Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
We Americans were brazen on our third trip to Pembrokeshire, Wales, and hired a car.
Jackie and I were bold enough to undertake driving in Wales because her daughter, Jennifer joined us this time. Jenny had a demanding list she wanted to experience–
- Drink a beer in a pub
- Converse with someone whose accent she had to work to understand
- Walk along a dramatic cliff edge
- Drive on the opposite side of the road
We accomplished all in style because she drove us around brilliantly in a tiny Toyota AYGO. This car doesn’t exist in the USA, although the Toyota Yaris is of comparable compactness. The vehicle storage area is big enough to hold three eBag Junior Weekender Backpacks lined up in a row. Our small suitcase rode beside me in the back seat.
Hiring a Car in Wales
We have to give a shout out to the most excellent fellows at Pembrokeshire Self Drive Hire (PSD). Tom and Louis kind, helpful, and delightful! We found them via recommendation of the Facebook group, Pembrokeshire-I love it. (This group is primarily photographic—professionals and amateurs. If you have any interest in seeing the beauty of Pembrokeshire, this is a group to join.) The PSD fellows drove the car to us, which saved us a lengthy bus ride. We thought we’d receive a driving lesson ferrying one of the chaps back to their office. Alas, that was not to be! Louis showed up with the tiny car on a tiny trailer behind a tiny truck. It was such a Laugh-in moment that none of us thought to get a picture!
Louis’s best driving advice, “Keep it on the tarmac and you’ll be fine.”
Designating Our Driving Roles
Getting the least car sick, I was the back seat driver and Jackie became the passenger seat driver. And drive the three of us did! Jenny had the hardest part and put up with our constant reminders each time she turned onto a new roadway. We’d shout, “Turn right, stay left! Turn left, stay left!” Barring a brief moment in a right lane in a vacant city street, she executed this driving adjustment in style.
Pointing something out to Jenny, Jackie felt reassured with her daughter’s casual response, “I got this, Mom.”
Jackie was the Road Sign Reader
She would call out each village and town sign pointed our way as they came into view. To our Welsh friends, forgive us for our mispronunciations of your towns. Your briefly viewed village of Eglwyswrw became Eye-chart, Clunderwen became Clownten. Pentlepoir got the most abuse as, Where We Turn at the Chinese Restaurant. In Montana (where J&J live) and Pennsylvania (my current home), we could challenge you with a few tongue-twisters. Absarokee (pronounced Ab-zur-key, which is different from the Absaroka mountains, which is actually pronounced Ab-za-row-ca, go figure). Monongahela (Mah-non-ga-hey-la here in Pittsburgh). Or nearby Punxsutawney.
I Was the Map Reader
Although I packed the two OS maps on our last trip, I hadn’t found a use for them. I debated leaving the maps at Edith Cottage in Saundersfoot when we realized, This is what they call a street map here! My fellow Americans, it’s an entirely new map from what we are used to with neither being better than the other. Trust us, the OS maps are vital for folks without phone data to use Google maps.
Initially, Jenny wanted the little roads, logically thinking we—and the locals—would be safer with less cars around us. We believed the main roads would be like driving in no-straight-line-to-anywhere Pittsburgh-hassle. After driving on roads no wider than the car, navigating pull overs, often with backing up, Jenny declared we could hit the A roads. (Aside: Roads four meters aka 13 feet wide give or take if it’s coded on the map in gold or yellow. My husband’s Yukon is almost seven feet wide.)
With that introduction, here are tips from driving over 250 miles in Wales in a week:
1. Be a Kind Driver!
The Welsh are the nicest drivers you are apt to meet anywhere, so reciprocate by being polite and generous. We had one horn toot by an elderly woman. Jenny figures we were dawdling and she was on a time sensitive mission. It was easy to pull over if we felt we were going too slow, but not because a follower was tailgating us.
2. Give a Simple Wave
When someone gives way, remember to wave in acknowledgement. Two people said their pet peeve was allowing someone to pass and that driver ignoring them. It’s not a selfish desire to be thanked, but a communication between two humans traversing life via a narrow roadway. Flipping your fingers up from the steering wheel in a sign of hello is common on Montana’s backroads.
3. Give Way While Driving in Wales
There is an understood rule that whomever is closest to a turnout would be the one backing up. How those folks instinctively knew that they were closer than us is a marvel. Know it they did and they kindly, repeatedly, put it in reverse. We waved and smiled a lot.
4. Welsh Roadway Categories
“A” roads are the largest roads we traveled, with the “M” roads being the large motorways. “Ms” may be on our maps somewhere, but we never came across one. The “A” roads can be two broad lanes either way or four. Our complaint here: what possessed someone to name three highways in the same small square area: A477, A478, and A487. Talk about confusion!
The “B” roads are secondary roads and are generally wide enough for two cars and often have road lines—a helpful feature when you’re driving on the opposite side of the road. We made friends with a number of these “B” buggers and got around quite breezily.
Now for the “generally more than 4m wide” (13 feet) and “generally less than 4m wide….” Was this an unique experience! From online research, most USA secondary roads are 9-10 feet wide—per lane—not 13 feet in total. For a backseat navigator, with sun dappling the map, wearing reading glasses, more distinctive map colors would be helpful. Gold and yellow are tough to see. How about a nice blazing purple for that littlest road?
5. Stop Signs aren’t Used the Way They are in the USA
We saw two specific stop signs throughout our roving. The general note on the asphalt is Give Way. Such a polite command versus our demand to Yield—which has turned into the Reverse Yield. We talked to two Welsh folks who got pulled over by USA police for rolling through our stop signs. For your driving reference, here stop means stop. Weird since yield has ceased to mean let the main traffic go. But again, I digress!
6. Traffic Signals are Rare (Outside of Cardiff, at least)
I’m fairly sure we saw three, maybe four. Narberth and Pembroke when we stopped for gas, at a turn we made twice, and one at road construction. These won’t be the things that extend the duration of your rural drive.
7. Physical OS Maps are Great for Plotting Driving in Wales
Take highlighters if you’re going to use maps the way we did. Mark the route you plan to take in yellow. If it works, mark it in purple on the return trip. I limited myself to one marker (what was I thinking?), so our maps are covered with yellow. Colorizing would have helped us remember which routes we were most successful in taking.
Don’t be above writing on your map and drawing pictures. We frequently found ourselves on Temple Bar Road, but alas it wasn’t named on the map. I wrote it in the sea and drew an arrow. And that one stop light? As a reminder, I drew it on as well!
8. Everything is Closer Than it Appears This Massive Map
Even using your phone for directions, you may opt to plan your route on the OS map. It’s a great way of giving yourself an overview of your driving in Wales journey. Our 38-mile drive from Saundersfoot to Newport (Pembs, as the locals say—population 1,000; not Newport, Gwent—population 150,000) took an hour. Having the map with odd-to-us names highlighted made it nice to see what town was around the next bend.
9. Once More about Driving in Wales and Narrow Roads
Pete* said roads are extra narrow in June. They wait until the pollinators—bees, butterflies—are done using the plants then cut them. I read that this trimming can take place four times a year. That’s a lot of growth and a lot of whacking!
*Pete mans the Castlemartin gate that kept us from completing our Stackpole Head to St. Govan’s Chapel hike. Drat it, the military was firing that day. We visited with Pete for quite a while—don’t hesitate to chat with folks in random places!
10. Stay Calm and Enjoy the Driving Experience
Jenny easily got accustomed to changing gears with her left hand. She relied more on side mirrors for backing up than the rearview. Relaxing into the experience of learning to do something new, Jenny had a blast. My niece is fearless when tackling the unexpected in life. Her courage shone on this adventure—as did her kindness and humor. Some of us are blessed as challenges bring out the best of us, not the worst.
Jenny is that person.
Tackling the Unknown a Great Way to Approach Life
Teaching ourselves to do new things throughout adulthood keeps our brains functioning and wanting to learn more. Don’t debate trying something adventurous on your next vacation. Just keep in mind what my friend Monika in Bristol, England advised when we discussed the possibility of renting a car. “Just aim straight down the middle and only worry when you meet someone coming the other way.” That’s a profound approach to driving and to life. Keep following your intended path, dealing with blockages when they show up and not before.
In the meantime, indulge in the pleasantries you’ll discover by renting a car to explore the ever scenic Pembrokeshire, Wales.
*More Wales blogs here
Loved your post, my sister and I travel each year and leave the husbands at home.. We are heading to Wales in August and keep reading about the driving. I drove in Scotland, in 2018, from Inverness to Isle of Skye to Ft William and back to Inverness. Sounds like Wales might be very similar . We are in our 60’s so I understand the readers. Just wondering if you drove from South to Northern Wales or just stayed around the one area. We will be there for 11 days before heading to Ireland and trying to get all the helpful hints possible. Did you rent your car in advance or when you got there and also did the rental car agency offer the SATNAV GPS devices? My sister gets quite car sick so reading a map isn’t going to happen. Thanks for the helpful hints and humorous details, I hope you have many more adventures in your future.
The two previous times we had been in Wales we relied on the buses and the trains. While those definitely work, having a car was the best! We could go where we wanted and when we wanted. I must admit after our first excursion I said “that’s it, the car is going back, we will take the bus, it was too stressful!” But after the second time and knowing our way around a little better it was the most fun! My daughter did an awesome job! Not sure where she gets her fearlessness….not from her Mom!. We originally took the train from Cardiff to Saundersfoot and rent the car while in Saundersfoot. We traveled to several places, Tenby, Broadhaven, Bosherton Lily Ponds, Cilgerran Castle, Nevern, Freshwater East, Lamphey Bishop’s Palace (one of my favorite spots), to the start/end of the Coastal Path in St. Dogmaels. I hope you have the BEST time together! Wales is incredible and I can’t wait to go back!
It was such a blast–having a car. I’m not sure I could go back to public transportation again. Even if it means learning to drive on the opposite side! Jenny was fearless–as is her usual approach to life.
Hi, Kim! Love talking to sisters who travel together like we do! Here’s to leaving our blokes at home.
We have been around Cardiff/Brecon Beacons, but the bulk of our 3 Wales trips have been in Pembrokeshire. I have several posts on here if you go to the Travel Musings>Wales.
Although Costco has a rental place–which I could arrange ahead of time on line–we couldn’t get there from Saundersfoot. That’s when the awesome folks on the I Love Pembrokeshire group on FB told us about the Pembrokeshire Car Rental people. I have rented a lot of cars in life (we are also over 60) and never have I had such a great experience. Amazing.
Our little car did not have SATNAV, but I would imagine they have that. If you reach out to them via their FB page, they will probably be able to help you.
Oh and even your sister can’t read the map while in the car–Jackie couldn’t either–having it to route your trip ahead of time was a great idea. Truly helped with the perspective and with learning our way around.
Please stop back after your trip, Kim, and let me know how it was. I love Wales–out of all the traveling I’ve done (so far) and places I love, Wales is my favorite.
Thank you so much for this post!! I’m planning my first trip to Wales in August–I’ll be there for one week–and much that I want to see requires a car. I won’t deny that I’m incredibly nervous about this, partly because I’ll be on my own, but after reading what you’ve written I feel a bit better. And I appreciate how you end the piece so philosophically. It’s helping me to summon some bravery!
Amy–how did it go?
Hi Amy, I’m so happy that you found this post and that it is useful to you. I hope you were able to read the other posts about Wales as well. I would love to hear more about your pending trip. Wales is my number one favorite place to travel–and I love a lot of places!
Great post. It made me chuckle a lot. I drove in Austria for maybe 15 minutes, and when I turned into a village, the narrow cobblestone streets were not my thing. Then again, it was easy to hand the wheel back to the ex. Now I wish I’d drove more when I was over there. I suppose there will always be a chance for that in the future. I was way too chicken to drive on the Autobahn, especially after listening to the two tour guides go into detail about everything that has to be done over there to get a license. The Germans are quite serious about driving.
They sure are serious (and expensive) about what it takes to get a license in Germany. Based on how well they drive and how–er, interesting–it is to drive here, maybe we should adapt some of their ideas.
Until Jenny did it, Jeri, I wouldn’t have thought about driving there myself. But my niece and I are a lot alike and so now her auntie is thinking–if she can do it, so can I!
My husband and I met on a theater show that performed for a week in Scotland. So years before we started dating, the two of us with a couple of friends rented a car and dared to drive around Scotland. We did not get a driving lesson on driving on the opposite side of the road. So there was definitely a lot of screaming from me in the backseat.
HA! I can totally hear this! You were brave to dive in and do it–what a way to get to see the country. We are hooked now and I don’t think we’ll ever go to Wales without renting. Scotland–so on the list to get to.
Wow, people are so polite there! It is interesting that it is customary to wave to those who yield to you. Neat! Everyone should be so polite when they are driving!
The Welsh are amazing, Lorraine. Such a kind atmosphere around these folks. And yes, you are sure right–everyone should be so polite when driving. Think how the world would change! Thanks for stopping by. I’m off to check out your site.
I wish I had read this before I traveled to Ireland last year–your experience sounds very similar to mine, and reading your post would’ve really helped! Driving on the “wrong” side of the road and figuring out the road signs was difficult, and I’m glad you made it! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Jamie and thanks for reading! Now you’ll have to be like us and plan a second trip so you can put our lessons to use! I think that’s a great excuse to plan a return to the UK. What was the most fun event you experienced our your travel in Ireland (another place on my list)?
Oh what an adventure that was! I was a wreck (no pun intended) the first time we went on our short excursion and thought, NO WAY! We are not doing this! But Jenny was okay with it and we continued. It made the trip so much fun being able to see things we might not have seen because of having to wait on a bus. I would definitely recommend driving but I’m still not sure I could do it!!
Haha! I think we were all wrecks at first, but luckily we quickly got our act together and helped Jenny. Such fun!
Kudos to your niece for tackling driving in Wales. Those narrow roads can be both beautiful and stressful. Someone once told me you need to keep track of every widening as you pass so you know where to back up to. As to the foliage, a few times we ran into situations where the leaves blocked signs and we saw where we wanted to go as we passed the sign. This usually occurred on more major roads.
I thought of you when we got the car, Donna, since I knew you had rented cars in the UK before. We did pretty good spotting the signs, but I think it was pure luck!
What an adventure you all had. I did giggle when you mentioned how small the roads are in Wales and the size of your niece’s car. The roads in the UK are tiny compared to America and yes you tend to drive big cars. You definitely have a soft spot for Wales and I do not blame you. I visited last year and loved it. I am due to return this year. The valleys are so pretty.
Thank you for sharing your holiday with us!
The road size difference between Montana and Wales is really drastic. I’m so glad that you’re going back this year–email me if you think I can help with anything!
I’m amazed you could all fit in that car. I’ve only driven on the opposite side of the road during one trip and whenever I hit a secluded spot I had to concentrate to keep from drifting right. I found it easier when there were some other cars because they were a reminder to stay on the correct side.
Jenny kept finding that any road with a line on it–and many didn’t have them–was better than the plain lanes.That kept helping her stay left. But you’re correct–with traffic coming toward you, it sure helps keep you in the proper lane!
Good on Jenny for having the courage to drive on the left ride of the road! I’ve been to locales many times where the driving is opposite to ours, but have not yet had the courage to get behind the wheel and tackle the odds!
She gave me the courage to think about trying it the next time, Doreen. With the catch that it would have to be an automatic. I haven’t driven a stick in about 20 years.