Getting There

Google Maps

From Llanelli or Carmarthen take the A484 to Pembrey, west of Burry Port. There is a car park at the Pembrey Country Park. From there, walk out to the coast and head west (i.e. turn right) along the beach for about 20 minutes until you reach the section used by naturists.

Alternatively, it may be possible to reach the naturist section from a Forestry Commission car park located on a lane leading off the A484 midway between Pembrey and Kidwelly.

Description
The beach is clean sand, backed by dunes the trees of Pembrey Forest and has been described as "a beautiful location for nude sun and sea bathing". However, swimming may be difficult as the sea retreats a long way at low tide and caution is required as there may be unpredictable currents.

Cefn Sidan has a long history of use by naturists but, because of the size of the beach you may often think you are the only nudist around at the time.

In August 2003 the South Wales Evening Post newspaper reported on some problems at Cefn Sidan:

"Police are stepping up patrols on the beach after being stunned by the bare-faced cheek of local nudists. Cefn Sidan Beach, which straddles Pembrey Country Park, has been thought of by some as a place where nudists can bask in the sun. But police Sergeant Kevin Gandy said: "This is not a designated nudists area. "We are stepping up patrols. Up to now nudists have been warned to cover up but in future they risk being arrested or reported for summons. The police are determined to make the beach a morally safe area."

Similar reports are being published in 2009 and appear to have been prompted by references to Cefn Sidan found on websites promoting "dogging".

A BN spokesman said:

"If people are using that beach for sexual motives we are just as keen as anyone to stop that sort of behaviour."

It should remembered that non-sexual nudity, where there is no intention to cause alarm or distress, is not against the law.

Facilities
None

Water Quality
No information, but reputed to be "clean and unpolluted"

Selected Visitor Comments

2001 - "Anyone looking for a good naturist beach in south Wales should try Pembrey Sands between Llanelli and Kidwelly... miles and miles of clean sand. Walk west for half an hour to reach the unofficially tolerated nude area. Plenty of room for everyone. Walk even further west and have the place to yourself. The tide goes out a long way and the sea is usually calm and warm on a summer day.

2002 - "An excellent beach for just lying back and soaking up the sun. Going onto the beach from the main carparks, turn right and walk westward for about 20 minutes until you come to ridge of large stones set between the dunes and high tide waterline. This used to mark the begining of the 'unofficial' nudist area. However, with so many 'peeping-toms' prowling in the sand dunes, many of us have chosen to stop before reaching the ridge of stones."

June 15, 2008 - "I was at pembrey last year 2007 big signs tell you NO NUDE SUNBATHING"

July 16, 2008 - "I was there this morning, and can confirm that police do patrol along the beach. The police are using a grey unmarked 4x4.... I didn't see the "No nude sunbathing" signs mentioned, and when I visited 3 or 4 weeks ago there must have been 5 or 6 naturists just enjoying this beautiful beach.

July 28, 2008 - "I have going to this beach for the last 20 years, and.. have never seen a police patrol vehicle, the only vehicles I have seen are the local council park warden / beach lifeguards vehicles with loudspeakers and spotlights on top, and fishermen. This beach is as good if not better than most including Morfa Duffryn...

August 04, 2008 - "I am there sometimes on Mondays and have never seen any patrols of Police either."

August 27, 2008 - " I have seen wardens patrol the beach in white pick up style vehicles but they don't peer into the dunes as far as i could tell. I have seen other nudists near the rockpile, they appeared relaxed and not too concerned about covering up when vehicles approached... it's worth making the trip to Pembrey to experience the empty vastness of the beach and sandunes."

September 25, 2008 - "..it's great being on the vast expanse of sand naked - but as someone has said a vehicle or even helicopter can arrive in seconds... there ARE no nudity signs and there HAVE BEEN police patrols...

September 27, 2008 - "... the beach was totally deserted at 10.30 in the morning... I stripped off and walked naked along the tideline for about three miles... I later headed for the dunes... well beyond the normal range of daytrippers to the country park and there I remained in a hollow, out of the breeze until mid afternoon. I had been naked all day apart from the 20 minutes or so passing the country park's parking area. The only people who had seen me naked were other nudists... a fantastic place to enjoy the outdoors, space and sunshine."

February 01, 2009 - "I have been visiting Cefn Sidan all my life. In recent years I've noticed that the area around the rocks is not now so well used by couples and families due to the apparently male-only meerkat enclave that has developed within the adjacent dunes. My wife and I prefer to walk further west for at least half a mile in order to get more privacy. You need to go this distance as the peeping toms use a hidden path in the dunes just behind the beach to follow you and then spring up unannounced. The signs on the beach access points contain the usual myriad of health and safety warnings as well as "No Nudity" in large letters. However, when you're in an area with no-one else in sight for miles then I think the statement's a bit excessive and lacking in common sense, as well as legally unenforceable. With regard to vehicles on the beach, they are not now so prevalent as they used to be as the former eastern access point has been blocked off by rocks and access is now via the main entrance near the country park office. This gate is controlled by the ranger service. I have never seen police patrolling the beach. The only official vehicles I have seen are country park ranger vehicles (usually white), Coastguard vehicles, as the sandbanks off the beach are notoriously dangerous (the various shipwrecks dotted along the beach are proof of this!), and RAF Land Rovers who patrol the northern end of the beach (and often outside the designated danger area) on days that the bombing ranges is in use. To sum up, an excellent beach for naturism (weather permitting!)as long as you use your common sense and ignore/avoid the meerkats and peeping toms that plague the area around the rocks. The extra walk is well worth it!"

February 19, 2009 - "...the further past the rocks you go the better it gets. The walk to the rocks takes about 15 minutes and you'll see some naturist activity - mostly single men - in that area on a warm sunny day. For more privacy, keep walking further along the beach for about another half to three quarters of a mile."

April 19, 2009 - "I have lived in Pembrey for 20 years and have never seen or heard of anyone getting into trouble with the nudist beach. I think its a good idea i.e. no tan lines, i've bathed there for may years. I tend to cycle down as far as possible almost inline with the RAF testing beacon."

June 16, 2009 - "...if you walk well down the beach and keep yourself to yourself... you will be safe, its such a large beach you can see people approaching from a long way off."