Walking in Pembrokeshire. Dennis Kelsall
hillside above Pwllgwaelod (Walk 17)
Things to take along
Whether following the coast, wandering the hills or exploring the valleys and woods, the walking everywhere is superb and will invariably reveal something unexpected along the way. Unless you really are an expert it is a good idea to take along pocket flower and bird field guides, and a small pair of binoculars will prove invaluable, especially along the coast.
Getting there
Pembrokeshire is easily accessible by road and, in some cases, rail, with national services running to Tenby, Pembroke Dock, Milford Haven, Haverfordwest, Fishguard and Cardigan. The nearest airports serving the region are Cardiff, Birmingham and Liverpool, where you can hire a car. Accommodation (whether it be camping, bed & breakfast or hotels), restaurants, cafés and pubs throughout the region are generally welcoming and of a high standard, providing good value for money.
Getting around
Pembrokeshire’s roads are generally quiet and parking is rarely a problem, but where there is no formal car park, please ensure your vehicle is not causing an obstruction. All the main access points along the coast are served by excellent bus services, with other routes extending into the Preseli Hills and the Gwaun Valley. The walks described in this collection are all circular, but local transport offers the possibility of turning some of them into shorter one-way routes. Please use the buses where you can, as this will help sustain the case for further improvements and keep the lanes enjoyable for walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Timetables and information are available at local Tourist Information Centres and from the Greenways website (see the information section in Appendix B), but note that some routes operate a reduced service from October until the end of April.
Terrrain and weather
Nowhere is the walking overly demanding, but be aware that, particularly along some sections of the coast, paths can make successive steep climbs and descents, which can be tiring if you are unused to strenuous routes. The Pembrokeshire climate is generally mild, and even the middle of winter can produce delightful days when the shining sun warms the air. But snow does lie from time to time on the Preseli Hills, and mist and cloud can cause navigational difficulties there for the inexperienced. Wind and rain may occur at any time but, providing you are equipped with suitable weatherproof clothing, need not spoil your enjoyment. However, take care, especially along the cliffs, which are sometimes slippery underfoot and where unexpected gusts can force you off balance. Walking boots offer the best protection for your ankles on rough ground, and gaiters help to keep your feet dry. As with all country walking, paths may be muddy during and after wet weather, and lush summer vegetation often makes trousers more appropriate than shorts.
Tides
On some of the walks you need to be aware of how the tide will run during the course of the day. Beaches may have coves that are cut off as the tide rises, and if you venture down you need to keep an eye open as the water comes in. However, three walks exploring the upper reaches of the Daugleddau are affected too: from Cresswell Quay, Landshipping Quay and Little Milford Wood. Details of the sections affected are given within the appropriate chapters, and you can get information on tide times from local Tourist Information Centres or by consulting the national park’s free newspaper Coast to Coast.
A changing countryside
Inevitably, nothing is static; the line of a footpath may change, forest areas are felled and replanted, signs may alter and, even in the countryside, there can be development. Over the years rangers from both Pembrokeshire’s national park and County Council have performed sterling work in improving the network of paths and tracks; replacing stiles with gates, installing bridges, re-opening lost routes and tackling the never-ending cycle of vegetation control. However, should you encounter a problem, please help by reporting it to the relevant organisation. You will find contact details in Appendix B.
Using this guide
This collection of walks includes something for everyone, from novices to experienced ramblers. None of the walks demand technical skill and, in good weather, pose few navigational problems. However, when venturing onto the higher ground of the Preseli Hills, competence in the use of map and compass is important, particularly in poor weather. Pembrokeshire’s network of public footpaths and tracks is extensive and signposts and waymarks are generally well positioned to confirm the route.
However, on farm and moorland away from the coast, the line of the path on the ground might not always be obvious. It is therefore recommended that, in addition to the route description and map extracts within the book (taken from the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger series), you also consult the relevant Ordnance Survey Explorer Outdoor Leisure map. These are produced at a scale of 1:25,000, and show the terrain in greater detail, including field boundaries.
Each walk is headed with key facts that provide essential information about the walk, including the distance and approximate time as well as details of useful facilities such as refreshments, toilets and parking. More general information about the area can be found in Appendix B.
WALKS ALONG THE COAST
Cliff erosion leaves spectacular stacks (Walk 4)
WALK 1
Amroth and Pleasant Valley
| Start/finish | Amroth (SN 162 071) |
| Distance | 4½ miles (7.2km) |
| Total ascent | 800ft (245m) |
| Time | 2¼hr |
| Terrain | Generally good paths and tracks with some steeper climbs and descents |
| Maps | Explorer OL36 South Pembrokeshire |
| Refreshments | Pubs in Amroth and at Wiseman’s Bridge, Bothy Tea Room at Colby Woodland Gardens |
| Toilets | Amroth and Wiseman’s Bridge |
| Public transport | Bus service to Amroth |
| Parking | National Park car park behind promenade |
An unassuming little village at the southeast corner of Pembrokeshire’s coast, Amroth offers one of the finest holiday beaches in the area. It is also blessed with some beautiful countryside, lush semi-natural woodland that fills the several deep valleys cleaving the hills behind the coast.
This area has not always had the quiet backwater appearance it presents today, for until the beginning of the 20th century, heavy industry scarred the landscape with coal mines and iron smelters. Now abandoned, Nature has drawn a veil over the dereliction, and ruined buildings have been consolidated, creating a fascinating focus for this splendid walk.
Walk from the car park onto the sea front road and turn right. Where the road shortly curves inland by toilets at the end of the promenade, abandon it for the Coast Path, which climbs steeply through the trees behind onto the headland.
Emerging at the top, carry on along a narrow, bracken meadow. At a waymark, part-way along, turn out through a gate on the right. Follow a metalled track to the left, eventually joining a lane that leads downhill to the beach at Wiseman’s Bridge. Continue to the far end of the beach, leaving just beyond a bridge up steps to follow a narrow lane into the lush woodland of Pleasant Valley.
Wiseman’s