Solva Harbour Beach

In an idyllic coastal village just minutes away from the UK’s smallest city, St Davids, is where you will find Solva Harbour Beach. As its name suggests, the beach here is part of the picturesque harbour and lies at the heart of this waterside community.

Solva Harbour Beach is situated in the valley between two high rugged cliffsides. This valley, known as Lower Solva, is the portion of the village which is set at sea level; travel up the hill and you will arrive at Upper Solva where much of the populace here live. Over the years, the lower half of the village has become somewhat iconic in Pembrokeshire, famous for its main street of pastel-coloured buildings and quaint harbour.

A beautiful rocky inlet whilst the tide is out, Solva Harbour Beach becomes an even prettier scene as the water comes in and floods the bay leaving the boats bobbing with the sea’s movements.

Activities

Being a harbour, it is of course popular with boaters, canoers and kayakers however due to its sheltered nature, it is not so popular for activities like surfing which require a decent wave. Solva Harbour Beach is much more popular amongst families, particularly those with younger children as the protected conditions are ideal for traditional beach activities.

Buckets and spades, crabbing lines and fishing nets are a must, as the little ones will have endless fun searching the numerous rockpools and small streams for sea creatures. Discover periwinkles, starfish and more hidden underneath the rocks and amongst the seaweed.

Spend your days leaping into the water from the harbour wall and splashing in the sea with your friends – an ideal way to spend the day if you’re looking to keep your spending low. When the tide is out, follow the rocky inlet out towards the ocean and you will uncover a lesser known stretch of beach popular with bathers.

Mix up your beach days here by explore the old circular lime kilns lining the sides of this cove, first built around the early 19th Century to house lime sailed in from Milford Haven. Or, you can take the walk up to the top of The Gribbin on the left side of the beach for panoramic picnic views across the village and out across St Brides Bay. This beach is also a particularly popular place to pick up the Pembrokeshire Coast Path for a walk to St Davids or Newgale, as you can pick up the North Pembrokeshire Fflecsi Bus allowing you to do a longer stretch of the path rather than coming back on yourself.

Facilities

Located within a coastal village, facilities and amenities are just all within a short walking distance of the beach. Directly behind the bay, you’ll find The Harbour Inn and the cafe 35 Main Street, two great places to grab a bite to eat, you might even want to buy an afternoon ice cream at the café.

Continue down the street and you’ll find another country pub, The Ship Inn, as well as The Cambrian Inn restaurant just by the bridge. A real must in the area is a visit to MamGu Welshcakes, imagine freshly baked savoury and sweet welsh cakes along with hearty bowls of cawl and delicious coffee. The coloured buildings brightening up this road house a collection of art galleries as well as Window on Wales, a superb independent retail and gift store.

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The Royal George pub sits at the top of the hill overlooking the bay, just steps away from the Memorial Hall which is home to the Solva Film Club. Also in Upper Solva, you will find Bay View Stores, a handy family-run convenience store offering freshly caught local seafood.

Parking is available between the beach and The Harbour Inn but bear in mind, this is a manned car park during the summer months with payment required. Within the car park, you will find toilets and a charming Café on the Quay offering delicious sandwiches and refreshments.

Local Top Tips

Solva is a particularly bustling village come the summer months and parking on the waterfront is limited, so you might want to think about getting the bus if you can. It stops outside The Ship Inn and opposite Bay View Stores in Upper Solva, so you can jump off in Upper Solva to buy provisions for the day and then jump back on in Lower Solva to save walking up back up the hill when you’re ready to leave.

With lots of people around, the eateries are also busy. Many serve food right through the day, particularly during the holidays, so you might find it easier to avoid peak meal times in favour of quieter times when the demand is less or of course, bring along a picnic.

Access

From the car park, you can make way for the headland on the left, crossing the bridge over the stream, to join a path which will take you straight onto the bay when the tide is out. Alternatively, you can head to the end of the car park passing Café on the Quay and jump straight into the water (providing it is not high tide that is) or take the slipway down onto the shore.

Is it Dog Friendly?

Solva Harbour Beach is completely dog friendly all year round, and are the two pubs in Lower Solva, The Harbour Inn and The Ship Inn, and 35 Main Street.  

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