Church Doors Cove, Pembrokeshire

Sitting, on a beautiful sunny evening as we enjoyed a picnic with our friends, we chatted to a friendly local gentleman who was enjoying an sunny evening stroll.

“It’s a beautiful evening for a stroll. Enjoy the scenery – Church Doors Cove is wonderful, but the steps are not for the faint hearted – I am not sure I would venture down to the cove with kids in tow.”

Church Doors Cove

We recently stumbled across this place on our way to Manorbier, and fell in love with the most spectacular views over looking Church Doors Cove. I just knew that we had to explore this beautiful cove. The scenery was spectacular on a sunny evening, with the sea twinkling in the sunlight. It was around 7pm, give or take half and hour, the tide was out, and the sun was going down. It was what you would call ‘golden hour’, that magical time when the light is softer and screams out to photograph an adventure…

Church Doors Cove, on the South Pembrokeshire Coast near Manorbier, is so named because of the two high arched caves in the sandstone cliffs which much resemble the doorways of a church. It is a small sand and rocky cove and access to the beach is at low tide via the coastal path. It is one of two beaches separated by a thin ridge of limestone, almost like a wall between two beaches. You can get round at very low tide, and you can also go through a narrow cave which ends up in a rock pool.

Church doors cove car parking

Car parking is available on Lydstep Head, and there are no beach facilities.

Church doors cove in Pembrokeshire

So off we set, with baby S happily babbling in the baby carrier, and the girls excited for a late night advenuture. We headed along the coastal path, and tackled the 140 steps down to church doors cove. With the gentleman’s words ringing in my mind, ‘I am not sure I would venture down to the cove with kids in tow’, I did for a second wonder if we were completely bonkers. The steps are not the easiest task with a baby boy in a carrier and four eager girls to get down in one piece – but they smashed it, and we made it safely. It is one of the best places to see a sunset in Pembrokeshire!

With no-one else to share this wonderful beach with, we enjoyed an hour or so…just us, our friends, the laughter and chatter from the little ones, and that sound of the waves.