Carew Cheriton Control Tower

The control tower at Carew Cheriton is a proper piece of wartime Wales - a squat, functional RAF building that's stood on this Pembrokeshire hilltop since the 1940s. It's the sort of place that stops you mid-walk and makes you think about what happened here during the Second World War. The tower itself is unassuming, nothing fancy, just solid brick and purpose.

What you're really doing is stepping into history. This isn't a museum with interpretive panels and a gift shop - it's the real thing, the actual operations centre where pilots were directed and intelligence gathered. Walking around it, you get a sense of the scale of operations that ran from this corner of Wales. It's a short visit, maybe thirty minutes max, but it sticks with you.

Historians and anyone with a genuine interest in RAF operations will find this worthwhile. Families might struggle to keep kids entertained unless they're already hooked on military history - there's not much interactive stuff here. Best to ring ahead about opening times and access, as information is sparse.

If you're staying at one of the nearby glamping sites - Quarry Wood or Beavers Retreat are closest at under two miles - it's easily tackled as a morning detour before heading into Tenby for lunch. Combine it with a coastal walk and you've got a solid half-day. The tower reminds you that this beautiful bit of Pembrokeshire has a grittier story running underneath the seaside postcard image.