Beaches and Waterways
An asterisk (*) indicates our favourite beaches / places. Tidal ranges are high, and many beaches are inaccessible at high tide. Check tide times online – Milford Haven is the local reference point – such as tidetimes.org.uk or tideschart.com. A “pill” is a local word for a sea cove or longer tidal creek. The “Map location” is a link to the Streetmap.co.uk Ordnance Survey map location (car park or beach), marked with an arrow – use the page tools to zoom in or out.
The nearest large sandy beaches with car parking are along St. Brides Bay (to the west):
- Sandy Haven (near Herbrandston)*. Free car park close by. Large sandy beach (at low tide) along a pretty pill. At high tide, there is a small strip of rocky / sandy beach accessible. Map location
- Little Haven. Pleasant sandy cove and pretty village, separated by small headlands from Broad Haven. Popular in the summer. Map location
- Broad Haven (North). A larger sandy beach. Map location
- Druidston Haven*. (A few parking places along the road; 15 min walk). Some very deep sea caves on the south end. Map location
- Nolton Haven. A small sandy beach between headlands. Map location
- Newgale Sands*. Popular in the summer. A very large beach backed by a shingle bank on the north end; high cliffs with caves to the south. A number of car parks are available. Map location
- Marloes Sands*. (A 15 min walk from the car park, some initial rocks to cross to get onto the sand). A long and spectacular beach, with varied cliffs and jagged rocks. Runwayskiln is a good but busy cafe near the National Trust car park. Busy in the summer. Map location.
Other beaches are to the south:
- Marros Sands. (Just across the border in Carmarthenshire). If you want to escape the crowds on a very wide sandy beach, this is it. But it is a good 45 minute walk, steep in parts, from the nearest parking. Map location
- Amroth. A long shingle / sandy beach with rocks and cliffs at the west end. A few cafes on the seafront. Easy free parking. Map location
- Wisemans Bridge. A short rocky beach with some free parking. A nice flat walk along the old tramway goes west to Coppet Hall and Saundersfoot. Map location
- Saundersfoot. A very popular bucket-n-spade sandy beach in this pleasant seaside town and harbour. Map location
- Tenby*. Both North and South beaches are lovely sandy beaches. Very busy in the summer. Map location
- Lydstep, Large shingly beach, backed by a caravan park. Not very exciting. Map location
- Skrinkle Haven*. (A 10 minute walk from the car park; a steep flight of steps to the small beach). For the more adventurous, at low tide only, scramble over the rocks to the west, scramble through a narrow cave through the narrow headland to emerge into a larger sandy bay, with large connected caves in the cliffs. Map location
- Barafundle. (A pleasant 20 min walk southwards from the National Trust car park at Stackpole Quay). A famous sandy beach, busy in the summer. Map location
- Broad Haven (South)*. A beautiful 30 – 40 minute walk (depending on route taken) along the freshwater lily ponds, down to a very sandy beach along the ponds’ outflow cove. Map location. There is another car park much closer to the beach but we haven’t tried it ( Map location).
- Manorbier Bay. Popular sandy bay, often used by surfers. Interesting deep chasms in the cliffs to the south. Busy car park, also some free parking further west along the road. Map location
- Freshwater East. Popular sandy beach. Map location
- Freshwater West* . A long pebbly and sandy beach, backed by sand dunes. Still plenty of beach at high tide, when most other beaches are limited or inaccessible. Can get busy in the summer. Map location
- Angle. Pleasant sandy beach with low rocky cliffs at each end. Cafe. Map location
And more beaches to the north:
- Solva. Small but long sandy / shingly beach alongside the pretty cove. Busy in the summer. Map location
- Caerfai Bay (near St. David’s). Small sandy beach backed by cliffs. Small free car park nearby. 10min steep walk. Map location
- Whitesands (near St. David’s). Large sandy beach. Very busy in the summer. Map Location
- Abereiddy (Blue Lagoon). (A 15 min walk from the car park). A flooded former slate quarry forming the “Blue Lagoon”. Popular bathing spot and for diving off the cliffs into the pool. Very busy in the summer. Map location
- Pwllgwaelod (Dinas Island) Small sheltered sandy beach with small free car park. Can get busy. Nice beach pub / cafe. Map location
- Newport Sands. Best accessed from the north side of the river (Map location), but there’s a more rocky beach with a pleasant walk along the pretty waterfront cottages from Parrog car park (Map location)
- Poppit Sands (near St. Dogmaels). A sandy beach backed by sand dunes. Very popular in the summer. Map location
There are many smaller, local or less well known, shingle or sandy beaches or coves, many with limited parking, and may be a walk away. Our recommendations:
Lindsway Bay (near St. Ishmael’s)*. Low tide only. A 20 min walk, and steep steps down to the beach. A rather lovely small sandy beach backed by high cliffs. Generally not crowded. Map location
Monk Haven (near St. Ishmael’s). A small hidden cove with a shingly beach. A pleasant 20 min walk down a wooded valley from the car park. Map location
Westdale Bay (near Dale). Sandy beach on a 20 min walk from the road near Dale. Limited roadside parking. Map Location
Further away ….
- Aber Bach (near Dinas Cross). Small pebbly beach. 10 min pleasant walk. Either limited roadside parking down this incredibly narrow road with hairpin bends (Map location), or play safe with a longer walk from another (dead end) road with some roadside parking. Map location
- Aber Mawr (near Mathry). Small sandy beach backed by a shingle bank. At very low tide a few fossil tree stumps can be seen. Limited roadside parking on the dead end road (can be busy) (Map location), or a nice valley walk from the road (a few parking spaces only) Map location
- Abercastle. Sheltered small sandy/pebbly beach. Small free car park on the harbour. Map location
- Traith Llyfn (near Abereiddy). Pretty sandy beach nestled in the cliffs. Low tide only. Parking at Abereiddy or Porthgain, then a 30 min walk, with a long flight of steps down the cliffs. Map location
- Monkstone Beach (near Saundersfoot). Can be busy due to the nearby campsite. Steep path down the cliff. Limited parking on the public road verges to the campsite. About a 15 min walk. Map location
- Lydstep Caverns (near Lydstep). Marked as “Draught” on the OS map. Small sandy beach with large caves. For the very adventurous. Low tide only. Short steep walk from the nearby car park, but requires scrambling and boulder-hopping down the stream valley to get onto the sand. Map location
- Presipe (near Manorbier). Pronounced ” Preh-seep-eh”. Small sandy beach with rocky cliffs. Low tide only. Good path down from coast path. The arrow on the Map Location shows the position of the access path.
Dog-friendly beaches:
- Broad Haven South (see above)
- Caerfai Bay (see above)
- Freshwater West* (see above)
- Marloes Sands* (see above)
- Monkstone (see above)
- Newport Sands (see above)
- Pwllgwaelod (Dinas Island) (see above)
See Dog Maps at visitpembrokeshire.co.uk for information on dog restrictions on beaches.
Also the Cleddau tidal river / estuary is nearby, with notable vistas at:
- Llangwm Pill* Lovely views across the water / mud flats, particularly on a good sunset. Map location
- Black Tar*. Popular boating public slipway, with picnic tables and splendid views. Park in the designated small car park, and avoid the parking on the water’s edge unless you have checked the tide times !! Map location
- Picton Point. A good view point with parking, and a short shoreline footpath leading westwards to a tree swing! Map location
- Little Milford*. Pleasant woods, many footpaths, with views across the water on some paths. Map location
- Cresswell Quay. Near the top of the tidal creek. Pleasant spot with stepping stones across the river. Popular pub (though we haven’t tried it as opening times appear to be unpredictable). Map location
- Lawrenny Quay*. Nice views across the water. Nice to linger in the pub or cafe. Map location