Cambria Sports Culture CIC Cymraeg

All walksCarmarthenshire Coast

Carmarthenshire Coast

Pembrey Forest and the Long Beach

The full length of Cefn Sidan and back through the pine forest, on one of the longest beaches in Britain with Gower across the bay.

Distance
5.0 mi / 8 km
Time
2 hr 35
Ascent
40 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

Cross the dunes to the beach and walk west as far as time allows, returning through the forest tracks. Flat but long.

Worth knowing

  • The beach runs for eight miles and the tide goes out a very long way.
  • Wrecks occasionally surface in the sand after storms; the coast was notorious for them.
  • The forest tracks give shelter and a different route back.

What you’ll see

The vast beach, dune systems, pine forest, and Gower and Worms Head across the bay.

Background

Cefn Sidan claimed hundreds of ships. Local wreckers were active enough that the coast had a fearsome reputation into the nineteenth century.