Tenby Harbour Beach

Every photograph that ever sold Tenby was taken here: the pastel Georgian terraces stacked above a stone harbour, boats at anchor, and a small crescent of sheltered sand that fills and empties with the tide. Harbour Beach is tiny compared with North and South, but for small children paddling at half-to-high tide in flat, boat-sheltered water, it is the best-placed beach in town — with ice cream, lifeboat station and the Caldey boats all within fifty yards.

At low water the harbour dries and the beach becomes launching slip and sandy playground among the tenders. It inevitably gets busy at peak season, though turnover is high; early evening, when the day boats are back and the light goes gold on the houses, is its magic hour. Note the town's other beaches carry summer dog rules — check our Tenby North, Castle and South pages for the zones.