Musselwick Beach

Buried amongst the southern curve of St Brides Bay, not too far from Marloes, is the largely unknown inlet of Musselwick Beach. Submerged under the shores for the best part of the day, a surprisingly spacious stretch of sand is unveiled here for a few hours on either side of low tide making it a real hidden gem on the Pembrokeshire coastline. 

Its isolated nature with somewhat challenging access makes this one for the few rather than the masses but if you’re up for the adventure, we’re sure this will capture a piece of your heart forever more. Preferred by explorers and those passing by on a hike of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, Musselwick Beach is breathtakingly beautiful with epic sea views across towards St Davids and pretty black slate cliffs protecting the cove. 

Activities

This is one to venture to if you’re looking to escape the crowds as there only ever seems to be a handful of people here at most. Plan a few hours here to reset the mind, body and soul with peace and quiet. Watch as the water ebbs and flows along the shoreline, listen in for the sounds of wildlife going about their business and bask in the warm rays of the sunshine; Musselwick Beach is known for its balmy microclimate. 

It really is a spot for mindfulness with a restorative atmosphere; try your hand at artistry with a landscape drawing, conjure your imagination with a little story writing or practise your photography skills. 

Above the bay, you’ll discover a grassy bank overlooking the shore, settle here to soak up the views or tuck into a picnic. This viewpoint with benches makes the ideal pitstop for those walking this stretch of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path between St Brides Haven Beach and Martin's Haven Beach. The walk from St Brides Beach is only around an hour in duration and you can easily continue on to Little Haven and Broad Haven where you’ll find restaurants and popular beachfronts. 

Wandering west to Martins Haven, the departure point for Skomer Island trips, is only a couple of miles in length. Carrying on will take you around the headland and then south towards Marloes Sands Beach, West Dale Beach, St Ann’s Head and onto Dale Beach. 

Musselwick Beach and the surrounding region are thriving havens for wildlife. Atop the cliffs, you’ll be able to see out across the ocean to Skomer Island which is famously known to be the third-largest colony of breeding puffins in the UK. Further into the sea lies Grassholm Island, white with the presence of gannets and to the north, Ramsey Island which is where you’ll find rare birds like chough. 

This western-facing bay is also well-liked by local anglers as it is plentiful with dogfish, mackerel and pollack. Bring along some bait and you could spend hours here fishing into the high tide from beside the stream that runs alongside the footpath to the beach. Locals have been known to discover baby mussels beneath the sands when the tide is out whilst many beachgoers enjoy browsing the rockpools which emerge as the water level drops. 

Facilities

Musselwick Beach is one for those who enjoy being one with the wilderness so expect no facilities here, though the lack of urbanisation only adds to the charm. Having this sandy bay to yourself will be rewarding enough. 

Limited roadside parking is as extensive as it gets here in terms of facilities. You’ll find no public toilet block, no selection of eateries and certainly no shops so make sure to bring refreshments of water and snacks when you pay a visit. 

That said, the village of Marloes is only half a mile or so from the parking spaces mentioned and has a range of facilities available including a public toilet block and a free outside play area for children. Have a bite to eat at The Lobster Pot after your morning at the beach or pick up a bite from Camille’s Pizza to enjoy cold on the banks overlooking Musselwick. You may also wish to follow the road towards Marloes Sands for dinner and drinks at Runwayskiln - a highly recommended eatery in Pembrokeshire. 

The village also has a mobile post office which turns up once a week so if you’re staying in the village, check the up-to-date information here to find out when you can purchase your stamps. 

Local Top Tips

You really must check the tide times carefully before planning your visit otherwise you’ll take the tricky journey to this beach and discover there’s no sand to be seen. The best window to visit is between the 4 hours around low tide; two hours before to two hours after. Aim for the earlier time to make the most of your visit, you’ll get to see the northern part of the beach which gets cut off the earliest. 

Access

If you’re driving, you’ll want to pass through the village of Marloes with The Lobster Pot on your left and continue out of the village past the 60-mile zone signs. Soon after, say half a mile, you’ll reach a widened section of road with limited spaces for three or four cars on either side. On the left, you’ll see a footpath signpost with a wooden gate set back from the road between the hedges. 

Park here and follow the narrow trail through the farmland, it will be straight for a section before curving to the left and continuing straight again. When the pathway forks, keep to the right - the left will take you along the coast towards Martin's Haven. This steep stretch of the gravelled pathway continues down towards Musselwick Beach alongside a flowing stream. 

When the path reaches a low point before leading you back uphill, you’ll be able to step across the stream and follow the steps carved out of rocks down to the sandy beach. If you’ve read the tide times correctly, that is! If you’ve times it wrong, you’ll find nothing but water here. 

If you’re walking the Coast Path, you can join it at St Brides or somewhere further north and continue south towards Martins Haven. That would be most recommended as parking can get busy in Martins Haven due to the popularity of the Skomer Island boat trips. 

Is Musselwick Beach Dog Friendly?

Musselwick Beach is dog friendly all year round, though make sure your pup is an active walker otherwise you might tire them out too much! It’s recommended to keep your canine on a lead walking down to the beach because of wildlife and livestock that might be around.

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