We did the coastal walk from Tenby to Saundersfoot which included some challenging terrain. I would recommend bringing and using walking aids, especially if it has rained recently. We met lots of friendly people on the trail, which was well marked and easy to navigate. We caught a bus back, which was on time leaving and was quick to get into Tenby. We ended up on a coastal walk by accident when we visited the Lily Ponds at Bosherton due to poor signage and had to keep asking people for directions. We saw some beautiful scenery and coastline, but there were time we were worried we would not be able to find our way back to the car which we parked in Stackpole/Bosherton.
We decided to embark on the Coastal Path when we were staying in Tenby last week. It seemed like a great idea as it was only 5 miles to Saundersfoot and generally speaking we've always enjoy walking along coastal routes on holidays in the UK.
However, this particular stretch was not a good one to say the least. It featured all the bad thinks about walks, ie. repeated very steep climbs and drops on narrow, twisty, dangerous paths through wooded areas, with very few of the good things about walking, like reaching places with continuous good views.
Only for about 10 minutes in total was there chance to even see the coast, the rest of the time had to be spent watching the paths and hauling your body up and down extremely steep, never ending climbs, with trees blocking the sight of the sea.
It can honestly say it was the most awful walk it has ever been my displeasure to do. This would be the kind of endeavour that would put young people of walking for life, if it were an early experience . Please don't do this to yourself, unless you're into endurance tests or personal suffering. Try another stretch.
One of the most stunning parts of Wales with outstanding coastal walks - all well signed and marked.
This must be one of the most beautiful places on earth. Because of her Welsh heritage and my desire to see this part of the UK, my friend and I chose this trek after years of talking about walking somewhere in the British Isles. We spent a good 3 months planning, as neither of us had visited the UK before, and we were combining w/a trip to London to visit family for a few days. We booked with Celtic Paths, which arranges the lodging and transfers between lodgings for their walkers, but allows walkers to choose a variety of walks and number of days and walk individually, rather than in a tour group. We chose a 7 day trek with a rest day built into the middle (total of 8 days) and opted for walking south-to-north because pictures showed this to be more varied geologically and offering spectacular views (we discovered after arriving that this is the most challenging part of the path). The PCP did not disappoint! Every day was a new adventure--often quite challenging for this 1st-time-flatlander-walker, but worth every minute. The path is well-kept and quite well-marked in most places, though we found ourselves wandering among various threads on one of the rocky headlands the 1st day, and that made for more miles and more physical challenge. In general, though, hikers will have no trouble navigating along. Because it's a national park (the only one in the UK that is totally along the coast), signage is clear and concise and includes numeric markings for grid references. The National Park service also has a most excellent website that details every section of the PCP, giving difficulty, things to see, things to watch for, warnings, exit points, etc., as well as a street view of that section of the path itself, so you can "see" the actual places you will walk.The path is quite steep and close to cliff edges in many places. I'm afraid of heights. There were a few places along that gave me pause, but, as long as we stuck to the path itself, I was okay. I actually experienced the most anxiety when going up or down some of the steeper climbs, but a pole was most helpful here.
We encountered other walkers daily, but only ever once ran into a large group--a school group of about 60. Their leaders moved them along in smaller groups and moved them off the path for individual hikers to pass when encountered (many places are single-file width). There were walkers (and dogs) of various ages, and many were middle-aged and fast-moving! We met up w/some of the same folks on different days--so nice!
This is a wild and wonderful place to get away from the everyday world--quiet, peaceful, entrancingly beautiful, with vistas that stretch from the Celtic and Irish Seas to inland farms dappled with green, divided by hedgerows and dotted with grazing sheep. Coves shelter seals (it's the time of year when the babys are born). Birds abound (though we missed the Puffins). We enjoyed the plant life enormously--varied in places, but lots of color, as fall had begun. Weather was perfect when we were there (I don't think I would have felt confident walking many parts of the path in the rain...)--sunny days in the low-to-mid 60's. If you walk, make sure you have plenty of water and perhaps some food for extra fuel. We recommend hiking poles--either single or double, as you find best. Talk to locals--they can best advise you as to what each particular section of the path is like. While this walk is not the most physically difficult in the world, it presents quite a challenge, esp. if you're like me--a flatlander who doesn't know much about hiking. In any case, do your homework before going and also do some physical training. But if you have the urge, GO!!! It's amazing!
Unbelievable scenery and unspoilt coastline.
Beautiful bays and beaches, one after the other.
What a treasure wales has and well worth the extremely long journey from Yorkshire.
It’s a bucket list visit for anyone.
