Britain at its best: Admiral Nelson described Milford Haven as “the loveliest harbor in Christendom”. There is still much to do…

Laughter echoes through Milford Haven’s hackneyed marina, interspersed with the soft clink of silverware or the pop of wine corks. As the sunset bathes the catamarans in a purple glow, costumed couples walk along the enchantingly lit promenade, past flower boxes and crowded restaurant terraces.

It wasn’t always like that. For decades, the motive for visiting this Pembrokeshire oasis was for work, not pleasure.

The Milford Haven Museum traces the town’s development in the late 18th century as a haven for sperm whales. These whales (which reveal interactive information boards and archive footage) were hunted en masse for liquid wax used to power street lights (£4, milfordhavenmuseum.co.uk).

Admiral Nelson, ‘Christendom’s best harbour’, soon swept across the natural harbor here – one of the deepest in the world – when a naval dockyard was briefly established there after the whaling boom. A century later, herring fishing was the main occupation – fueled by what journalist HV Morton put it, ‘the ever-open months of London, Manchester and Cardiff’.

Today’s big industry is what the museum calls a “second oil age.” Above the eponymous ‘harbour’ – created by the widening of the Daugleddau estuary – the smoke stacks of the Pembroke refinery are faintly visible. Along the estuary there are other sprawling refineries and LNG plants that are out of sight.

But the scene is not nearly as industrial as you might fear. Instead, this newly launched marina brought neat rows of boats between old fish sorting sheds. There is no rioting and efforts have been made to preserve wildlife in the area.

Admiral Nelson described Milford Haven’s natural harbor – one of the deepest in the world – as “the most beautiful harbor in Christendom”.

Richard writes: ‘Milford Haven is an excellent base in Pembrokeshire. Pembroke Castle is within an hour’s drive, as are lovely sandy beaches such as Barafundle Bay, old seaside villages such as Little Haven, all dual carriageways and quaint pubs and coastal walks to St Ann’s Head Lighthouse.

As if to prove it, a seal appears in the creek across the street while I’m eating at a restaurant. This great brasserie, part of the Ty Milford Waterfront, is called Dulse and focuses on local produce. Run by the group behind the five-star Celtic Manor Hotel in the Usk Valley, this 100-room hotel offers spacious corner suites overlooking the estuary.

April’s arrival added quality accommodation to the marina’s other restaurants, ice cream shops and tempting shops. The latter range from Akamuti, which sells skincare drinks made in the Herring Dock factory across the street (akamuti.co.uk), to clothing boutiques and handmade confectionary shop Trwffl (trwffl.co.uk).

“There’s a real hype now,” enthuses owner Sandra Bevan as I buy truffles that mix Belgian chocolate with Welsh rosewater. “Milford has become a place where people go; it was not true before.’ Outdoor tourists can hire paddleboards or kayaks at the Milford Beach Activity Center on Mackerel Quay. There are also four-hour guided kayak tours where you can float near ruined Victorian forts, look out for wildlife and learn about Viking visitors (£50pp, milfordbeachactivitycentre.co.uk).

Milford Haven is an excellent base in Pembrokeshire. Pembroke Castle (above) is within an hour’s drive, as are lovely sandy beaches such as Barafundle Bay

Back on land you can follow the 1.3 mile Scotch Bay Stroll where breams lead to a beautiful view of the estuary (milfordwaterfront.co.uk). As I walk on, a green river valley reveals the town of Black Bridge, where gray boats overlook a row of pastel houses.

Milford Haven is an excellent base in Pembrokeshire. Pembroke Castle is less than an hour’s drive, as are lovely sandy beaches such as Barafundle Bay, historic seaside towns such as Little Haven, all dual carriageways and charming pubs, and coastal walks to St Ann’s Head Lighthouse.

Milford Haven station serves London, Manchester and Birmingham with a single connection. Most of this railway was conceived by Brunel, who envisioned steamboats transporting holidaymakers to New York. Manhattan is great, but so is Milford Haven these days.