also prove a challenge in some places, but not in Pembrokeshire.

The tourist board’s website has more than

250 options to choose from, including hotels, self- catering holiday homes and caravan parks.

We stayed at Trefrane Lodge, a cottage whose thick walls and cosy inside were the perfect shelter from the spring gales.

With its hilltop spot and views of Newgale beach – one of the area’s best strips of sand – it was the perfect base.

Not far away is St Davids, the UK’s smallest city, which is packed with lovely shops and a stunning cathedral.

Just over half-an-hour away is the Blue Lagoon, an indoor water park at the Bluestone holiday resort. With its swimming pool, complete with wave machine and various slides, it made for a great afternoon – and it’s a useful wet weather option.

Another highly recommended day out is historic Pembroke Castle, with its maze of tunnels, towers and batt l eme n t s , surrounded by a mill pond.

The cottage was also handy for one of the other highlights of our stay – horse riding on the beach with Nolton Stables, which is run by the same farming family behind Trefrane Lodge.

My 12- year - o ld daughter Isla, nine-yearold son Sam and I were all beginners.

But we were in safe hands, with our expert guides taking us to Druidston beach for a truly unforgettable experience, tro tt i n g through the waves.

With its abundance of wide expanses of golden sand, Pembrokeshire is generally a quieter option than Devon and Cornwall and has appeal in spades.

Whether you’ve got a four-legged member of the family or not, Pembrokeshire really is top dog.

HAvE IT ALL From fish and chips to colourful Tenby and great waterparks