Discover Tenby

Priory beach is a sandy beach that sits in Prioriy Bay on the Caldey island just off the coast from Tenby in Pembrokeshire, South Wales.This is a small island only accessible by a boat trip which makes sure the beach is never too busy. As you arrive at the island, Priory beach is the welcoming sight from the ferry landing point.The beach here is a gentle slope with safe currents that make it a safe swimming beach.The beach is an excellent beach but don’t forget to explore the island.

Monkstone beach is on the coastal path between Tenby and Saundersfoot and due to its remote location this is a hidden gem and is rarely ever crowded. The way down to the Monkstone beach is steep with around 150 steps but the sandy beach itself is worth it with beautiful sands and rocks. No facilities and access to the beach is via the coastal path with the closest parking is in Saundersfoot.

Tenby Castle Beach is within a cove between the Castle and the East Cliff, with the beach being sheltered by the cliffs. This is the smallest of the Tenby beaches and can get crowded. At low tide boat trips run to Caldey Island or if a little more adventurous it is possible to walk out to St. Catherine’s island, but beware the tide can cut you off. Facilities include cafe, toilets, deckchair hire and summer lifeguards, but you then also have access to many cafes, pubs, restaurants and shops in Tenby.

Swanlake Bay beach is like a lot of the beaches in this area of Pembrokeshire; a secluded shingle beach with sand exposed at low tide surrounded by cliffs. Swanlake Bay Beach is popular for swimming, fishing and walking. No parking near the beach but there is parking at nearby farm. Swanlake Bay is not an official naturist beach, but there are some naturists who use it.

Lydstep beach is also known as Lydstep Haven, a well protected beach due to the horseshoe shape and limestone headlands. The beach is a mix of sand, shingle and rocks. The beach is private to the caravan parks but access is available for a day visitor fee.

Penally beach is at the far end of Tenby south beach and is less busy than the main Tenby beaches. The beach is a mix of sand and shingle but is protected by sand dunes and Giltar Point headland. Good views across to Caldy Island. You only get parking and for facilities you need to head towards the Tenby end of the beach.

Manorbier Bay beach is a small sandy beach with sand dunes and rock pools, great for families and is popular with surfers, body boarding and walkers stopping off from the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path. The beach can get very busy on hot days as it is one of the most popular in the area. Manorbier Castle overlooks the bay and on the other side of the valley the 12th century St. James church. Whilst on the eastern headland stands a prehistoric burial chamber known as Kings Quoit. Facilities at the beach include car parking, toilets with disabled access, cafe just up the road from the beach and the village has a shop and pub.

Tenby northern beaches are split into two; the north beach and harbour beach. Harbour beach is a small area of sand within the harbour and at high tide boat trips run from the harbour to Caldey island. The North beach is a stretch of sandy beach and promenade within Tenby town. The beach has rock pools and the prominent Goskar Rock. During the summer the beach can get crowded due to its town location and easy access. In busy times well worth considering the South beach at Tenby. Facilities include car parking, toilets, summer lifeguards on North beach, shops, cafe and hire facilities. As this is a town beach all the facilities of Tenby are just a short walk away.

Manorbier Castle is a Norman castle located in the village of Manorbier, five miles south-west of Tenby overlooking Manorbier Bay. Manorbier is a rectangular enclosure castle that has curtain walls and round and square towers. It stands on a natural coastal promontory and has no external moat and a postern gate provided access to the beach and boats. The castle is privately owned, but it along with the gardens, dovecote and mill open to the public during the summer. The castle is also a wedding venue and has a holiday cottage.

Waterwynch Bay beach is best visited at mid to low tide when it exposes a large beach with a number of sandy bays. You can even walk to Tenby but beware of being cut off by the tide.

The South beach at Tenby is roughly 2km of sand backed by sand dunes, The beach is one long stretch but the northern end is referred to as Castle Beach at St. Catherine’s Island and the southern end is Penally Beach at Giltar Point. The South beach is less commercialised than Tenby’s North beach but still provides an excellent family beach. At low tide you have a massive expanse of beach but even at high tide plenty of beach space exists. Facilities include parking, toilets (disables access), lifeguards in the summer and at the northern end several shops and and hire facilities.

Skrinkle Haven beach is really two rocky bays separated by a ridge of limestone, the smaller is also called Church Doors Cove after the high-arched caves resemble church doors. The coves are rocky backed by high steep cliffs with lots of sand at low tide, at high tide the beaches all but disappear. This is a spectacular stretch of natural coastline and a world away from the more urban and busy beaches around Tenby. The beach has a car park and picnic area at the top of the cliffs, although access is now only via the Church Doors beach using some steep steps from the coast path.  At low tide, you can either travel around the seaward side to Skrinkle Haven beach or there is an alternative slippy route through a cave, in both cases, you will need to keep a close watch on the tides. The beaches have no facilities other than the parking, you do have a Youth hostel at Skrinkle Haven and nearby Manorbier also has a small selection of cafes and a pub.