A Visit to Newgale and Whitesands Beaches in Pembrokeshire

As part of my trip to Skomer Island, I booked a stay at Newgale and had a couple of trips down the road to Whitesands.

I LOVE the seaside, it's my happy place, and both Newgale and Whitesands have gorgeous beaches. s

Newgale is a good couple of miles long and banked by a pebbled runway. Newgale Beach - a scenic view of a coastal landscape with grassy hills, ocean, and a fence. Whitesands was more easily accessible and didn't allow dogs on it. Whitesands Beach Wales Whitesands had the extra benefit of having Sand Martins nesting and flying across the sands catching insects. They're always so quick they're almost impossible to get a decent photo of! I sat so long trying that I got sunburned feet! Sand Martin flying over a sandy beach with a blurred background Two Sand Martins flying over a grassy hill with a clear blue sky. But Newgale saw me spend 20 minutes following 3 Sanderlings along the shoreline. I love Sanderlings. I call them "Priddlers" because of how quick their little legs go. And yes I did get wet taking these photos. Did I care? Not a jot!

Sanderling wading in shallow water with a blurred background

Jellies

Now both beaches had their fair share of washed up jellyfish. Not something I see much of in Sheffield!

Whitesands had loads of "Moon" Jellyfish - speaking to a local he reckoned that the recent heatwave had caused a bloom and lots had been washed ashore. I saw some floating in the rockpools and they were still alive - they're almost ethereal with how they move and their translucency. Just magical.

Close-up of a Moon jellyfish on wet sand with water droplets.

The blue one below was quite common on the beach too.

Their name? "By The Wind Sailor" which is utterly charming and I could just picture them floating where the wind takes them.

This bigger "Blue Jellyfish" is one to avoid touching. It is a very pretty purple colour though.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Path

Winding along the coast is the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path. I had a wonderful walk from Newgale.

I spotted Stonechats...

Stonechat perched on a branch among green foliage

Whitethroats...

Whitethroat fledgling perched on a wire with a blurred green background

Sedge Warblers

As well as lots of little critters including these Thick Legged Flower Beetles.

and Black Slip Wasps...

Black Slip Wasp on a gravel surface with grass and small rocks

Cheeky Seagull and I'm a bad person.

Whilst watching the Sand Martins on Whitesands beach, I saw the family next to me get up and leave their spot to go for a wander.

Not one to miss any opportunity, I spotted a Gull making his way over to their windbreaker before disappearing behind it.

Now, am I bad person for not shooing him away? I think it would make me worse had I interferred with nature. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Besides, he only managed to find a bag full of tea bags. Very disappointing.

Seagull sneaking behind a windbreaker on a beach with a bag of teabags in its beak

Whitesands beach was also flanked by amazing rock formations. I lost myself for hours photographing the colours and textures - it was like another worldly landscape.

Closeup of Strawberry Anemone in a small water-filled hole in a rock

Close-up of a textured rock surface with a small opening.

I'm so in love with them that I'm going to put a series of prints together featuring them as a collection. They're so colourful and tactile-looking I'm just enamoured with them. So watch this space!

Of course, if you'd like to see some of the Puffins from Skomer Island during the same trip there's a blog post for you.

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