Pembrokeshire has been voted runner-up for a prestigious Sunday Times magazine readers' award in the UK Rural Break category.

According to readers, Pembrokeshire scored highly because 'it's often quieter than the UK's other honeypots' and 'it has some of the best walking in the UK.'

Clr. Rob Lewis, Pembrokeshire County Council's cabinet member for tourism, said: "It's been a great year for awards and for Pembrokeshire to be recognised by the readers of such a prestigious travel magazine is a wonderful end to the year."

Tegryn Jones, chief executive of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, said: "Sunday Times Travel readers have summed up what brings people back to Pembrokeshire again and again: its beauty, its peacefulness and its unbeatable walking opportunities, much of it on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path National Trail.

"The coast path is consistently one of the most popular attractions in the county because it is equally perfect for a family stroll or a serious hike. Its value to Pembrokeshire's tourism economy can't be overstated - accommodation providers tell us as many as 80 per cent of their visitors come here specifically for the path."

And it's not just the readers of the Sunday Times Travel magazine who rate Pembrokeshire so highly.

Tourists questioned over the summer as part of an ongoing 12 month visitor survey have highlighted 'the landscape of the National Park' and the 'peaceful nature' of the county as their main reasons for visiting.

Walking was named as the main activity on their holiday.

Alan Turner, Pembrokeshire County Council's tourism marketing and development manager, said: "Sixty-three per cent of visitors said that the overall experience of visiting Pembrokeshire was better than other UK destinations - clearly something that the Sunday Times Travel Magazine readers agree with."

The awards were presented at a special event in London's Renaissance Hotel on Monday.