Barafundle Bay

Getting to Barafundle Bay is half the adventure - there's no road, no car park, and no easy way in. You park near Bosherston, a quiet village inland from Pembroke, then walk through the limestone cliffs on a proper coastal path. The descent is steep enough to make your legs complain on the way down, worth every step once you round the corner and see it: a crescent of golden sand backed by sheer ochre cliffs, utterly empty most days.

It's a proper secret, which means it stays that way because getting there filters out the day-trippers. The beach itself is brilliant for swimming when the tide's right - the water's cold, mind you, but the sand is as good as anything you'll find on the South Wales coast. Rock pools dot the shoreline, and if you time it well, you might have the place almost to yourself.

Allow a good two hours for the whole outing, including the walk and a proper beach sit-down. It's free, obviously - there's nothing commercial about it. Families with young children might find the walk in a slog, though older kids who can manage a steep coastal path will think it's brilliant. Walkers and photographers absolutely come here for this.

From the holiday parks near Pembroke - Freshwater East and Parke Farm are closest - you're only twenty minutes' drive away. It's the sort of place you work into a broader Pembrokeshire coastal exploration, mixing it with easier, more accessible beaches when you need a break from the serious walking.