DALE PENINSULA BEACHES & ACTIVITIES

Within a 5-mile radius of The Anchorage, the Dale Peninsula has 12 sandy beaches listed below ( see map). Only the second on the list and the last four can be accessed by car. The others require walking. All are linked by the Pembrokeshire coast path. Distances are direct line and do not account for sinuous roads.

Kilroon Bay (distance 1.3 miles)
Sandy Haven public beach (distance 0.2 mile)
Lindsway Bay (distance 1.0 mile)
Watwick Bay (distance 3 miles)
Mill Bay (distance 4 miles)
Marloes Bay (distance 4.5 miles) – See photo overleaf.
Albion Sands (distance 5 miles)
Musselwick Sands (distance 5 miles)
St. Brides Haven (distance 4 miles)
Little Haven (distance 3.5 miles)
The Settlands (distance 3.6 miles)
Broad Haven (distance 4 miles)

In addition scattered between the sandy beaches are shingle beaches at Milford Haven, Gelliswick Bay, South Hook, Monks Haven, Pickleridge Beach, Dale, West Dale and Martins Haven. Other small bays and beaches are accessible only by boat.

SANDY HAVEN BEACH AND THE WARNING STONE

At low tide there is a large expanse of sand at Sandy Haven. At high tide four sandy beaches are accessible from the coast path. All are on the opposite side of Sandy Haven creek from The Anchorage. It is necessary to cross the footbridge to reach them. When on the sandy beaches it is not possible to see the footbridge and if one is not careful the bridge can disappear in the rather strong flow of the incoming tide and it is 4.6 miles to walk around the creek on the roads (unless a friendly boat can be found). Happily there is a large prominent rock at the bottom of Sandy Haven beach (which we call the Warning stone) which can be seen from all points. When the sea is half way up this rock, the footbridge is just going underwater.

LINDSWAY BAY

This lovely sand beach is only 1.7 miles west along the sinuous coast path from The Anchorage. At low tide there is an extensive beach of sand with excellent swimming. At high spring tides the sand briefly disappears beneath the sea leaving only a narrow rocky beach. This beach cannot be driven to and is only accessible by the coast path or by boat. Follow the coast path westwards past Castle Head and the radar hut. There is no sign but a long flight of stone steps leads down to the beach. Just west of the steps is a wooden bench seat on the cliff edge overlooking the beach. The quickest way to the beach is to drive to St. Ishmaels sports club and park there. Walk across the sports field to an asphalt path across the fields to join coast path. Turn left to locate steps to beach. Lindsway beach is well remembered locally because a young Queen Elizabeth swam there during a visit of the Royal Yacht Britannia in 1955.

MONKS HAVEN

By following the coast path westwards beyond Lindsway Bay for a distance of half a mile one comes to the secluded stoney sheltered cove of Monks Haven. Overgrown Second World war gun emplacements and a lookout station are crossed by the coast path at Watch House Point. Just before reaching Monks Haven there is a small 19th century folly tower on the cliff edge that has partly crumbled into the sea. Monks Haven valley was once the site of a monastery and it has a delightful old church with car parking and is accessible from the beach along a footpath up the small valley.

THE GANN

It is possible to walk along the coast path to Dale – a distance of 3 miles. However it is necessary to cross another tidal inlet – The Gann – to do this. The foot bridge there is also covered with seawater at high tide and planning the walk according to the tide is essential.

BEACHES WITH BOAT-ONLY ACCESS FROM SANDY HAVEN

By travelling westwards by boat from Sandy Haven, between Great Castle Head and Little Castle Head there are two shingle and one sand beach (see Google Earth image). The sand beach lies closest to Great Castle Head. These beaches are within reach of canoe paddling and dinghy sailing. Some planning with the tides is necessary as one does not want to return by boat to Sandy Haven at low tide. One long days option is to go out on an outgoing tide and return 8 or 9 hours later on an incoming tide. Iron Age forts with earth embankments and ditches are present on Great Castle Head and Little Castle head.