In Clynderwen, different layers of history meet practical routes through the surrounding countryside: the railway shaped the town’s development, while churches, a historic road and walking routes offer further points of interest. To get your bearings, it is worth considering both the town’s history and the different routes that can be explored on foot.

A Place Shaped by Transport Routes

Before the railway arrived in 1851, there were no houses in what is now the centre of Clunderwen. By 1861, the village, then known as Narberth Road, had grown up around the station. At Clunderwen, the railway crossed the main road between Tenby and Cardigan. These historical connections give the station and roads a purpose beyond simply helping people find their way: they tell the story of the town’s development in the 19th century.

Today, Clynderwen can also be located by road: it lies on the A478, roughly halfway between Tenby and Cardigan. Its approximate position between the two towns is a regional guide, not an indication of any particular journey time. From Clynderwen, you can explore both the north and south coasts of Pembrokeshire.

Churches, a Quarry and Old Roads

St David’s Church is on the western edge of the village. A narrow lane leads to it from the A478, which runs through the village. Nearby, Rhydwilym Baptist Church was built in 1701 and rebuilt in 1763, 1841 and 1875. These dates mark several phases of construction rather than a single date of origin.

The original Castell Dwyran Church is believed to date from the 13th century. The Voteporix Stone was found at the church and is now kept at the Carmarthenshire Museum in Abergwili. Historical connections to Gilfach Quarry can also be found nearby: its origins may date back to the 16th century. Slate from the quarry is said to have been used in the 1830s to roof the Houses of Parliament in Westminster during their rebuilding.

A section of the Via Julia runs south of Clunderwen, partly overlain by a post-medieval road. This route offers a different kind of discovery from the walking routes: it reveals how roads from different periods overlap, but it should not be confused with any of the present-day walking routes described here.

Aviation history is also part of the town’s past. In 1913, Howard and Herbert James built and flew one of the first aircraft in Wales. On 20 April 1914, they completed the first successful flight over Narberth and Carmarthen in a Caudron biplane. The two dates mark different milestones: the construction and flight of an early aircraft, and the later successful flight.

Walks of Different Lengths

There are two walks of different lengths to choose from. The one-mile route starts at the station, crosses open farmland to Blaenwaun and returns to the village along a quiet country road. The 2.5-mile route goes through the village towards Clynderwen House and returns along quiet country roads. The two descriptions can therefore be compared by distance and route without assuming a particular walking time or level of difficulty.

The Clunderwen Station Walk – Village Circular offers a scenic change of pace: it passes through woodland and provides views of the Preseli Hills. Boardwalks and footbridges are also part of the route. If you are looking for a longer connection, you can link Clunderwen to the Landsker Borderlands Trail via a quiet lane to Pen Lan Farm near Gelli.

These routes offer different ways to experience the surrounding countryside: open farmland on the walk to Blaenwaun, quiet country roads on the longer circuit, and woodland and views of the Preseli Hills on the Station Walk. The route descriptions differ in length, direction and landscape features—useful points to consider when deciding in advance which walk best suits your plans.

Discover more destinations: Kilgetty, Begelly, Nevern, Haverfordwest, Manorbier, Porthgain, Fishguard, Mathry.

For the broader travel guide: Pembrokeshire.