Fishguard harbour is the main sailing centre for North Pembrokeshire and used to be a busy port for agricultural and fish product exports. The impressive harbour with its fine breakwater was constructed in 1906 in an effort to entice the great sea going ships away from Liverpool and Southampton. It didn’t work, but Fishguard is a busy British Ferry Port.
Fishguard is famous for the fact that in 1797, the town was invaded by a rather strange group of French soldiers who had been ordered to invade and secure Bristol. Tradition records the force of invaders as pilfering local farms and produce, becoming drunk on local ale and then falling victim to a group of local cobbler women who are said to have captured a dozen French soldiers armed only with pitchforks. Within 48 hours the French surrendered and the whole amazing event is recorded in history on a tapestry which measures over 30 metres in length.
Fishguard is a delightful town with narrow streets and good local facilities. It is the only area of Pembrokeshire’s coastline which is not within the National Park. An ideal base from which to explore the rest of Wales.
For more photographs of Fishguard click here
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