Boating
We must first make it clear that we are not a sailing school. We offer a range of boats that our guests may use at any time free of charge. Sailing dinghies may only be used by competent helms.
If you don’t sail but want to go on the water, we have some canoes and rowing dinghies etc. for your use or we can take you for a trip.
Whatever you use, we insist that a lifejacket (supplied) or your own buoyancy aid is used at all times when on the water. This is our only rule (apart from not smoking in the house!)
You may bring your own boat and use all our facilities. That’s trailer storage, slipway, mooring, dinghy workshop, expertise - all inclusive. You may still use our boats at any time if you feel like a change.
At the time of writing our boats include; Topper, Lasers, Wayfarers, Devon Day Boat and a Sussex Cob. More boats than people staying! The most frequently used are the Devon Day Boat, Wayfarers and the Sussex

Cob (pictured on the home page). You will have approximately two and a half hours each side of high water when sailing from the garden is possible. At other times we leave boats on deep water moorings, getting to them by dinghy from a nearby shore. You can sail at any state of the tide. We have charts and literature of the area for your use.
We will give you as much guidance as you require. If you want to have a ‘bash’ on a windy day or a burn-up in a Laser etc., we will by request stand by with a rescue boat but generally our guests tend to cruise unescorted after entering in the house logbook who is going and where, and at what time they intend to return (just in case we have to come and look for you!)
WHERE TO SAIL: Sailing direction in the Haven is really governed by tide. Go down on the ebb, come back on the flood or whatever. Use it to your advantage.
There are several pubs that you may like to sail to for lunch, some with landing stages,.
Dinghy sailors who have previously only sailed on reservoirs or lakes often approach tidal sailing with trepidation but once they realise it is like stepping on and off an escalator they soon enjoy using it to their advantage.
The head waters offer a wonderful unspoilt area in which to sail. Both the Estaren and Western Cleddau are a memorable experience, but the Eastern is quite exceptional.
The sailing area is so large and diverse that it would take another website to do it justice.

Walking
One of the things that Pembrokeshire is really well known for is its walking.
There are lots of well illustrated guides available, many from the National Park centres.
Walking may, for this side of the Estuary, commence from the house. Rowing across to the opposite shore also presents good possibilities (particularly if you forget to tie up your boat!)
The Coastal Path enjoys international fame, it really is spectacular. Fortunately it offers some excellent circular routes. Late Spring and early Summer is a wonderful time to walk it, some areas are just a mass of wildflowers. In early Autumn you can watch the newly born seals on the storm beaches below the cliffs.

Painting and Drawing
For those who enjoy painting and drawing, there is a studio that you may use. John has in the past spent a number of years lecturing in art schools, then we successfully ran our own ceramics and design business. Trained as a painter, he maintains a lively interest in the Arts and is qualified to teach. We believe very much in the development of the individual rather than the imposition of a style on the student. There are, of course severe limitations on what can be achieved during say a week’s holiday, we have found that the most useful thing is for the student to bring along some previous, preferably recent work, we then have a starting point. We realise that all students/beginners have both strengths and weaknesses and it is your strength that we will attempt to identify and get you to build on.Should you be advanced, we will work with you from wherever you are but please try to bring some of your work with you.
There are great opportunities for drawing and painting in the area, particularly if you are into landscape. As a matter of fact, Graham Sutherland is reported as frequently enjoying painting from the bottom of our garden and Philip Sutton RA still does.
Please bring your own materials with you, should you be an absolute beginner with no gear, ring up and discuss with John.

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