Last visit: July 2026

Tafarn Sinc is the sort of place that makes you stop and think, ‘Well, I didn’t expect that!’ Painted deep red and clad in corrugated iron, it resembles an oversized agricultural building rather than one of Britain’s most celebrated country pubs. But step inside, and the story of this extraordinary building begins to unfold.

Step inside and you'll find sawdust scattered across the floor, old photographs, sporting memorabilia, railway relics and farming artefacts adorning every available surface. Dogs doze beneath tables, conversations drift effortlessly between Welsh and English, and visitors are welcomed with the same warmth as regulars. Nothing feels staged or manufactured; this isn't Welsh culture performed for tourists, it's simply everyday Welsh life, and you're invited to become part of it.

Originally opened in 1876 as the Precelly Hotel, the building arrived in Rosebush by train as a prefabricated kit, commissioned to serve the new railway and the thriving slate quarries. The slate industry faded, ambitious plans to turn Rosebush into a Victorian health resort came to nothing, and the railway itself eventually disappeared. Somehow, the little tin hotel endured.

Its greatest challenge came in the early 1990s. Following the death of long-serving landlady Peg Lewis, the pub closed and was put on the market, with redevelopment considered more likely than reopening. Local businessman Brian Llewelyn saw something worth saving. With his family, they restored the building, repainted it in its distinctive red and gave Rosebush its pub back.

Twenty-five years later, history almost repeated itself.

When the family wished to retire from the pub, conventional buyers struggled to secure finance against such an unusual building. Once again, the community stepped forward. Today Tafarn Sinc belongs to more than 600 shareholders from Pembrokeshire and far beyond, all united by the belief that some places are simply too important to lose. Share application forms still sit on the bar, quietly inviting the next custodian to become part of the story.

That community spirit extends far beyond ownership.

Tafarn Sinc champions local suppliers, provides opportunities for young people, celebrates Welsh language and culture, and hosts an impressive programme of music, heritage and community events throughout the year. It's no surprise that it was crowned Countryside Alliance Wales Champion Pub before going on to be named UK Champion Pub in 2026, a fitting time to be recognised in this its 150th year.

You arrive expecting an unusual tin pub. You leave understanding that what makes Tafarn Sinc remarkable has very little to do with corrugated iron.

The Golden Road

Few paths in Britain capture the imagination quite like the Golden Road. Stretching for around seven miles along the spine of the Preseli Hills, it runs from Llanbainal, on the road between Crymych and Mynachlog-ddu, to Foel Eryr at the western end of the ridge. Most walkers tackling the full route use the parking area at Bwlch-y-Gwynt, a short distance beyond Foel Eryr, making it a convenient start or finish for this classic crossing of the Preselis.

Its evocative name has prompted several explanations. The most widely accepted is that it refers to the golden gorse that blazes across the hillsides in spring and early summer, although others suggest it reflects the route's long-standing importance as a prized highway across the Preselis.

Whether it was ever a true "road" is another matter. Archaeologists generally agree that people have followed this natural ridge since prehistoric times, perhaps for more than 5,000 years. Along its length lie an extraordinary concentration of standing stones, burial cairns and other prehistoric monuments, while nearby outcrops provided many of the bluestones used to build Stonehenge. Some researchers have suggested the ridge formed part of the route by which those stones began their remarkable journey to Salisbury Plain.

Definitive answers remain elusive. Was it a trading route, a drovers' road, a ceremonial pathway, or simply the easiest line across the hills? The answer is probably all of these, at different times in its long history. Whatever its origins, walking the Golden Road today is to follow in the footsteps of countless generations who crossed the Preselis long before there were maps, milestones or modern footpaths.

Stonehenge's Bluestones

Research increasingly supports the view that many of Stonehenge's famous bluestones originated in the Preseli Hills. Whether carried entirely by human effort or aided by glacial action, their journey from these hills to Salisbury Plain remains one of Britain's great archaeological stories.

Rosebush Slate Quarries and the Maenclochog Railway

Rosebush owes its existence to slate. During the nineteenth century, the nearby Rosebush and Bellstone quarries became important producers of roofing slates and building stone, their products travelling far beyond Pembrokeshire. Among the projects said to have used Rosebush slate was the rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster following the devastating fire of 1834.

Getting the slate to market was another matter. In response, railway entrepreneur Edward Cropper financed the Maenclochog Railway, an eight-mile line linking the quarries with the Great Western Railway at Clynderwen.

When the railway reached Rosebush in 1876, it brought with it something rather unexpected: a prefabricated corrugated iron hotel, delivered in sections by train and assembled beside the station. That building opened as the Precelly Hotel, created to serve quarrymen, railway passengers and the visitors Cropper hoped would be drawn to the healthy mountain air of the Preselis. Today, it survives as Tafarn Sinc.

Neither the slate industry nor the railway enjoyed lasting success. As demand declined, the quarries closed and the railway eventually disappeared, leaving only traces in the landscape. Yet the flooded excavations have found a remarkable new purpose. Their crystal-clear waters are now among Pembrokeshire's favourite wild swimming spots, where towering slate cliffs provide a dramatic backdrop for a very different kind of visitor.

Rebecca's Barn

A short distance from the route stands Glynsaithmaen Barn at the farm of the same name, where local farmers met in June 1839 to organise the protests that became the Rebecca Riots. Their campaign against oppressive tolls transformed Welsh politics and remains one of the defining episodes in the nation's history. It's a story that adds another fascinating layer to this remarkable landscape. The novel, 'Hosts of Rebecca', by Alexander Cordell, brilliantly captures the struggles of the working class at this time, and the impact of government policy on their lives.