Freshwater West is a broad, windswept beach on the Atlantic coast of Pembrokeshire. Backed by dunes and red sandstone cliffs, it is renowned for its strong surf and rocky reef at the south end; the waves here make it one of Wales’s top surfing spots. The beach’s tranquillity belies its role in history: it was a landing site for 19th‑century smugglers and today lies within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Parking is limited and camping or barbecues are discouraged to protect the fragile dune ecosystem.