Marloes Sands & Mere

Marloes Sands and Mere covers the far western tip of Pembrokeshire: a remote beach of golden sand that stretches to over a mile at low tide, a wetland mere with bird hides and winter waterfowl, and the clifftop Deer Park above Martin's Haven, where the boat for Skomer Island leaves. The beach has folded and faulted sandstones and Gateholm, a tidal island whose Iron Age fort was the subject of a Time Team dig. The Deer Park is an Iron Age promontory fort, and about 50 Atlantic grey seal pups are born each year on the beaches around the peninsula. The Trust's 4-mile Marloes Peninsula coastal walk starts from the Marloes Sands car park and a 1-mile Deer Park walk from Martin's Haven. Dogs are welcome under close control, on leads around livestock and on the coast path. Reviewers note this is the nearest parking for the beach; Runwayskiln cafe is a short way down the track from the car park, with the nearest toilets just past it. The Trust warns that the sands are covered at high tide.