West Wales is a unique part of Britain where you can find the country’s only coastal national park. As you’d expect, this means there are some stunning beaches across West Wales (which I define as Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire) including several beaches with the Blue Flag accreditation.
Having spent time at many of the beaches around the coast of West Wales, I’ve put together this handy guide with some of my top picks.
1. Freshwater West
Freshwater West is one of my favourite beaches in Pembrokeshire because there’s something for everyone. The beach is almost 1 mile long and is quite wide too, so it doesn’t get overly crowded like some Welsh beaches.
The beach is popular with surfers due to strong waves and during peak season, it’s possible to rent surfboards and bodyboards from a truck in the car park. You can also take surf lessons here with Outer Reef Surf School which are great for beginners.
As a self-proclaimed Potter Head, my favourite reason to visit this beach is that it was featured in the Harry Potter movies (among others). Shell cottage and Dobby’s death were filmed here and today you’ll find a shrine to Dobby the house elf among the dunes.
I was surprised to find out that the beach doesn’t have a blue flag award, however, it was super clean and facilities include toilets, recycling bins, and a coffee truck which helps fund local mental health services. Find out more in my guide to Freshwater West.
2. Newgale Beach
Newgale beach (also known as Newgale Sands) is situated within St Bride’s Bay in southern Pembrokeshire. It’s best enjoyed when the tide is out, revealing a large sandy expanse of beach as well as caves and opportunities to explore surrounding caves and bays.
However, you might not be so impressed when the tide is in because you’ll only see a long stretch of pebbles and nothing more.
The west-facing beach receives winds from the Atlantic which is why it’s particularly popular with surfers, bodyboarders, windsurfers, and kite surfers. You can take surf lessons at Newgale with Newsurf or you can hire your own equipment from Newsurf or the Pebble Café, both of which are within walking distance of the beach.
There is also a café and a pub nearby so you can enjoy a spot of lunch before getting back to that all-important tanning.
3. The Beaches of Tenby
I’m including Tenby as one entry here, but in reality, Tenby has three main beaches (although there are actually five). These are all within a short walk of one another so you can easily move between them and vary your experience.
The three main beaches are:
- North Beach – This beach isn’t far from the harbour and is a sheltered Blue Flag beach with lots of facilities including toilets, café, boats, deck chairs and beach wheelchairs. It’s also a good spot for watersports such as paddleboarding and sea kayaking.
ㅤ - Castle Beach – Located below the ruins of Tenby castle (hence the name), Castle Beach is a small beach area that’s best known for St Catherines Island, a small tidal island with a fort which you can visit when the tide is out. However, I wouldn’t recommend this for sunbathing as it gets quite busy.
ㅤ - South Beach – This is my favourite of Tenby’s beaches because the huge expanse of sand means that even on a busy day it feels fairly spacious. It’s great for relaxing, but I especially enjoy walking to the furthest end of the beach and climbing up to Giltar Point where you can enjoy panoramic views of Tenby and the surrounding islands.
4. Cefn Sidan
This 8-mile-long beach at Pembrey Country Park is one of the longest stretches of sand in Wales and has even been touted as one of the best beaches in Wales, maybe even in Europe because it’s so beautiful
This is a blue flag beach with seasonal lifeguards so it’s a great place to go with the family. They also host sandcastle-building competitions and sand yachting/para-karting events.
There have been many shipwrecks around this area and at the northern end of the beach, you can actually see parts of the SS Paul sticking out of the sand when the tide is out (see image above)
Once you’ve topped up your tan, to the rear of the beach is Pembrey Forrest where a walking trail will take you past an old WWI ammunition factory and through one of the few sand dune forests in Britain which is home to lots of wildlife including songbirds and butterflies. Here, you’ll also find plenty of facilities at the visitor centre including a café, toilets and other leisure activities.
5. Poppit Sands
Poppit Sands (also known as Poppit West) is a large sandy beach just south of Cardigan alongside the estuary where Afon Teifi (the River Teifi) enters the sea.
The large beach is backed by extensive dunes which create shelter from the wind for beach-goers and is one of the reasons why the area is good for spotting wildlife.
Sea birds, such as razorbills, fulmars, choughs, and guillemots, can be spotted nesting on the surrounding cliffs during spring and early summer. From the beach itself, you might also spot porpoises and dolphins just offshore during Autumn, and seals breed nearby too.
The beach has held a Blue Flag Award since 2000 which means it has outstanding levels of safety, cleanliness, and sustainability. The beach is also home to an RNLI lifeguard station and seasonal lifeguards patrol the beach making it a very safe place for the family.
Find out more about the things to do here in my guide to Poppit Sands.
6. Broadhaven South
Broadhaven South (not to be confused with Broadhaven North which is also a great place to visit) is a beach just outside of Bosherston, near the Stackpole Estate in Pembrokeshire.
It's a large soft-sand beach with dunes to the rear and some stunning walks nearby where you can get panoramic views of the beach and surrounding cliffs. To the west side of the beach, there are some fun caves to explore and to the east side you'll find a good spot for jumping in the sea at high tide.
Although you can park near the beach, a popular parking spot is in the village of Bosherton about 1 mile away, you can then walk through the beautiful Bosherton Lily Ponds on your way to the beach.
7. Barafundle Bay
Whilst several of the beaches I’ve already mentioned have been great for water sports, Barafundle Bay is much better for those who enjoy a relaxing swim in the ocean, with calmer waves and clear turquoise water that would look at home in tropical parts of the world.
It’s found on the very southern tip of West Wales and sits within the National Trust’s Stackpole Estate which is a nature reserve with walking trails where you can see otters, water birds and dragonflies.
Barafundle Bay is not the easiest beach to reach, you’ll have to park at the Stackpole Estate car park and walk around the coast for around 15 minutes to reach it. But the extra effort makes it even more rewarding when you arrive because the beach itself and the surrounding cliffs are unspoilt.
Don’t just take my word for it, Barafundle Bay was noted as one of the best beaches in the world by Passport Magazine
8. Skrinkle Haven
I’m including Skrinkle Haven on this list because it’s truly one of the most beautiful and untouched beaches in Wales. However, there is one caveat; you’re not actually allowed to go here according to the local authorities, so proceed with caution.
The reason you’re not allowed here is that falling rocks and damaged steps have caused the council to close off the pathway down to the beach. Luckily, nature has given us an alternative option.
By heading to the neighbouring beach, Church Doors Cove, you can make your way through a small cave-like passageway in the headland to reach Skrinkle Haven. This passageway is only accessible when the tide is out so time your visit carefully to avoid getting stuck and you’ll be rewarded with a gorgeous untouched beach.
See my full guide to Skrinkle Haven Beach to find out more about reaching this forbidden beach.
Other Beaches in West Wales
Here is a full list of the beaches in West Wales covered on this blog:
- Manobier Beach – A shingle beach overlooked by Manobier Castle
- Abereiddy Beach – Best known as the place to access the Blue Lagoon
Published: 4 August 2022 · Last updated: 26 August 2023