Fishguard

Known to the locals as Abergwaun, Fishguard is situated on the Welsh coast towards the north of Pembrokeshire. The area inland around Fishguard is dedicated mainly to farming, whilst Fishguard Harbour, which is in fact in neighbouring village Goodwick, connects Britain to Ireland, thanks to the regular ferries to Rosslare.

Although Fishguard is a small town, it is the setting for one of the more amusing anecdotes in British history. The last invasion of Britain took place here in 1797, when the French, led by an Irish-American called Colonel William Tate, came ashore in a bid to conquer. The invading forces, however, spent their time guzzling the rich food and strong liquor that had recently been recovered from a beached Portuguese ship.

After two days of drinking, the French were too inept to fight and were promptly despatched home. Tate lied to his French superiors that thousands of British troops had repelled the invaders. Nothing of the sort happened. In fact, twelve of the French had been captured by Jemima Nicholas, the 47-year old wife of a local cobbler, who was armed only with a pitchfork. She was henceforth known as Jemima Fawr, or Jemima the Great.

Attractions

Fishguard itself is pretty, but has little of interest, except perhaps St Mary's church, where Jemima Nicholas is buried, The Royal Oak pub, in which Tate signed the peace treaty between the French and the Welsh, and the Fishguard Tapestry, which was created in 1997 to commemorate the 'invasion'. In neighbouring Goodwick, there is also the Ocean Lab, an educational centre that explains marine life.

Fishguard does, however, serve as an excellent base for exploring the attractions that Pembrokeshire more generally has to offer. Pembroke itself, Tenby and nearby Haverfordwest all have various visitor attractions, including Pembroke Castle, although St David's, which is the smallest city in the UK, is perhaps the jewel in the county's crown, with its impressive Cathedral and Bishops Palace.

For the outward bound, Fishguard has much to offer. One can go on a seal and dolphin safari from Goodwick, or spend time walking, cycling, fishing, climbing, kayaking and performing various other activities in and around this peaceful little town.

Shopping

Pembrokeshire's natural beauty has long since attracted all kinds of artists, and paintings of the local area can be found at the Oriel Glan y Mor Gallery and the Fishguard Arts Society.

Furthermore, the area is home to Miranda's Preserves, a top small-scale manufacturer of jams, chutneys, jellies, pickles and curds, as well as the Llangloffan Cheese Centre. Situated in Castle Morris, Llangloffan's award-winning cheeses have been endorsed by the Prince of Wales.

Nightlife and Eating Out

Given that Fishguard has a population of only 3,300 people, it has a remarkably good (and typically Welsh) nightlife. Although there are no clubs, the town has some excellent pubs, including the aforementioned Royal Oak, The Fishguard Arms and Three Main Street.

Three Main Street is also a highly recommended restaurant that specialises in modern European cuisine. Set in a Georgian townhouse, the seafood and the beef are reputedly excellent.

Tourist Information

Tourist Information CentreTown HallThe SquareFishguard DyfedWalesSA65 9HA Tel. 01348 873484Fax. 01348 875246fishguard.tic@pembrokeshire.gov.uk

Tourist Information CentreOcean Lab,The ParrogGoodwickPembrokeshireFishguardDyfedWalesSA64 0DETel. 01348 874737Fax. 01348 872528fishguardharbour.tic@pembs.gov.uk

Airport

Cardiff International Airport is the nearest major airport to Fishguard. Cardiff offers flights to many European and British destinations, as well as regular flights to and from Florida and Canada.