Beaches

Location: The beach is a 15-minute walk from Rest Bay alongside the Royal Porthcawl Golf Club.

This is a quiet beach, which is popular with locals and surfers.

The beach has golden sand with rocks and pebbles at the top. The shoreline itself is rocky, and there is an outcrop of pink stone, with many pebbles having the colour too.

On nearby Sker point, there is a monument to the crew of the Mumbles lifeboat and the S.S. Santampa which is visible at low tide.

• Lifeguard cover: There is lifeguard cover from early July to the end of August. If there’s no flag, there’s no lifeguard.
• Facilities and shops: There are none.
• Child friendliness: There are no facilities for children.
• Toilets: The closest toilets are a 30-minute walk away at Rest Bay.
• Parking: There are no close car parks as access to the beach is by foot. Rest Bay has the nearest car park.
• Public Transport: First Bus runs bus services to Porthcawl. Various direct services go from Bridgend, Cardiff and Swansea. As Rest Bay is several miles from the town centre bus stop, you will either need to walk or use the road train. The latter goes from Porthcawl Promenade and stops at various points up to Rest Bay. 
• Dogs are allowed on the beach, but please dispose of your dog’s waste.

Location: Porthcawl, Bridgend, CF36 3QB.

This is a popular Blue Flag beach with lots of golden sand and very few rocks.

It is very popular for water sports, surfing, canoeing, kite/wind surfing and body boarding and rock pooling. Please don’t use jet skis.

There are miles of fine, golden sand here. It is very good for walking, as you can go along the Wales Coast Path to Pink Bay and beyond.

• Lifeguard cover: There is lifeguard cover from May to September. However if there’s no flag, there’s no lifeguard.
• Facilities and shops: Rest Bay Watersports Centre houses a Surf Academy, a Beach Academy and Restaurant and Café bar. Toilets, showers, beach shop and first aid can also be found here. 
• Child friendliness: There is a lost children point.
• Toilets: Toilets are situated at the Rest Bay Watersports Centre.
• Parking: There is one pay and display car park next to the beach, and several parking bays for disabled drivers overlooking it.
• Public transport: First Bus runs bus services to Porthcawl. Various direct services go from Bridgend, Cardiff and Swansea. Rest Bay is several miles from the town centre bus stop, so you will either need to walk or join the road train. This starts at Porthcawl promenade and stops at various points en route.
• No dogs are allowed on the beach from 1 May to 30 September.

Location: Mackworth Road, Porthcawl, Bridgend, CF36 5BT.

This is a popular beach with lots of golden sand and very few rocks.

The beach has fine, golden sand.

• Lifeguard cover: There is lifeguard cover from May to September. However if there’s no flag, there’s no lifeguard.
• Facilities and shops: The beach is in front of a large fairground and seafront area with shops, cafés, fast food outlets and bars. Deck chairs are available. Also an open market operates during peak season. It is very close to Porthcawl harbour, where the pleasure steamers Waverley and Balmoral embark for the Bristol Channel and the Devon coastline.
• Child friendliness: There is an entertainment complex with bowling, a food outlet, and amusements. Also the beach has donkey rides, and there are sometimes trampolines and bouncy castles.
• Toilets: The entertainment complex has toilets with baby changing apparatus, and the Hi Tide bar has toilets too.
• Parking: There are two car parks. One is beside the beach and the other is a few minutes’ walk away.
• Public transport: First Bus runs a service to Porthcawl. Various direct services go from Bridgend, Cardiff and Swansea. 
• No dogs are allowed on the beach from 1 May to 30 September

Location: Beach Road, Porthcawl, CF36 5NE.

This beach was partly tarmacked over in the 1980s to repair sea defences. Swimming is prohibited as the beach is very dangerous at certain stages of tide. In some places, the rocks are very sharp.

It is great for exploring rock pools.

• Lifeguard cover: There are no lifeguard patrols as swimming is prohibited.
• Facilities and shops: This beach is close to all the town centre amenities such as cafés, toilets, shops, bars, and the Grand Pavilion. The latter offers a café bar and entertainment. A short walk along the promenade takes you to the harbour and RLNI boat station.
• Child friendliness: There are no facilities on the beach. However, Coney beach and its fair and amusement arcade are a ten-minute walk away.
• Toilets: The closest public toilets are in the Grand Pavilion. Also, there are some are a few minutes’ walk away in John Street in the town centre.
• Parking: There is limited parking on the seafront and two pay and display car parks in Porthcawl.
• Public Transport: First Bus runs the bus service to Porthcawl. Various direct services run from Bridgend, Cardiff and Swansea. 
• No dogs are allowed on the beach from 1 May to 30 September.

Location: It is reached by a 20-minute walk from Rest Bay along the Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, Porthcawl, Bridgend, CF36 3RT.

This beach is our most westerly, and is only accessible by walking from Rest Bay or Kenfig National Nature Reserve.

It is mostly sandy and flat. The beach is largely used by locals, which makes it one of Porthcawl’s quieter beaches. It is very good for walking.

At low tide, a plaque in memory of all the lives lost on the S.S. Santampa and the Mumbles lifeboat is visible. At very low tides, wreckage can still be found.

• Lifeguard cover: Volunteer lifeguards patrol at certain times, but if there’s no flag, there’s no patrol.
• Facilities and shops: There are none.
• Child friendliness: There are no facilities for children.
• Toilets: The closest toilets are a 40-minute walk away at Rest Bay or at Kenfig nature reserve.
• Parking: There are no close car parks as access to the beach is by foot. The nearest car park is at Rest Bay or Kenfig Nature Reserve.
• Public transport: It is not easily reached by public transport. First Bus runs services to Porthcawl, and various direct services run from Bridgend, Cardiff and Swansea. 
• Dogs are allowed on the beach, but please dispose of your dog’s waste.

Location: Trecco Bay can be reached either via the Trecco Bay Holiday Complex or by walking from Newton beach, which is a few minutes’ walk away. Porthcawl, Bridgend, CF36 5DB.

This beach is next to Sandy Bay (Coney Beach) and a five minute walk away from Trecco Bay Holiday Park, which has excellent entertainment facilities.

This is a large sandy Blue Flag beach with excellent water quality. Although only a few minutes from the Holiday Park, it is relatively quiet.

• Lifeguard cover: Lifeguards patrol from May to September, but remember that if there’s no flag, there’s no patrol.
• Facilities and shops: There are no facilities or shops. However the Trecco Bay Holiday Complex is a few minutes’ walk away and offers a variety of refreshments.
• Child friendliness: There are no facilities on the beach for children, but Trecco Bay Holiday Complex is nearby. It has an amusement arcade, mini golf, Splashland swimming pool, Jungle Jims, park and various other amusements.
• Toilets: The closest toilets are in Trecco Bay Holiday Complex.
• Parking: There is no designated car park, but there is a small car park behind the rear of the holiday complex close to the beach.
• Public transport: The beach is a ten minute walk from Newton village, which is easily reached by public transport. First Bus runs services to and from Porthcawl, and passengers should alight at the Globe Garage. Various direct services run from Bridgend, Cardiff (X2) and Swansea.
• No dogs are allowed on the beach from 1 May to 30 September.