Paddleboarding into the Witches Cauldron, Pembrokeshire

I came across the Witches Cauldron a few years ago, poking around for somewhere different to explore. It's tucked into the cliffs near Ceibwr Bay on the wild north Pembrokeshire coast — a collapsed sea cave the maps call Pwll y Wrach, its roof long gone so the main chamber sits open to the sky, linked to the sea through a natural arch at the base of the cliffs. Lou and I went to see it, and it was every bit as good as it looked. At low tide you can cross the internal beach and follow a cave corridor off the main open-air hole to a hidden waterfall; beside it, an opening leads out onto the rocks toward another channel that runs back through a second cave into the main tunnel. We explored the lot — and had seals for company. I'd wanted to go back ever since.

The plan — and a last-minute switch

So when Lou and I booked a three-day trip to the coast with Sarah, the Cauldron went straight on the itinerary. The catch: Sarah had only recently taken up paddleboarding, and this is no sheltered lake — you paddle out along an exposed cliff base and through a sea arch, so it had to be manageable for her first visit.

We'd pencilled it in for the Saturday. But as the trip got closer the forecast turned: Saturday was coming in at around a metre of swell with stronger winds — too much for a beginner's first go. The Friday evening looked far better: a bit of chop, but manageable, and next to no wind. So we moved the plan and went on the Friday instead. Honestly, that swap is the whole reason I built 4Shor — it turned a likely washout into the session of the trip.

Through the arch

The paddle from Ceibwr along the base of the cliffs is worth the trip on its own — folded, contorted rock and birds wheeling overhead. Sarah found her rhythm quickly, and by the time the arch appeared — a dark gap in the cliff with light glowing behind it — she was grinning. We timed it between the gentle pulses of swell and slipped through into the Cauldron.

Inside the Cauldron

Inside it opens into a near-enclosed pool ringed by steep green cliff, the water an impossible clear green, the noise of the open sea suddenly muffled. Watching Sarah take it in for the first time was the best part — that quiet, involuntary “wow”. No seals this time, sadly — I'd been lucky enough to have them on that first trip with Lou — but the place worked its magic all the same.

Out at sunset

Because we'd moved to the evening, we slipped back out through the arch just as the sun was starting to set — the light turning gold on the water, the cliffs glowing above us. A first Cauldron for Sarah, a happy return for Lou and me, and the kind of evening none of us will forget in a hurry.

Know before you go

This is a proper bit of coast, not a sheltered lake — treat it with respect, especially with a beginner in the group:

• Only attempt the arch in calm, settled conditions, and settle for admiring it from the water if the swell is up.
• Check the tide carefully — the arch, the paddle back, and the walk round to the waterfall all depend on it.
• Wear a leash and buoyancy aid, carry a means of calling for help, and don't go alone.
• Give any seals plenty of space, especially in the autumn pupping season.

Letting the forecast make the call

The whole trip turned on one question: Saturday or Friday? Go on the wrong day and Sarah's first Cauldron is a choppy, nervy slog; go on the right one and it's magic. That's exactly what I built 4Shor to answer — it scores each spot for paddleboarding at your ability level, so a strong beginner score on the Friday evening was all the green light we needed. Instead of second-guessing three forecasts, we just moved the plan and went.

Planning your own Pembrokeshire trip? Browse the spots we cover and let the daily score tell you when to go.