Pembrokeshire Coast Path - Circular and Linear Walks

This 4.5 mile route from St Davids Cathedral to the sheltered harbour of Porth Clais via St Non’s Well and Chapel concentrates some of the best historic monuments of the area.

The smallest city in Wales, St Davids is home to some 200 listed buildings. David, the patron saint of Wales established his community alongside the River Alun in the 6th century. There is no shortage of atmospheric pubs and eateries in St Davids and its neighbouring villages. The route includes paved and natural footpaths, quiet lanes, and bridleways and minor road walking. This is a stile-free route, so ideal for visitors with pushchairs and wheelchairs.

Find out more on the Visit Wales website or see the route on the Viewranger website.

Quiet, steep, single track road with good views. Joining paths give options for circular walks to inland.

Walking difficulty : Moderate

The new marker for the start/finish point was unveiled at St Dogmaels in July 2009. The path then follows the road which is sometimes busy, and is a full width road with no pavement. The Webley Hotel near Poppit and the Ferry Inn in St Dogmael's are popular spots for walkers celebrating completion of the Coast Path. Follow the off road route through sand dunes for 600m east of Poppit. For reasons lost in the mists of time, the official start/finish plaque was sited by the Poppit car park. Gentle Gradients. Views across the Teifi Estuary. 

Walking difficulty : Very Easy

Early Celtic Christianity is very much in evidence along this stretch of coast, look out for St Justinian's Chapel & Well at Porthstinan, also home to the Lifeboat Station. Porth Clais harbour at the mouth of the River Alun was once the place where goods were brought in for the cathedral in St David's. The cliffs and slabs to the east of the harbour entrance are a popular climbing spot. There are toilets in the car park and a kiosk in the summer, for ice cream or a slice of cake.

The Cliffs around St Justinian's are sheltered from the worst of the wind by Ramsey Island so, as well as a profusion of wild flowers in spring and summer (thrift, squill, thyme, crowsfoot, campion) expect to see blackthorn and privet clinging tenaciously to the cliffs. Maritime heath and grassland occupies most of the more exposed land on the cliff-tops. Grey seals breed on the beaches below from the end of August, though Ramsey itself supports the largest breeding colony in the Park. The extreme force of the tides in Ramsey Sound and the Bitches rapids is due to the meeting of the waters of the Irish Sea and St George's Channel which, luckily for the sea birds and porpoises bring fish to the surface, providing easy pickings when the tide is running. In the marshy areas around Pwll-y-Trefeiddan look our for emperor, hairy and golden-ringed dragonflies and small red and southern damselflies. Sparrowhawks, buzzards and kestrels breed in the willow-scrub and mallard, wideon and teal live on the pond.

Dogs are welcome, but please keep them on leads as livestock are grazing. There is also a risk of people being knocked or stepping off the cliffs in order to get away from your dog, not everyone likes dogs.