The area northeast of the wide, sandy bay is dominated by
Carn Llidi, a rocky outcrop, at its highest point. The
Pembrokeshire Coast Path provides access on foot in the north to the secluded bays of Porthlleuog and Porthmelgan. To the south, the coastal path leads to Porthselau and St. Justinian's, with views of
Ramsey Island. A number of
megalithic burial chambers, stone
hut circles and
Iron Age field systems and
enclosures are in the vicinity of Carn Llidi and St Davids Head. There is a tradition that
St. Patrick set sail from this beach in 432 AD to convert Ireland to Christianity. The site of a Celtic chapel, dedicated to St Patrick, is located under a mound by the car park just to the east of the bay, at what is thought to have been the disembarkation point for
pilgrims to
St Davids Cathedral.
St David may have been educated at Ty Gwyn, the white farmhouse that overlooks the beach, by
St Paulinus, and
St Non, David's mother, may have lived here when it was a monastery. The burial ground was in use from the 8th to 11th centuries, and remains have been removed by
Dyfed Archaeological Trust to the
National Museum of Wales to preserve them from
coastal erosion. At very low tide and after heavy storms the remains of an ancient,
submerged forest can be seen on the beach, consisting of stumps of birch, fir, hazel and oak trees. The remains of animals have also been found in these deposits, including parts of an
aurochs, a red deer antler and a brown bear jaw. ==Facilities==