South Pembrokeshire Coast

Manorbier and the Kings Quoit

A castle looking straight down on a beach, a Neolithic burial chamber on the cliff edge, and a stretch of coast path that Gerald of Wales thought the finest place in the country.

Distance: 4.0 mi / 6.5 km
Time: 2 hr 20
Ascent: 200 m
Difficulty: Moderate
Shape: Circular

Where it is

The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.

The route

From the beach, climb east past the Kings Quoit and follow the coast path towards Swanlake Bay, returning inland by field paths through the village.

Worth knowing

Gerald of Wales was born in the castle in about 1146 and called Manorbier the pleasantest spot in Wales. He was biased and probably right.
The Kings Quoit is a burial chamber built against the natural rock, sitting right on the path.
The castle is privately owned and open to visitors in season.

What you’ll see

The castle above the beach, the burial chamber, and red sandstone cliffs east towards Swanlake.

Background

Gerald of Wales, the chronicler who toured the country recruiting for the Third Crusade in 1188, grew up here and wrote about it warmly.