Pembrokeshire in April
Mid-April in Pembrokeshire: sunrise around 06:24, sunset around 20:16, giving about 13h 52m of daylight. That is around 2 hours more daylight than mid-March, and it is the evenings that gain most. Because the county sticks so far west into the Atlantic, the sun sets noticeably later here than in London — worth knowing if you are planning an evening on a west-facing beach.
Dogs: the seasonal window is shut. The 1 May – 30 September restrictions do not apply in April, so the 13 beaches that restrict dogs in summer are open to them now. That includes the ones you cannot take a dog to in August — Tenby North Beach, Whitesands Bay (Porth Mawr), Amroth Beach, Broad Haven and 9 more. This is the honest reason to come out of season with a dog.
Arguably the best trade-off of the year: long days, thinning crowds compared with summer, and the cliffs at their best. Sea thrift and campion come out along the Coast Path, and the seabird colonies on the islands are in full noise. Half-term aside, this is a much calmer county than it will be in August.
Lifeguards. 13 of the beaches we cover are lifeguarded in season — Amroth Beach, Broad Haven, Coppet Hall, Freshwater West, Newgale Sands, Newport Sands (Traeth Mawr) and 7 more. Cover is seasonal and the RNLI sets the dates each year; we do not publish those dates because we cannot verify them from a feed, so check the RNLI listing for the beach before relying on it. Everywhere else, you are swimming unpatrolled.
Beaches and dogs in April
The 1 May – 30 September window does not apply in April, so the beaches that restrict dogs in summer are open to them now. Where we have not been able to confirm a beach either way, we say so rather than assuming.
Open all year, whole beach (50)
- Aber Draw, Trefin
- Aberbach
- Abercastle
- Abereiddi & the Blue Lagoon
- Aberfforest
- Abermawr
- Barafundle Bay
- Broad Haven South
- Caerbwdi Bay
- Caerfai Bay
- Castlebeach Bay
- Ceibwr Bay
- Church Doors Cove
- Cwm-yr-Eglwys
- Druidston Haven
- Freshwater East
- Freshwater West
- Gelliswick Bay
- Glen Beach, Saundersfoot
- Lindsway Bay
- Little Haven
- Manorbier Bay
- Marloes Sands
- Martin's Haven
- Mill Bay
- Monk Haven
- Monkstone Beach
- Musselwick Sands
- Newport Parrog
- Newport Sands (Traeth Mawr)
- Nolton Haven
- Penally Beach
- Porthclais Harbour
- Porthmelgan
- Porthmynawyd (Pointz Castle)
- Porthselau
- Presipe Bay
- Pwllgwaelod
- Sandy Haven
- Skrinkle Haven
- Solva Harbour Beach
- St Brides Haven
- Stackpole Quay
- Swanlake Bay
- Tenby Harbour Beach
- Traeth Llyfn
- Watwick Bay
- West Angle Bay
- Westdale Bay
- Wiseman's Bridge
Restricted 1 May – 30 Sep, open now (2)
- Tenby North Beach — Dogs banned from the whole beach 1 May – 30 September; welcome the rest of the year. One of only two total bans in the county (Pembrokeshire County Council).
- Whitesands Bay (Porth Mawr) — Dogs banned from the whole length of the beach 1 May – 30 September; welcome the rest of the year. One of only two total bans in the county (Pembrokeshire County Council).
Zoned — one end open, one end not (11)
- Amroth Beach — Central and western areas restricted 1 May – 30 September; the eastern end welcomes dogs all year.
- Broad Haven — Northern third restricted 1 May – 30 September; the rest of the beach welcomes dogs all year.
- Coppet Hall — Northern section restricted 1 May – 30 September, and only between 10am and 5pm; dogs welcome elsewhere on the beach and outside those hours.
- Dale Beach — Northern end restricted 1 May – 30 September; the rest welcomes dogs all year.
- Goodwick Sands — Northern end restricted 1 May – 30 September; the rest of the sands welcomes dogs all year.
- Lydstep Haven — Eastern end restricted 1 May – 30 September; the rest welcomes dogs all year.
- Newgale Sands — Middle third restricted 1 May – 30 September; the northern and southern ends welcome dogs all year.
- Poppit Sands — Western end restricted 1 May – 30 September; the estuary end welcomes dogs all year.
- Saundersfoot Beach — Restricted 1 May – 30 September across the beach and promenade, except a small area at the Coppet Hall end. Welcome the rest of the year.
- Tenby Castle Beach — Restricted 1 May – 30 September across the beach (Pembrokeshire County Council). Welcome the rest of the year.
- Tenby South Beach — Restricted 1 May – 30 September; dogs must be on a lead in the restricted section. The southern stretch towards Giltar welcomes dogs all year.
We cannot tell you either way (1)
Policies are recorded per beach from the managing authority’s own signage and published rules. Grouped this finely because the underlying information genuinely has these states — a beach we have confirmed as restricted and a beach where a restriction merely might apply are different answers, and flattening them into one number would look more authoritative while being less true. If a sign on the day says otherwise, the sign wins.
What’s on in April
Annual fixtures we hold dates or timings for. Always confirm with the organiser before travelling — dates move, and we say when we last checked.
Puffin Season on Skomer
Tens of thousands of puffins breed on Skomer from April to late July, close enough to the path that you have to step around them.
April to late July, best late May to early July · Wildlife & nature
Island Boat Trip Season Opens
Skomer, Ramsey, Caldey and Grassholm all reopen to boats around Easter. Each one is a different trip and they book up differently.
from around Easter, running to late October · Wildlife & nature
Bluebell Season at Colby and Minwear
Two or three weeks in late April and May when the old woodland floors go blue. Colby and Minwear are the reliable ones.
late April into mid-May, two to three weeks · Wildlife & nature
Pembroke Castle Events Season
Living history and re-enactment weekends through the warmer months at the birthplace of Henry VII.
Easter to autumn, with events concentrated in school holidays · Community
Carew Castle and Tidal Mill Season
A ruined castle, the only restored tidal mill in Wales and an 11th-century Celtic cross, all on one short circuit.
Easter to the end of October · Community