Stackpole Quay · 0.7 miles from Stackpole
Reputedly Britain's smallest harbour, with a National Trust car park, café and toilets — and the start of the walk to Barafundle.
There are 6 beaches within about 5 miles of Stackpole. The closest is Stackpole Quay, 0.7 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.
3 have a car park within half a mile. In July and August, arrive before ten or after four — Pembrokeshire beach car parks fill early and there is nowhere to overspill to.
| Beach | Distance | Dogs | Lifeguards | Car park | Toilets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stackpole Quay | 0.7 miles | Restricted in summer | None | 350 m | 300 m |
| Barafundle Bay | 1.4 miles | All year | None | 1.1 km away | 1.0 km away |
| Freshwater East | 1.9 miles | Restricted in summer | None | 600 m | 500 m |
| Broad Haven South | 2.5 miles | All year | None | 0.9 km away | 1.0 km away |
| Swanlake Bay | 3 miles | Restricted in summer | None | 1.7 km away | None nearby |
| Manorbier Bay | 4 miles | Restricted in summer | None | 550 m | 450 m |
Dog restrictions and lifeguard dates are set locally and do change. The signs at the beach access points are the authority — not this table.
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 sheltered, dune-backed crescent facing south — easy parking, safe paddling and far fewer people than Tenby.

White sand, Church Rock offshore and the lily ponds behind — Bosherston's beautiful back door to the sea.
A sandy bay between Freshwater East and Manorbier with no road access at all — usually empty, and entirely tide-dependent.
Red-tinged sand, a proper castle backdrop and a dependable beach break — the south coast's most characterful bay.