With just 6 hours with the kids in school, and an hour and a half drive to and from Manorbier, we didn’t have very long to tackle this stretch of coastal path back in December 2020. However, it looked like such a gorgeous walk, and I felt confident we could get it done in the time we had.

Parking was easy in Manorbier car park, and as it was winter we didn’t have to pay. We walked down to the beach and quickly picked up the coastal path. Other than a few surfers in the sea, there weren’t many people around, and the views right from the start along the coast were breathtaking.

The route was really clear and easy to follow, but the terrain was quite up and down, and at one point we did have to veer up the side of a very narrow and steep ridge. Once we started walking along though we realised it wasn’t as perilous as it had first appeared, but we were glad the kids weren’t with us.

Once we got over the ridge we descended down the hill to the stunning, and very secluded Swanlake bay. There is no way to get to this beach other than on foot, so it was a beautiful, and unspoilt beach. Then there was another uphill to walk along the cliffs to Freshwater East.

The view kept teasing us, and we were sure we’d see the beach around the next corner, but eventually it appeared and was worth the wait. We’d never actually been to Freshwater East before, so it was great to see a brand new view.

At this point we had a choice to make; sit and enjoy the view whilst eating our lunch, or, have our lunch whilst walking so we would have time to walk down the the beach and back. We opted for a restful lunch, and so I made a note of the point we turned around, so when I am walking the section of the coastal path from the other direction I will know where I need to walk back to.

I’m hopeful that as I tackle more of the Pembrokeshire coastal path I might be able to do longer stretches and utilise public transport so I don’t have to walk back again too, but for slow and steady will have to do.

If you want to follow along as I tackle the Wales Coast path then be sure to follow me on Instagram for regular updates, or use the form at the bottom of this page to subscribe to my mailing list.

To plan your own coastal walks be sure to check out the Wales Coast Path website.