Freshwater East to Manorbier

Four and a half miles, and it packs in more than most stages twice the length.

Freshwater East is a sheltered south-facing sandy bay behind dunes, with a car park and a good deal of holiday housing above it. It's the safest swimming beach for miles, which is worth knowing if you're travelling with children.

Climb east out of the bay onto Trewent Point, a blunt headland with the whole of Carmarthen Bay opening up ahead — on a clear day you can pick out Caldey Island, Worm's Head on Gower and the coast running away towards Llanelli. The path then does what the south coast does: down into a valley, up the other side, twice.

Between the two lies Swanlake Bay, and it's the reason to walk this stage. A wide crescent of sand with cliffs at either end, no road, no car park, no facilities and a fifteen-minute walk from the nearest lane in any direction. On an August afternoon when Tenby is full, there will be a handful of people on it. The tide covers the sand entirely at the top of the range, so don't settle in without checking.

The last mile climbs over East Moor Cliff and then drops into Manorbier. The approach is the best arrival on the south coast: the bay opens below with the castle standing over it and, on the headland to your right, the King's Quoit — a Neolithic burial chamber with a huge capstone resting against the slope, around 5,000 years old and completely open to walk up to.

Manorbier Castle is a Norman stronghold that was never seriously attacked, which is why so much of it survives. Gerald of Wales — Giraldus Cambrensis, the churchman and chronicler — was born here in about 1146 and described it as the most delightful part of Wales, which is the sort of thing you say about your own house. It's privately owned and open to visitors in season.

The beach itself is a decent surf spot on a south-westerly swell and gets a reliable crowd of longboarders.

Where to finish. Manorbier village is up the hill with a pub and a shop, and there's usually a seasonal café near the beach car park.

With children. Freshwater East is the beach to base yourself at; the walk out to Trewent Point and back is under a mile and gets you the view without the valleys.