Before I visit a beach like Mwnt, I like to try and find a review and see what it’s like before going. Everything I found seemed to imply it was going to be amazing. And they didn’t lie! First of all, it’s right next to the National Trust car Park, which meant that we didn’t have to pay anything to park because we are members, always a bonus. And I could tick off yet another place on my little National Trust map.
This review of Mwnt beach was written as part of a holiday that we took in Wales you can read all of my other reviews of places in Wales by clicking here.
Dolphins at Mwnt beach
Mwnt beach often tops list of of top beaches in the UK to visit. It’s been called one of “Europe’s top 10 loveliest hidden beaches”. It’s got a green flag award. In short, it’s an awesome beach. And one of the best selling points about it? You can regularly spot dolphins, porpoises and seals from the beach. In fact, on our second visit we were walking down to the car park and there was a group of people just standing on the top of the cliff. They pointed out that there was a family of dolphins jumping around in the bay! They stayed for about half an hour or so and we just stood there watching them play – absolutely magical.
There are jellyfish as well here BTW. The first time we visited the water was absolutely full of tiny little jellyfish balls – I have not idea what species. But we also found moon jellyfish and by the wind sailors washed up on the beach. When we went back two years later there was a lot less jellyfish action so it really does depend on the weather.
What’s the beach like?
The beach is super sandy, but it’s on the edge of some clay cliffs so you will find some like proper pottery clay mixed in with the sand in places. Smallest Child thought was hilarious and was actually making things out of clay at times. One of the adults was digging the clay out to strengthen our dam as well!
It’s a really nice flat beach so actually the tide goes out quite evenly and at the side there’s some rocks that you can scramble up. There’s some little not quite caves. Let’s call them cave-lets!
There’s also a stream that comes down the side of the steps and then goes off into the sea. This stream is awesome and the kids absolutely love playing in it each time we’ve been there. There’s always been a little community that forms and they make dams in there. They try and divert it. They build bridges and all kinds of stuff. The stream becomes a real focus point for the kids to play and it’s so much fun.
Is Mwnt beach sandy?
Yep, Mwnt is a completely sandy beach. There’s the odd rock around which comes in very handy when you are building a dam for the stream! But It’s just a perfect glorious sandy beach.
Is there much beach at high tide?
The beach isn’t a particularly large beach at the best of times and at high tide it’s about half it’s normal size so it isn’t particularly massive. Maybe a third the size actually. It’s quite off the beaten track and there isn’t a huge amount of facilities here. The car park isn’t massive so we’ve been three times now and it has never been especially busy. There was plenty of space for everyone, although you are relatively close together.
This picture gives you a fairly good idea of where the high tide line is.
Is Mwnt beach accessible?
Absolutely not. There are a lot of steps down to the beach from the car park. I didn’t count them but I think this helps limit numbers. The car park is at the top of the cliff and you have to climb down the cliff to the beach. It’s fine on the way down but at the end of the day, or every time you need a wee I found myself trying very hard not to look like I was about to keel over! I’ve injured both my knees and this wasn’t doing it any favours. You definitely can’t do it with any form of mobility vehicle and it’s not a huge amounts of fun if you’ve got loads of gear to carry.
Dogs
It is dog free from the 1st of May to the 30th of September and unlike most of the other beaches that we came across in Wales, actually everybody seemed to be adhering to the dog-free rule when we visited. I think that’s probably got a lot to do with the amount of steps
Walking routes
There’s a couple of walks you can do from here. There’s the coastal path, climb the hill (Foel-y-Mwnt) or try this circular walk.
This review of Mwnt beach is based on our experiences at the time of our visit. Things can change over time, including the facilities available. If you have any specific requirements such as access it’s always best to check with the site directly before visiting. If anything I’ve said in this review is no longer accurate then please do let me know. Thank you.
Our Mwnt beach review
Mwnt is one of my favourite beaches, and in an area filled with stunning beaches that’s saying something. The surroundings, the wildlife and the stream all make it great. The only downside is that there’s no lifeguards on duty. It’s a fairly calm, well protected cove so that does make me feel more comfortable. The steps are a pain (literally) but they are also the reason the beach is quiet so it’s all about balance
Admission cost
Free
Parking / How to get there
Parking – National Trust car park
Address – near Cardigan, SA43 1QH. The road is single-track with passing places at times and a bit steep but not excessively so
Toilets
Yes, including baby change
Food
Picnics allowed. Cafe on site
What else is there to do nearby?
Whenever I’m on holiday always try and keep the costs down and our trip to Wales was no exception. This this review of Mwnt beach is just one of the places that we visited whilst we were in Wales. If you click here you can see all of my other reviews. Or read about our week in South West Wales here.
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Hi, I’m Vicky. My husband and I live in Aylesbury with our three children; a 14 year old son, an 12 year old son and a 6 year old daughter. I (mostly) love spending time together as a family. We visit all kinds of places and we’re quite happy to drive a fair distance for a decent day out. A few years ago I decided to set up Free Time with the Kids as a way to share our experiences of these family days out.
You’ll find the essential information you need to know before your visit that can be surprisingly hard to find out. Where do I park? How much will it cost me to get in? Are there any discounts available? Are there loos? Can I take a picnic or get food? My aim is to be your go-to guide for all your free and cheap family days out across Bucks, Beds, Oxon, Herts & slightly beyond. I really hope you find the reviews helpful. If there’s anywhere that you’d recommend please get in touch contact@freetimewiththekids.com or get in touch via Facebook
