The UK's only national park made almost entirely of coastline: dramatic cliffs, a cathedral city smaller than most villages, a puffin colony 43,000 strong, and a beach that keeps landing on "best in Britain" lists — all reached by tunnel, left-hand motorway, and a long push west across South Wales.
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is a genuine geographic oddity: established in 1952, it's the only one of the UK's national parks to consist largely of coastal landscape rather than mountains or moorland — 629 km² of cliffs, coves and islands wrapped around the far southwest tip of Wales. Its spine is the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, a real National Trail opened in 1970 that runs 186 miles (299 km) almost entirely at clifftop level, with 11,000 m of cumulative ascent — genuinely spectacular walking, not a marketing phrase.
The base for it all is St Davids, the United Kingdom's smallest city (population 1,751), built around a cathedral founded by Wales's patron saint in the 6th century. From here it's a short hop to Skomer Island, home to the largest puffin colony in southern Britain (over 43,000 birds as of the 2025 count) and half the world's Manx shearwater population, and a longer but worthwhile drive south to Barafundle Bay near Stackpole — regularly named among the best beaches in Britain, reachable only on foot, with genuinely turquoise water on a sunny day.
Be realistic about the distance before you leave: this is further from Meudon-la-Forêt than it looks on a map of "the UK," since Pembrokeshire sits at the far western tip of Wales, well past Bristol and Cardiff. Total one-way driving is around 880 km, so budget most of a week.
With a realistic ~330–370 km range on a 97%-SOH Model Y Premium, the ~490 km run from Folkestone to St Davids comfortably needs just one real stop, with a couple of well-placed options if you'd rather break the drive into shorter hops:
Reverse this route home. Expect a 20–35 minute stop at Cardiff Gate (280→10–15% back to ~80%), adding roughly 30–45 minutes of charging to the English/Welsh leg — longer only if you choose to add optional stops.
Early start, drive to Calais, cross via Le Shuttle. First stretch on English motorways on the left — the realistic ~330–370 km range easily covers this stretch without a charge. Overnight near the M3/M4 corridor (a Travelodge/Premier Inn car park stopover, or push a bit further if the day allows), with Fleet Services available as an optional top-up if you want one.
The long push west along the M4, through Cardiff and Swansea and out onto the increasingly rural A48/A40 toward Carmarthen, then the final run to the Pembrokeshire peninsula. Roads narrow noticeably past Haverfordwest. Arrive St Davids in the evening — set up camp and get an early night.
St Davids Cathedral sits low in a hollow below the town (deliberately, to hide it from Viking raiders) — founded around 589 AD on the site of St David's original monastery, with the current building begun in 1181. Entry is free with a suggested donation. Wander the tiny city itself — barely a few streets, technically Britain's smallest city by population (1,751 residents) despite carrying city status since 1994 — then drive the 5 minutes out to Whitesands Bay, a genuinely excellent surf beach and one of Wales's best, for a swim or a bodyboard session.
Drive to Martin's Haven and take the real Dale Princess boat (run by Pembrokeshire Islands Boat Trips) across to Skomer Island, home to the largest puffin colony in southern Britain (43,626 birds counted in 2025) and around half the world's population of Manx shearwaters. A landing ticket that lets you walk the island for the day runs from £24 per person; non-landing sightseeing cruises around Skomer/Skokholm/Grassholm start from £18pp. Only 250 landing visitors are allowed per day (April–September, closed Mondays), so book ahead. No catering on the island — bring your own lunch. Source: pembrokeshire-islands.co.uk official pricing.
Drive down to Stackpole Quay for Barafundle Bay — a real, National Trust-managed beach with no road access, reached only by a 0.5-mile walk along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path from the Stackpole Quay car park (£7/day, free after 5:30pm). It's been called the best beach in Britain and one of the best picnic spots in the UK, and on a clear day the water genuinely looks Caribbean-turquoise against pale sand. Extend the walk along the clifftop Coast Path toward Broad Haven South and the Stackpole lily ponds if you want more miles in.
Reverse the charging route. Split the ~880 km back into two driving days rather than one long push, tunnel back at Folkestone–Calais, then the final ~290 km home to Meudon-la-Forêt.
Bike travels inside the car per the Car Camping & Bike Guide — no range penalty. The lanes around St Davids and the Dewisland peninsula are quiet and rolling with constant sea glimpses, though narrow with occasional passing places — go steady and expect the odd tractor. Not somewhere to combine with a full day of coast-path walking on the same legs.
| Category | Cost (GBP) | Cost (EUR, ≈×1.16) |
|---|---|---|
| Eurotunnel return (car, standard flexible fare) | £150–260 | €175–300 |
| Charging (Superchargers, ~2 stops round trip) | – | €20–30 |
| Campsite (5 nights, Caerfai Bay, no electric) | £110–135 | €130–155 |
| Skomer Island landing trip | £24 | €28 |
| Stackpole Quay car park (Barafundle Bay day) | £7 | €8 |
| St Davids Cathedral (suggested donation) | £5 | €6 |
| Food (mostly self-cooked) | £50–65 | €58–75 |
| Treat meal (Welsh seafood/laverbread) | £20–30 | €25–35 |
| Total | — | €380–520 |
Eurotunnel: leshuttle.com live fare page. Skomer: pembrokeshire-islands.co.uk official pricing (landing "from £24", cruises "from £18"). Barafundle/Stackpole: Wikipedia (Barafundle Bay), National Trust Stackpole. Campsite: caerfaibay.co.uk official 2026 tariff. Superchargers: tesla.com official UK locations list (Cardiff, Swansea, Carmarthen confirmed real sites).