Sandy Haven Beach

Sandy Haven Beach is an estuary bay in west Pembrokeshire between St Ishmaels and Herbrandston. Set on the northern edge of the Cleddau Estuary and the Milford Haven Waterway, this bay is flanked by headlands at Great Castle Head and South Hook Point.

At high tide, the water envelopes much of the bay but at low tide, you can walk the width of the estuary between the two cliffs crossing over a stream which runs down the middle splitting the bay into eastern and western sides. The village of Sandy Haven lies on the western side with Herbrandston on the east. A boardwalk now enables you to cross the stream here, replacing the once iconic stepping stones between the sands.

A relatively well-kept secret, Sandy Haven Beach is approximately 800 metres and yet is often sparsely populated in comparison to some of Pembrokeshire’s more famous beach resorts. It is mostly rocky with a decent stretch of reddish-gold sands at low tide and is a great spot for explorers and wildlife enthusiasts.

Activities

Perhaps one of the main reasons Sandy Haven Beach is less known than others is that it is an estuary bay. As a result, it does not receive clean waves or decent swell rendering it a no-go zone for adrenaline sportspeople who wish to spend their time surfing or kitesurfing.

Sandy Haven Beach is a more understated, serene seaside location – which itself is the best selling point for many of the regulars who visit time and time again. You won’t ever have to compete with others for sand-space or waves here, as there simply aren’t the crowds to warrant such behaviour. Beachgoers who travel to this beach are after a more relaxing beach visit.

Along this isolated bay, you’ll find pockets of shelter creating warm suntraps ideal for sunbathing and enjoying a picnic. Bring along a blanket and a book for a bit of me-time or settle down with a sketchbook to capture the tranquillity of this seascape in your drawings.

Despite the relatively stony shoreline, it is possible to enjoy some of the more traditional beach activities at Sandy Haven Beach. Expect to find bathers leisurely paddling through these waters (although beware there can be swift currents) and fidgety beings having stone skimming competitions. Friends can set up a makeshift rounders court or football pitch as the harder ground is far less challenging than soft sandy bays.

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Small hands can be kept busy delving into the many rockpools lining the riversides. Limpets, shell creatures and more can be found hiding in these tiny pools of water and so low tide is an optimum time for such an activity.

Young families often set straight for the boardwalk where they intend to spend the rest of the day crabbing. Kitted out with crabbing lines, buckets and bait, you will find gleeful children comparing the size and number of their catch before setting these sea creatures back into the wild before heading home.

Being an estuary bay, Sandy Haven Beach is understandably a top spot for boating as the waters are calmer. You may find sailing boats and rowing boats launching here as well as smaller vessels such as canoes and kayaking. Head inland towards Sandy Haven Pill or out towards the Milford Haven Waterway for views over Stack Rock, a now-derelict island fortress developed in 1850 as a defence garrison protecting the Royal Dockyard at Pembroke Dock.

Sandy Haven Beach is a fantastic spot for adventurers and explorers as the coastline here offers a wonderland of fascinating features. At the mouth of the river, you’ll find Mun Sands to the east and Sleeping Bay to the right whilst following the river inland through the Beach will bring you to Sandy Haven Pill.

Near Sandy Haven Pill, you’ll find the remnants of a shipwreck which is well worth a sightsee and at particularly low tides, you might even be able to spot glimpses of an ancient petrified forest. You will also find a now out-of-use lime kiln illustrating that lime was perhaps once brought in here.

You can join the Pembrokeshire Coast Path from Sandy Haven Beach and venture in both directions. Ramblers may wish to walk west towards Dale passing by Great Castle Head Lighthouse, an operational beacon positioned atop the clifftop on Great Castle Head. Alternatively, you can hike east past Gelliswick Bay to reach Milford Haven.

Sandy Haven Beach from the Sandy Haven/western side

Facilities

There isn’t much in the way of facilities at Sandy Haven Beach other than a car park for around 30 spaces or so. It is free, located looking over the bay at Sandy Haven Camping Park on the eastern side of the bay near Herbrandston.

Otherwise, the nearest place for refreshments and public toilets is at St Ishmaels. This rural village has a public toilet block for use and a sole country pub, The Brook Inn. You might also enjoy a visit to St Ishmaels Garden Centre where you can browse the flowers and plants, or pay a visit to the onsite café.

A wider range of amenities can be found in Milford Haven, some three miles from Sandy Haven Beach. This portside community is home to supermarkets, banks, a petrol station and a post office along with retail shops on smaller convenience stores. There is a great selection of eateries, particularly around Milford Waterfront where you will find The Harbourmaster and Foam.

You might also wish to spend an evening at The Torch Theatre, a superb arts centre in the centre of town where you can watch cinema screenings, live theatre, national broadcasts and dance performances. It houses a licensed bar, café and art gallery too.

Local Top Tips

If you are planning to sail or go boating here, be aware that the waterway is an active and busy waterway which is managed by the Milford Haven Port Authority. There are rules to be aware of including restriction on the use of fast boats such as jet skis as Sandy Haven Beach is within the Pembrokeshire Marine Area of Special Conservation and thus the wildlife here is protected.

Also, make sure to check the tide times when visiting this beach as when the tide comes in, you will not be able to cross the bay or access the boardwalk across the stream. You don’t want to find yourself stranded at one side of the bay when your car is on the other, neither do you want to arrive for a day of crabbing off the boardwalk to find it is nowhere to be seen.

Access

Take the narrow country road from Hebrandston to Sandy Haven Beach and you will find the car park for the beach signposted to the left. From the car park, you can follow the grassy footpath along the headland through the Camping Park or walk along the roadside to reach a concrete slipway onto the beach.

You can also access the west side of the bay via the hamlet of Sandy Haven, although there is no car park here. Again the road to this entrance is a narrow country road ending with a concrete slipway onto the shingle terrain of the beach.

Is Sandy Haven Beach Dog Friendly?

Yes, Sandy Haven Beach is dog friendly all year round with no restrictions.

Award-Winning

Sandy Haven Beach has been known to receive the Seaside Award. 

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