Freshwater East · 3 miles from Pembroke
A sheltered, dune-backed crescent facing south — easy parking, safe paddling and far fewer people than Tenby.
There are 5 beaches within about 5 miles of Pembroke. The closest is Freshwater East, 3 miles away as the crow flies — further by road, because almost everything here is further by road.
None of them has RNLI lifeguard cover. That doesn't make them dangerous, but it does mean nobody is watching the water, and this coast has rip currents and a big tidal range. Swim where you can stand, and dial 999 for the Coastguard if anything goes wrong.
2 welcome dogs all year (Barafundle Bay and Broad Haven South); the rest restrict them from 1 May to 30 September. Signs at the access points are the authority, not us.
Parking is the constraint: only 2 have a mapped car park within half a mile, and in July and August those fill by mid-morning.
| Beach | Distance | Dogs | Lifeguards | Car park | Toilets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freshwater East | 3 miles | Restricted in summer | None | 600 m | 500 m |
| Stackpole Quay | 4 miles | Restricted in summer | None | 350 m | 300 m |
| Barafundle Bay | 4 miles | All year | None | 1.1 km away | 1.0 km away |
| Swanlake Bay | 4 miles | Restricted in summer | None | 1.7 km away | None nearby |
| Broad Haven South | 5 miles | All year | None | 0.9 km away | 1.0 km away |
Dog restrictions and lifeguard dates are set locally and do change. The signs at the beach access points are the authority — not this table.
A sheltered, dune-backed crescent facing south — easy parking, safe paddling and far fewer people than Tenby.
Reputedly Britain's smallest harbour, with a National Trust car park, café and toilets — and the start of the walk to Barafundle.
The golden cove with no road — half a mile's clifftop walk from Stackpole Quay, and regularly voted among Britain's best beaches.
A sandy bay between Freshwater East and Manorbier with no road access at all — usually empty, and entirely tide-dependent.

White sand, Church Rock offshore and the lily ponds behind — Bosherston's beautiful back door to the sea.