| Pembrokeshire Coast Path | |
|---|---|
 View from the Pembrokeshire Coast Path on Marloes peninsula | |
 | |
| Length | 186 mi (299 km) |
| Location | Wales |
| Designation | UK National Trail |
| Trailheads | Poppit Sands, nearSt Dogmaels,Ceredigion 52°05′21″N4°40′56″W / 52.0891°N 4.6822°W /52.0891; -4.6822 (Pembrokeshire Coast Path (St Dogmaels trailhead)) Amroth,Pembrokeshire 51°44′02″N4°38′52″W / 51.7340°N 4.6477°W /51.7340; -4.6477 (Pembrokeshire Coast Path (Amroth trailhead)) |
| Use | Hiking |
| Elevation change | 35,000 feet (11,000 m) |
| Highest point | Pen yr afr, onCemaes Head 175 metres (574 ft) |
| Lowest point | Sandy Haven crossing, nearMilford Haven 1.8 metres (6 ft) |
| Season | All year |
| National Trails |
|---|
 Acorn symbol used to guide the route of National Trails |
Cross-border |
ThePembrokeshire Coast Path (Welsh:Llwybr Arfordir Sir Benfro), often called thePembrokeshire Coastal Path, is a designatedNational Trail inPembrokeshire, southwestWales.[1] Established in 1970, it is a 186-mile (299 km) long-distance walking route, mostly at cliff-top level, with a total of 35,000 feet (11,000 m) of ascent and descent. At its highest point – Pen yr afr, onCemaes Head – it reaches a height of 574 feet (175 m), and at its lowest point – Sandy Haven crossing, nearMilford Haven – it is just 6 feet (2 m) above low water.[2] Whilst most of the coastline faces west, it offers – at varying points – coastal views in every direction of the compass.
The southern end of the path is atAmroth,Pembrokeshire. The northern end is often regarded as being atPoppit Sands, nearSt Dogmaels, Pembrokeshire, where the official plaque was originally sited[3] but the path now continues to St Dogmaels,[4][5] where a new marker was unveiled in July 2009.[6] Here the path links with theCeredigion Coast Path, which continues northwards.[7]
The Pembrokeshire Coast Path forms part of the 870-mile (1,400 km)Wales Coast Path around the whole coast of Wales fromChepstow to the border withChester, which was officially opened in 2012.[8]
Following the establishment of thePembrokeshire Coast National Park in 1952, Welsh naturalist and authorRonald Lockley surveyed a route around the coast. Although there were villages and settlements on the coast, communication between these was largely by boats, and access in the region was generally poor.[9] Lockley's report for theCountryside Commission in 1953 was welcomed and broadly adopted. Some sections of the walk were existing rights-of-way, but the majority were in private hands, necessitating negotiation. Most landowners were in favour, and many benefitted from the erection of new fencing. Even today, however, the path in places detours from the obvious line where landowners were unwilling to accept a new right-of-way across their land.[4]
Completion of the path took 17 years, and this work included the erection of more than 100 footbridges and 479 stiles, and the cutting of thousands of steps into steep or slippery sections.[4] When opened byWynford Vaughan-Thomas on 16 May 1970, the length of the path was given as 180 miles (290 km), but over the years there have been a number of Footpath Diversion Orders which have extended it to its current length of 186 miles (299 km).[4]
Celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the path's opening were due to be held in May 2020, but were postponed because of thecoronavirus pandemic, during which the public were asked not to use the path.[10]
The Pembrokeshire Coast Path lies almost entirely within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park — Britain's only coastal national park. Throughout its length, it covers a range of maritime landscapes, from rugged and steep limestone cliffs and volcanic headlands to sheltered red sandstone coves, flooded glacial valleys, winding estuaries, and wide-open beaches. The path passes 58 beaches and 14 harbours.[11]
As far as possible the route runs close to the cliff edge and coast, but this is not possible at all times; on occasion the coast is barely visible where the path briefly detours round industrial or for miles around military areas such asCastlemartin Training Area. Since the construction of the Cleddau Bridge acrossMilford Haven Waterway it is possible to walk the whole route of the trail without a break. The path, however, is not continuous in that it is not designated through built-up areas in the southern section, such asMilford Haven,Pembroke Dock,Tenby andSaundersfoot. There is also an undesignated section between St Dogmaels and Cardigan at the northern end of the path where Cardigan Bridge over theRiver Teifi is the nearest point to the coast between the Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion Coast Paths.
The walking is not strenuous, but there are constant undulations and narrow sections, including many stiles. In its entirety the Coast Path represents a considerable physical challenge — its 35,000 feet (11,000 m) of ascent and descent is said to be equivalent to climbing Everest. There are two low-tide crossings, atDale andSandy Haven, which require lengthy detours if not timed suitably.
Along the path are seaside towns and coastal villages, such asTenby,St Davids,Solva andNewport. For backpackers attempting longer parts of the trail there are shops and campsites along the way, but food and water may need to be carried on some sections. There are small hotels and guest houses en route, and cottages for hire, often built in traditional styles.
For the vast majority of walkers, the coastal path is walked in shorter sections, and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park lists some 130 shorter circular walks on its website.[12] Access to the coastal path (by bus or car) is possible in many locations. The whole coast is served by a number of dedicated walkers' bus services, which operate over the entire length of the path, including the Puffin Shuttle, the Coastal Cruiser, the Celtic Coaster, St David's Peninsula Shuttle Service, the Strumble Shuttle, and the Poppit Rocket.[13]
Listed from north to south:
There are a number of smaller trails very near the Coast Path, which often take users inland on shorter routes; these include:
All the rocks underlying the surface are more than 300 million years old, but the coastline as seen today has been much subjected to the effects of coastal and river action and, in places, to events which occurred during theIce Age.
The oldestigneous and volcanicPrecambrian granites outcrop on Ramsey and at the southern tip of the peninsula. LaterCambrian sedimentation produced sandstones, visible on the northern coast of St Brides Bay (and which were used in the buildingSt David's Cathedral). SubsequentOrdovician fine muds dominate the northern Pembrokeshire coast, but volcanic activity has complicated the whole. The laterSilurian Period saw the creation of limestone and shale, visible along the southernMarloes peninsula.[9] The coast of St Brides Bay is backed byCoal Measures rocks dating from the lateCarboniferous Period as is the coast between Tenby and Amroth and the upper reaches of the Cleddau. Much of the rest of Milford Haven is fronted byOld Red Sandstone from the precedingDevonian Period along with all of the Dale peninsula and Skokholm Island.Carboniferous Limestone dating from the early Carboniferous forms much of the southern coast traversed by the coast path notably between Freshwater West and Stackpole and between Lydstep and Tenby.[15]
Subsequent earth movements, erosion by ice and water, and changes in sea level have further affected what we see today.
During the spring and early summer the path displays an array of wild coastal flowers, and there is a wealth of bird life. Colonies ofseabirds nest along the cliffs, and a variety of European seabirds are supported by the uninhabited offshore islands that act as bird sanctuaries, such asSkomer,Skokholm andRamsey Island. Seals, porpoises and dolphins can often be spotted swimming offshore.[16]
Remnants ofNeolithiccromlechs andhut circles can be seen on the path, as can evidence ofBronze Age settlement, by which time the peninsula was being used as a connection to Ireland.Iron Age settlers, probably originating in France, are responsible for the number of coastal promontory fortifications visible today.[9] The evidence of later human activity, such asNorman castles and settlements, and hermit churches, is also evident.[16] Today almost all the surrounding land is farmed, and fishing still plays a role, albeit less prominent, in the coastal settlements.
In 2011National Geographic magazine voted Pembrokeshire the second-best coastal destination in the world.[17][18]
The Coastal Path passes all of Pembrokeshire's award-winning beaches, Over the years these have been awarded 41Blue Flag Awards (13 in 2011), 47Green Coast Awards (15 in 2011) and 106Seaside Awards (31 in 2011).[19][failed verification][20] In 2011 there were 39 beaches recommended by theMarine Conservation Society.
51°52′06″N5°10′50″W / 51.8684°N 5.1805°W /51.8684; -5.1805 (Pembrokeshire Coast Path)
