Walk 27: Broad Haven South Beach to Freshwater West

We went on four walks during our February 2023 Pembrokeshire stay, but, unusually, we didn’t walk them in order – and this walk was the reason for this. A significant portion of the official path between Broad Haven South Beach and Freshwater West goes through Castlemartin Firing Range, which is often closed. There is an alternative route, but with its considerable A-road walking and lots of fields with cows in, we felt like the official route would be worth the wait. We’re so glad we did – this was a fantastic section of the path, taking in some iconic landmarks.

We relied a lot on taxis during this trip, and found a great taxi company in Pembroke Dock who helped ensure our travel was seamless. For this walk, we parked at Freshwater West, and got a taxi to Broad Haven South car park, where we began our walk. Although we largely managed to dodge the rain during this trip, this walk was on quite a wet and hazy day, which, if nothing else, made for some atmospheric photos!

The car park took us straight onto the Wales Coast Path and into the first section of the firing range. Before we set off, we checked the Government website to find a day when the range would be open, so we knew we would be able to walk through. It’s important to stick to the paths on military land, but thankfully, these were nice, gravelly tracks which allowed for easy walking, and the route was pretty flat.

We exited the first section of the firing range as we reached St Govan’s Chapel – a tiny chapel built into the cliffs in the thirteenth century (although parts of the chapel may date back to the sixth century). We headed down the steps to take a look – legend has it, there are more steps up from the chapel than there are down to it, which pretty much rings true of all steps as far as I’m concerned!

After wandering through the chapel and towards the sea, we braved the steps back up and continued along the Wales Coast Path, through another gate which took us back into military land. The foggy weather and debris from explosives gave this walk an eerie feel, but although the walking was a bit tedious at times, it was easy-going.

It was well worth us taking this route rather than the alternative, as we enjoyed some iconic sites as we walked, starting with Huntsman’s Leap, a deep, narrow chasm, named after local folklore. According to this legend, a hunter on horseback, who was being chased by the devil, successfully jumped from one side of the chasm to the other, before looking back and seeing how large the gap he’d just jumped was and dying of shock. Not one to attempt yourself!

Next, we reached Elegug Stacks, or Stack Rocks. Elegug Stacks are two detached limestone pillars, which are popular nesting spots for sea birds (elegug being Welsh for guillemot).

A very short stroll took us out of the firing range and to the Green Bridge of Wales, a dramatic natural rock arch. On a clear day, you can see the curves of the coast far beyond the Green Bridge of Wales in the distance. This was not one of those days!

At this point, we were forced to leave the coast, as the remaining section of military area is permanently closed to the public. The path took us down a quiet road, with the closed firing range to our left, and along the road for most of the remainder of the walk. After walking along the road for a little while, we turned the corner and headed down towards Freshwater West.

Just before we reached the beach, we spotted a sweet little hut in the grass, which turned out to be a restored seaweed drying hut. This used to be one of many in Freshwater West, built by local women, and used to hang laver to dry before it was transported to Swansea to be turned into laverbread, a Welsh delicacy which has been cultivated since at least the seventeenth century. The seaweed is washed repeatedly, before being boiled until it becomes a soft purée, which is often enjoyed on toast or combined with oats to make laverbread.

After taking a look at the laver hut, we headed towards the beach. Due to the blustery weather, the sea was incredibly choppy – although it seems as though this is the rule and not the exception at Freshwater West, as the beach is a renowned surfer’s paradise, and not recommended for swimmers! We made straight for the car park after a pretty good day of walking, despite the weather!

🥾 Distance: Around ten miles.

⭐ Highlight: This walk was packed with iconic sites – St Govan’s Chapel, Huntsman’s Leap, Elegug Stacks, the Green Bridge of Wales and Freshwater West.

👎 Less Good: The weather wasn’t the best, although it did provide ✨atmosphere✨!

🚗 Transport: We parked at Freshwater West and took a taxi to Broad Haven South Beach.

🛏️ Accommodation: We stayed in Pembroke Dock for a week, in two different Airbnb properties – The Coach House and Nyth Bach – both of which were lovely.

🌱 Food: We had dinner at our Airbnb.

🗺️ Map: This route is featured in the official Pembrokeshire guide.

Still not convinced? Read my ten reasons to walk the Wales Coast Path. If you’re ready to start planning your walk, you can find lots of resources to help you on your way here. Please note, I collect a share of the sales from the links on this page.