Walking the Wales Coast Path

Llwybr Arfordir Cymru

By Paddy Dillon

ISBN

9781786310668

Availability

Published

27 Apr 2022

Reprinted

11 May 2022

Edition

Second

Pages

368

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 2.00cm

Weight

400g

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A single guidebook to walking the whole Wales Coast Path - 1400km (870 miles) the length of Wales from Chester to Chepstow, including Anglesey, described in 57 stages. The route passes through the Snowdonia and Pembrokeshire National Parks and many AONBs and can be linked with the Offa's Dyke Path for a complete circuit of Wales.

Seasons

In summer you'll get the best weather, and all services will be open. The route is feasible in spring and autumn but expect cooler and wetter weather, and some places will be closed. Not recommended in winter.

Centres

Chester, Llandudno, Bangor, Holyhead, Caernarfon, Pwllheli, Barmouth, Machynlleth, Aberystwyth, Cardigan, Fishguard, St David's, Pembroke, Tenby, Carmarthen, Swansea, Cardiff, Newport, Chepstow

Difficulty

Walkers need to be careful to cover comfortable distances, and not over-extend themselves. There are occasional rugged sections, sometimes featuring short steep ascents and descents, and some remote stretches with few facilities. It is necessary to be aware of the weather forecast, tides and the availability of accommodation and public transport.

Must See

The historic 'Iron Ring' castles; holiday resort towns including Llandudno, Barmouth and Tenby; wild cliffs, rocky coves, sandy beaches; parts of the Snowdonia and Pembrokeshire National Parks; numerous AONBs, Heritage Coasts and nature reserves; museums and visitor centres

ISBN

9781786310668

Availability

Published

27 Apr 2022

Reprinted

11 May 2022

Edition

Second

Pages

368

Size

17.20 x 11.60 x 2.00cm

Weight

400g

Overview

The Wales Coast Path offers an unparalleled opportunity to walk a nation's coastline in its entirety. Stretching 1400km (870 miles) from Chester to Chepstow, including Anglesey, the waymarked trail takes 2-3 months to complete but can easily be broken into shorter sections. The walking is generally not difficult, although there are occasional rugged sections, steep ascents and descents and more remote stretches with fewer facilities. Promising fantastic scenery and a unique insight into local history and culture, what better way to experience the diversity and beauty of Wales' captivating coastline?

The route is presented in 57 stages, ranging from 16 to 32km, each featuring clear route description illustrated with 1:100,000 mapping, overview statistics and notes on the availability of accommodation, facilities and public transport links. You'll find plenty of helpful advice for planning your walk, plus background information on Welsh history, geology, plants, wildlife and local points of interest. A facilities table, Welsh glossary and useful contacts can be found in the appendices.

Passing through the Snowdonia and Pembrokeshire Coast National Parks, as well as numerous AONBs and sections of Heritage Coast, the Wales Coast Path takes in seaside resorts, attractive fishing villages, sandy beaches, rocky coves and striking cliff coastline. Highlights include the picturesque Llyn and Gower peninsulas, 13th-century 'Iron Ring' castles and frequent opportunities for wildlife spotting. The route can be linked with Offa's Dyke Path National Trail (covered in a separate Cicerone guide) to complete a full circuit of Wales.

Table of Contents

CONTENTS

Route map key

Overview map

Introduction

Geology

Brief history of Wales

Scenery

Wildlife

Trees and flowers

Nature reserves

Transport to and from the route

Transport along the route

When to walk

Accommodation

Food and drink

Money matters

Communications

Planning your schedule

Time and tide wait for no man!

What to pack

Waymarking and access

Maps of the route

Emergencies

Using this guide

1 North Wales

Stage 1 Chester to Flint

Stage 2 Flint to Prestatyn

Stage 3 Prestatyn to Colwyn Bay

Stage 4 Colwyn Bay to Conwy

Stage 5 Conwy to Bangor

2 Isle of Anglesey

Stage 6 Bangor to Glan-yr-afon

Stage 7 Glan-yr-afon to City Dulas

Stage 8 City Dulas to Cemaes

Stage 9 Cemaes to Llanfachraeth

Stage 10 Llanfachraeth to South Stack

Stage 11 South Stack to Fourmilebridge

Stage 12 Fourmilebridge to Aberffraw

Stage 13 Aberffraw to Dwyran

Stage 14 Dwyran to Menai Bridge

3 Llŷn Peninsula

Stage 15 Menai Bridge to Dinas Dinlle

Stage 16 Dinas Dinlle to Nefyn

Stage 17 Nefyn to Methlem

Stage 18 Methlem to Rhiw

Stage 19 Rhiw to Abersoch

Stage 20 Abersoch to Llanystumdwy

Stage 21 Llanystumdwy to Penrhyndeudraeth

4 Meirionnydd

Stage 22 Penrhyndeudraeth to Llandanwg

Stage 23 Llandanwg to Barmouth

Stage 24 Barmouth to Tywyn

Stage 25 Tywyn to Machynlleth

5 Ceredigion

Stage 26 Machynlleth to Borth

Stage 27 Borth to Llanrhystud

Stage 28 Llanrhystud to New Quay

Stage 29 New Quay to Aberporth

Stage 30 Aberporth to St Dogmaels

6 Pembrokeshire

Stage 31 St Dogmaels to Newport

Stage 32 Newport to Goodwick

Stage 33 Goodwick to Abercastle

Stage 34 Abercastle to St Justinian

Stage 35 St Justinian to Newgale

Stage 36 Newgale to Martin’s Haven

Stage 37 Martin’s Haven to Sandy Haven

Stage 38 Sandy Haven to Pembroke

Stage 39 Pembroke to Freshwater West

Stage 40 Freshwater West to Freshwater East

Stage 41 Freshwater East to Saundersfoot

7 Carmarthenshire

Stage 42 Saundersfoot to Laugharne

Stage 43 Laugharne to Llansteffan

Stage 44 Llansteffan to Ferryside

Stage 45 Ferryside to Burry Port

8 Gower Peninsula

Stage 46 Burry Port to Pen-clawdd

Stage 47 Pen-clawdd to Rhossili

Stage 48 Rhossili to Penmaen

Stage 49 Penmaen to Swansea

9 South Wales

Stage 50 Swansea to Margam

Stage 51 Margam to Ogmore

Stage 52 Ogmore to Limpert Bay

Stage 53 Limpert Bay to Cadoxton

Stage 54 Cadoxton to Pengam Green

Stage 55 Pengam Green to Newport

Stage 56 Newport to Rogiet

Stage 57 Rogiet to Chepstow

Appendices

Appendix A Route summary table

Appendix B Facilities along the route

Appendix C Topographical glossary

Appendix D Useful contacts

Maps

Maps of the route

The rugged Porthyrychain cove between Point Lynas and Amlwch Port (Stage 8, Anglesey)

Walkers who wish to carry Ordnance Survey maps covering the coast have a choice of scales, and the latest editions are marked with the WCP. The 1:50,000 Landranger series covers the coast in 15 sheets in the following sequence: 117, 116, 115, 114, 123, 124, 135, 146, 145, 157, 158, 159, 170, 171 and 162. The 1:25,000 Explorer series covers the coast in 23 sheets in the following sequence: 266, 265, 264, OL17, 263, 262, 254, 253, OL18, OL23, 213, 199, 198, OL35, OL36, 177, 178, 164, 165, 151, 152, 154 and OL14. Carrying all these sheets would be unwieldy; walkers might consider buying them as they walk, then posting them home one by one after use.

Walkers who use mobile devices can use a variety of mapping and navigation apps. Choose one that offers Ordnance Survey Landranger and Explorer mapping, which shows the course of the WCP.

Updates

November 2023

Stage 50 - Swansea to Margam

This is a very urban and industrial stage, and access to an area of sand dunes at Baglan Burrows is currently unavailable, as the path leading there is subsiding and has been closed. A well-marked alternative route follows a fine cycleway alongside a road running through the Baglan Energy Park.

This continues past the extensive school grounds of Ysgol Bae Baglan. The roads of Handel Avenue and Purcell Avenue have a generous grassy strip alongside, and once this ends the diverted route links back to the Wales Coast Path to continue along the promenade to Port Talbot. This is likely to be a long-term diversion as the former route will be very expensive to repair.

The diverted Wales Coast Path follows a cycleway through the Baglan Energy Park

August 2023

Stage 5 – Conwy to Bangor

A new stretch of the Wales Coast Path became available to walkers in August 2023, following the well-wooded coast around the Penrhyn Estate to reach Bangor. Previously, the Wales Coast Path made a long and unattractive detour inland through Talybont. The new route is 3km (2 miles) shorter than the old route and changes are needed to the map and route description from page 66 to 68.

Page 66 – The route no longer goes through Talybont, but stays on the coast…

Page 67-68 – The route description is now…

The National Trust property of Penrhyn Castle lies ahead and there is no direct access to it from the Wales Coast Path. Follow the road inland as far as the farm of Aber-Ogwen. Turn right as signposted at a nature reserve notice, going through a curious lifting gate. Follow a path alongside a tall stone wall, passing a reedy pool fringed by woodland. Go through a gate and keep straight ahead, although a right turn leads quickly to a bird hide overlooking the pool.

Follow the path until it reaches a beach, then almost immediately climb a few steps, go through another gate and turn right to cross a bridge over the tidal Afon Ogwen. Turn right again to follow a gravel path rising gently through woodland, later descending with a view across to Anglesey and Beaumaris. The path runs alongside a stone wall, which itself runs along the coast.

Walk along a duckboard above muddy ground then follow a narrow path that rises gradually, following a fence that separates woodland from a field. Towards the top, there is a glimpse of Penrhyn Castle. A broad gravel path continues through dense woodland, with glimpses between the trees of the coast and the ruins of an old bath house. Eventually, go through a gate in a tall stone wall and turn left, following a road past Abercegin House.

Turn right as signposted to cross a bridge over a river at Porth Penrhyn (a port formerly used for exporting slate). Walk up the road to a junction with the busy A5 and turn right to follow it.

The route description continues as before to Garth and Bangor.

An amended GPX file for Stage 5 – Conwy to Bangor can be downloaded below.

05 Conwy to Bangor txt (14.455 KB)

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Walking the Wales Coast Path - GPX File

Paddy Dillon

Paddy Dillon is a prolific walker and guidebook writer, with over 100 guidebooks to his name and contributions to 40 other titles. He has written for several outdoor magazines and other publications and has appeared on radio and television.Paddy uses a tablet computer to write as he walks. His descriptions are therefore precise, having been written at the very point at which the reader uses them.Paddy is an indefatigable long-distance walker who has walked all of Britain's National Trails and several European trails. He has also walked in Nepal, Tibet, Korea and the Rocky Mountains of Canada and the US. Paddy is a member of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild and President of the Backpackers Club.

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