Battery Gardens

Right on Tenby's doorstep, Battery Gardens is a compact nature reserve that punches above its weight. You're looking at a proper coastal green space with woodland walks, wildflower meadows, and enough bird-watching potential to keep twitchers happy for an afternoon. The paths wind through scrubby vegetation and patches of scrub oak - nothing too strenuous, which is the main draw here.

It's best suited to naturalists and anyone who wants a gentler ramble without the crowds you'd find at Tenby North Beach just across the way. Families won't be blown away by it - there's no playground or visitor centre, just paths and the odd bench - but if your kids are already interested in spotting birds or wildflowers, they'll get something from it. The real value is as a pocket-sized escape before or after a day in Tenby proper.

Access appears to be free, though I'd suggest checking locally once you arrive - Tenby's visitor centre can confirm current arrangements. Allow an hour to ninety minutes if you're walking the full circuit at a relaxed pace. Spring and early summer are your best bets for wildflowers; autumn brings migrating birds. The gardens sit just half a mile from Saltern Holiday Park, making it ideal if you're staying in one of the cluster of holiday parks ringing Tenby. It's the sort of place that works brilliantly as a mid-week breather rather than a destination in itself.