Pembrokeshire in September
Mid-September in Pembrokeshire: sunrise around 06:55, sunset around 19:37, giving about 12h 42m of daylight. That is around 2 hours less than mid-August, and it is the evenings that lose 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 open. Between 1 May and 30 September, 10 of the beaches we cover have a restriction we can state as fact — Broad Haven, Caerfai Bay, Coppet Hall, Freshwater East, Little Haven, Manorbier Bay and 4 more. A further 5 are zoned: one end welcomes dogs all year while the bathing area does not, which is why "dog friendly" on its own tells you nothing. 5 are open across the whole beach whatever the month — Abereiddi & the Blue Lagoon, Barafundle Bay, Broad Haven South, Freshwater West and Marloes Sands.
Being straight about the rest: for 15 we have found no restriction but have not had that confirmed, and for 10 we genuinely cannot tell you either way. We would rather say so than round them up into a number that looks more authoritative. Read the sign at the access point — it is the authority, not this page.
One of the two weeks-worth of the year worth planning a holiday around. The sea holds its summer warmth, most things are still open, and the school-holiday crush is either not yet here or just gone. If you have flexibility, this is when to use it.
Lifeguards. 8 of the beaches we cover are lifeguarded in season — Broad Haven, Dale Beach, Newgale Sands, Poppit Sands, Saundersfoot Beach, Tenby North Beach and 2 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 Cover is seasonal and the RNLI sets the dates each year; we do not publish those dates because we cannot verify them from a feed, so check the RNLI listing for the beach before relying on it.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 September
Restrictions run 1 May – 30 September. Where a beach is only partly restricted, the bathing area is the part that is closed — the ends are usually still open.
Open all year, whole beach (5)
Restricted right now (10)
- Broad Haven — Main beach restricted 1 May – 30 September; dogs welcome the rest of the year.
- Caerfai Bay — Seasonal restriction applies 1 May – 30 September; check the signs at the top of the steps.
- Coppet Hall — Dogs restricted in season on the bathing beach — the tunnels path itself is dog-friendly.
- Freshwater East — Seasonal restriction applies 1 May – 30 September on the main beach; check local signs.
- Little Haven — Seasonal restriction applies to the beach 1 May – 30 September; check the signs at the slipway.
- Manorbier Bay — Dogs restricted on the main bathing area in season; welcome October–April and on fringes — check signage.
- Saundersfoot Beach — Dogs restricted on the main beach 1 May – 30 September.
- Tenby Castle Beach — Seasonal restriction applies 1 May – 30 September on the main bathing area; check the signs.
- Tenby North Beach — Dogs restricted on the main bathing area in season (May–Sep); harbour end rules differ — check signage.
- Whitesands Bay (Porth Mawr) — Dogs restricted 1 May – 30 September; welcome the rest of the year.
Zoned — one end open, one end not (5)
- Amroth Beach — Western end welcomes dogs all year; eastern bathing section restricted in season.
- Newgale Sands — Central section restricted 1 May – 30 Sep; northern and southern ends welcome dogs all year.
- Newport Sands (Traeth Mawr) — Dogs welcome all year on the main beach; seasonal rules apply near the estuary/Parrog side — check signage.
- Poppit Sands — Zoned: restrictions on the main bathing area in season; estuary end year-round — check signage.
- Tenby South Beach — Northern (town) section restricted in season; southern stretch towards Giltar welcomes dogs all year.
No restriction found, unconfirmed (15)
We cannot tell you either way (10)
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 September
Annual fixtures we hold dates or timings for. Always confirm with the organiser before travelling — dates move, and we say when we last checked.
Ironman Wales
FreeThe hardest Ironman course in the series, and the best sporting day in Wales to watch. Also the day the roads shut.
a Sunday in September · Sport
Tenby Arts Festival
A week of concerts, talks, exhibitions and a sandcastle competition, in the quiet fortnight after the summer ends.
late September, across about a week · Arts
Narberth Food Festival
Producers, tastings and demonstrations in the county's best food town, where half the shops are worth a visit anyway.
a weekend in late September · Food & drink
Grey Seal Pupping Season
FreeWhite-coated pups on inaccessible beaches from September to November, watched from the clifftop above. The best free wildlife in the county.
late August to November, peaking late September and October · Wildlife & nature
Autumn Seawatching at Strumble Head
FreeA lighthouse headland with a tidal race off it, and one of the best places in Britain to sit and watch seabirds go past.
August to October, best on a strong onshore wind · Wildlife & nature