Beaches in Pembrokeshire and Cardigan

Newport Sands
Our dog Madra’s favourite beach. We spend a lot of time on this beach all year round. There are no dog restrictions. Lifeguard on duty. You can drive onto this beach and come early evening you will often find us enjoying an evening swim (the water feels warmer having been heated all day long...honest) followed by a BBQ and beach games or hide and seek in the sand dunes. You can’t beat the soft light of dusk on a beautiful beach. Definitely a family favourite.

Newport Parrog
Not so much a beach more like a good walk and some rock pooling. It’s very quaint old part of Newport and when the tides out you can swim in the mouth of the estuary.  Its a good place to watch the rowing club practice on a Sunday morning.

Cwm Yr Eglwys
It looks scary if you’re not Welsh but go on give it a go it sounds like ‘Come Ear Egg Loose’. We stayed here on our first trip to Wales so we have a lot of fond memories.  This beach is popular with boat users as the village has a boat club. The boys love the rock pooling here when the tide is out, and when the tide is in there’s great fishing or jumping off the pier, although we haven’t caught a fish yet,  but no fish is still great fishing, isn’t it? There’s a lovely feel to this beach with the church ruin of St Brynach, which was destroyed in a huge storm in 1859 along with 114 ships off the Welsh Coast. No dog restrictions. 

Pwllgwaelod
It has taken a lot of coaching from our friend Karl but I can now proudly pronounce the name of this lovely beach and it sounds something like this ’Puth gwy lloyd’. Another family evening favourite, and where we bring our friends to buy us dinner. Buy some fish and chips (if you like mushy peas then the mushy pea fritter is a must) at 'Al’s Place' on the main road in Dinas. Drive 2 minutes to Pwllgwaelod, a little sandy cove with cliffs on either side, sit on the wall and watch the sun go down. There’s also a lovely restaurant here called 'The Sailors Arms',  great seafood, booking recommended (closed on Mondays). When you’re finished your fish and fritter you can pop into The Sailors Arms for a swift pint.

Abereiddi
A black sandy beach with pebbles and rocks higher up. Look out for tiny fossils called graphtolites on the beach.  North of the beach a path leads to ‘The Blue Lagoon’ a flooded old slate quarry, The home of Paul’s first Coasteering experience.  It’s well worth a trip. Celtic Coasteering organise trips here, a great sport that all the family can try out. Jumping from the old mine workings into the crystal clear waters of the blue lagoon is not for the faint hearted, but its one of those moments in life you call a “keeper”

Ceibwr 
A 10 minute walk from Cwm Connell Coastal Cottages, we think of this as our beach though I’m sure the National Parks would disagree with us legally.  Not great for making sandcastles as it’s mostly rock and pebbles, but it has great rock pooling and superb scenery. We constantly spot Grey seals here, basking on the rocks.  From here you can walk some of the most impressive sections of the Coastal Path and explore the spectacular Witches Cauldron, a blow hole caused by the collapse of a cave roof. Paul and I often take a day out to kayak here, spy on the birds and explore the caves, but sssh don’t tell, we’re supposed to be working.

Mwnt
A really picturesque small sandy cove, lots of steps down to it. Parking is above with parking fees in the Summer. Many a dolphin has been spotted from this cove, the tide washes it out so it’s clean and flat, great for ball games or digging a hole. Full dog restrictions from 1st May – 30th September

New Quay Harbour Beach & New Quay  Traeth y Dolau
A lot of boat trips available from New Quay. Another of our favourite places to go in the evening, buy some fish and chips and sit on the harbour wall. This is one of the best places in West Wales to see dolphins & porpoise. You can take a boat trip, but daily sightings from the habour wall mean that sea legs are not mandatory to catch one of nature’s most lovely sights.

Penbryn
This is how beaches were in the young days. Not an ice cream van in sight (or toilet!).  The sea stays nice and close even at low tide making it a fun swimming beach, though there is no lifeguard.  You have to park about a 5 minute walk from this beach. You can get close to drop off and return to park. There is a shop, and toilets are available in the car park. But it is a lovely country lane walk and the sand is great for sandcastles. No dogs allowed 1st May – 30th September.

Poppit Sands
A large sandy beach at the mouth of the River Teifi, perfect for a long walk and  backed by dunes. Close to Caridgan. Lifeguard on duty. You can pick up the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path here, or the Poppit Rocket Bus.  This beach has a European blue flag award. A partial dog ban from 1st May – 30th September.  Boat by laws apply. There is an RNLI station here, we never get tired of watching them launch their boats using their huge tractor, a boys dream. Many a happy BBQ and numerous games of rounders spent on this beach.

Tresaith
We all love this beach.  It has a small entrance so parking is just before the village with a five minute walk downhill.  Lifeguard on duty. When the tide goes out it reveals a second beach with a waterfall where the Saith river tumbles over the cliff – perfect for a fresh water shower. When  the tide is fully in our boys love to do a spot of mini-coasteering , leaping from the fantastic rocks just offshore, a level suitable for all ages to jump from, even cautious mum!. Lovely ice-cream shop close by and a pub serving lunch with a view of the beach.