The Ceredigion and Snowdonia Coast Paths

As part of the Wales Coast Path, the Ceredigion Coast Path and Snowdonia Coast Path trace a curve of 233km (145 miles) of coastal and inland walking down Cardigan Bay. This guidebook describes a 16-stage walk from Porthmadog to St Dogmaels covering the trail between the Lleyn Peninsula and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path.

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Overview

As part of the Wales Coast Path, the Ceredigion Coast Path and Snowdonia Coast Path trace a curve of 233km (145 miles) of coastal and inland walking down Cardigan Bay. This guidebook describes a 16-stage guide to the walk from Porthmadog to St Dogmaels covering the trail between the Llyn Peninsula and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. The route is illustrated with OS map extracts as well as extra sketch maps of tricky sections and lots of information is included about public transport links, accommodation and facilities to help you plan how to tackle the trail. Stong walkers could complete the full walk in just less than two weeks, but it's also worth considering building in rest days in order to visit, say Harlech Castle, or ride on of the narrow gauge railways.

Table of Contents

Contents
Introduction
The Wales Coast Path/Llwybr Arfordir Cymru
The Llŷn to Pembrokeshire: the route in summary
The story in the rocks
History
Wildlife
Commerce along the coast
Walking the Ceredigion and Snowdonia Coast Paths
When to go
Signposting and waymarking
Safety
Maps
Getting there
Getting around
Accommodation
What to take
Visitor attractions
Using this guide
The Snowdonia Coast Path
Day 1 Porthmadog to Maentwrog
Day 2 Maentwrog to Harlech
Day 3 Harlech to Tal-y-bont
Day 4 Tal-y-bont to Barmouth
Day 5 Barmouth to Llwyngwril
Day 6 Llwyngwril to Aberdyfi
The Dyfi Estuary
Day 7 Aberdyfi to Machynlleth
Day 8 Machynlleth to Borth or Ynyslas
The Ceredigion Coast Path/Llwybr Arfordir Ceredigion
Day 9 Borth or Ynyslas to Aberystwyth
Day 10 Aberystwyth to Llanrhystud
Day 11 Llanrhystud to Aberaeron
Day 12 Aberaeron to New Quay
Day 13 New Quay to Llangrannog
Day 14 Llangrannog to Aberporth
Day 15 Aberporth to Cardigan
Cardigan to St Dogmaels link
Day 16 Cardigan to St Dogmaels

Appendix A Route summary table
Appendix B Facilities
Appendix C Useful contacts

Maps

The following OS maps cover the route in this guide:

Landranger: 124 (Porthmadog and Dolgellau); 135 (Aberystwyth and Machynlleth); 145 (Cardigan/Aberteifi and Mynydd Preseli); 146 (Lampeter and Llandovery/Llanbedr Pont Steffan a Llanymddyfri)

Explorer: OL18 (Harlech, Porthmadog and Bala); OL23 (Cadair Idris and Bala Lake); 198 (Cardigan and New Quay); 199 (Lampeter); 213 (Aberystwyth and Cwm Rheidol)

The extracts from the Landranger maps in this guide show the terrain immediately adjacent to the path. For the wider context the relevant Explorer maps are highly recommended.

The sketch maps, at a scale of approximately 1:25,000, show complicated sections of the path in greater detail.

Updates

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December 2017

Updates

Page 40-47

"Between Penrhyndeudraeth and Llandecwyn the opening of the road across the estuary of the Dwyryd means the path now follows the parallel cycle path, rather than making the inland detour via Maentwrog. However, as the Coast path is now immediately alongside a main road, walkers may well prefer to follow the original route, which, although well inland, is a very attractive alternative. Refer to the Wales Coast Path website maps for the new route."

July 2015

Day 8 Machynlleth to Borth

There is a community café and shop, in the village of Tre'r-Ddol; Siop Cynfelyn. http://www.cletwr.com/en/shop.... 2015

p137

The major landslip referred to in the sidebar text on page 137 has been repaired, and the main coastal route has now reopened.

September 2014

p72-75 Fairbourne.

A permanent routechange has been made at Fairbourne. This can be seen on Map 47 on the Wales Coast Path website.

The Path now continues along the seafront south of Fairbourne, rather than following the road through the settlement. It passes under the railway, goes left along the A493 and then turns right in 0.5km up a minor road, rejoining the original route in 500m.

While this revised route includes a longer section beside the sea, it is all on road. The original route uses rights of way and is still walkable.

May 2014

p150–151

Cardigan Island Farm Park

Although published OS maps show the proposed route of the coast path running along the drive of the farm park, readers should note that – should this route become available – it will run parallel to the drive in the field to the east, not along the drive itself, as currently illustrated on the map on p150. See a revised map here.

Cicerone and John Jones reiterate that the proposed route, as described on p151, remains exactly that for now. When any further information is released about the route, it will be published here. Readers are reminded that the interim route, as described in the guide and illustrated by the orange main route line, must be followed until updated information is available and published here.

Since this guide went to print the following website addresses have changed:

In the Introduction, www.bbc.co.uk/weather/coastand... has changed to www.bbc.co.uk/weather/coast_and_sea

In Appendix C, www.ceredigioncoastpath.org.uk... should be www.ceredigioncoastpath.org.uk/cardi-bach.html

Reviews

"This guide to the 145-mile stretch of the Wales Coast Path between Porthmadog and St Dogmaels links the Lleyn Peninsula Coastal Path with the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path National Trail.... The two coastal paths of Snowdonia and Ceredigion are broken down into 16 handy day stages and shown in small but clear and commendably detailed map sections, including alternative routes, and supported by detailed route description."

Ramblers, August 2014.

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