Tenby St Catherine's Island — a tidal island just 150 metres from Castle Beach, one of Britain's most unusual Victorian military heritage sites, a Grade II* listed building. First recorded in poetry as a 9th-century Norman court (llys), a chapel dedicated to St Catherine was built in the 13th century, and in 1866 the War Office purchased the island for £800, spending £40,000 between 1867-1870 to build a Palmerston coastal fort guarding Milford Haven naval dockyard — yet the French threat evaporated and its six seven-inch guns never fired. In the 20th century it became the Windsor-Richards family's lavish summer residence (purchased for £2,000 in 1914), was twice requisitioned as a military fortress in both World Wars, and from 1968-1979 transformed into a bizarre zoo — over 100 animals, with monkeys repeatedly escaping to steal hats and handbags from beachgoers, and alligators occupying the ammunition magazine alone. Today carefully restored by a team of volunteers, climb 74 steps, cross a 10-metre steel bridge, pass through the forbidding black iron door — a thousand-year legend opens to you with every falling tide.
From the seven-inch guns of the Victorian Palmerston Fort to the WWII anti-aircraft battery, from a 9th-century Norman court to the bizarre story of a 1970s monkey zoo — walk across the sand at low tide and journey through a thousand-year legend
Before setting out, be sure to check the day's tide table — St Catherine's Island is only accessible on foot for approximately three hours around low tide, the soul of this entire journey. Start from the Castle Beach car park, descend the slipway to the sand. As the tide recedes, a stretch of damp sandbank appears, a 150-metre-wide shallow crossing connecting you to the island. Walk across the sand as the limestone cliffs loom closer, then ascend 74 steep zigzag steps leading to a 10-metre steel bridge spanning a final moat-like deep gully. Push open the fort's forbidding black iron door — BBC's Sherlock used this location in the 2016 episode "The Final Problem," transforming it into a North Sea prison. Enter the fort's central corridor, where gun casemates on either side seem to echo with the boots of Victorian soldiers. Climb to the open gun platform — the six cannons have been removed, but their mount bases remain, offering a 360° panorama of Carmarthen Bay: Tenby's colourful town, the golden sands of North Beach, Caldey Island's abbey bell tower, and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path stretching into the distance. Venture deeper into the fort, searching for Roman coins (excavated beneath the chapel foundations), medieval silver coins (discovered within the walls), WWI/WWII bullet scars, and the remnants of 1970s monkey cages. Volunteer guides recount the legendary tales of monkeys escaping to rob tourists of their false teeth, and the absurd story of alligators monopolising the ammunition magazine. Return before the tidal window closes, and look back from Castle Beach — the fort's silhouette against the sunset resembles a castle at sea, waiting for the next rise and fall of the tide.
A stylish wine bar and tapas restaurant located in The Mews food court on Upper Frog Street, just a 5-minute walk from Castle Beach. The interior is as chic and sophisticated as a London rooftop bar, offering globally inspired 3 for £18 sharing plates — Korean fried chicken, Spanish garlic prawns, French crème brûlée each with their own flair. A glass of selected wine paired with a Welsh cheese board in the afternoon is the most rewarding treat after returning from the island. Average £15-25 per person.
Just a 3-minute walk from Castle Beach, this restaurant occupies a medieval building dating from 1023, with a honeycomb stone vaulted ceiling that is a living fossil of 10th-century Norman architecture. Signature slow-roasted Pembrokeshire lamb with rosemary jus, served in the yellow-walled dining room overlooking the harbour, perfect for a candlelit dinner. Echoing the historical depth of St Catherine's Island, it's the ideal choice for experiencing Tenby's thousand-year flavours. Average £20-30 per person.
A Greek family restaurant on St Florence Parade, about an 8-minute walk from Castle Beach. The signature moussaka and swordfish steak are local favourites, served with traditional Greek salad and homemade yoghurt sauce. Warm family-style service, and on summer evenings sit outside facing the harbour and the distant silhouette of St Catherine's Island. Average £15-25 per person.
A fisherman's restaurant right by the harbour, just 4 minutes from the Castle Beach entrance. Fresh fish delivered daily from the Bristol Channel is written on the blackboard — garlic butter baked spider crab claws, Cornish deep-sea cod, and Pembrokeshire mussels are the signature trio. Sit by the window watching fishing boats come and go — the most satisfying refuelling stop after an island adventure. Average £15-25 per person.