16/52

Difficulty:

This adventure really is scalable depending on what you are after. It’s possible to take a very easy route along the coast, simply observing the dramatic views from a nice, easy distance, or if you’re after more, then this part of Wales is perfectly set up for you to get stuck in and experience things up close and personal via a whole host of adventurous activities.

Time:

I’m sure some people would make the argument that to really explore this stretch of coast properly would take months, however of course this is not realistic for the vast majority of people… The good news is you can see a hell of a lot in a few days and a week would allow you to really get stuck in and ample the best it has to offer.

The Adventure:

The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is one of three National Parks in Wales and is home to one of the most stunning stretches of coastline in the entire UK. If we were to summarise it in one word, it would be ‘dramatic’.

Vast, beautiful and bizarre rock formations form the coastline, peppering the ocean with sea stacks, enormous cliffs, unreal beaches, deep caves and geological arches. Exploring this area is different, the sense of theatre that comes from hiking the coast is almost humbling. We found ourselves in a constant state of amazement and often with big smiles on our faces.. How have we not been here before?

This adventure is all about exploring the coastline and experiencing as much of its sensational scale as possible. We spent 4 days doing exactly that and below are our top three must sees:

1. The Green Bridge and Elegug Stacks:

We kicked things off with a cliff top hike along to see the Green Bridge of Wales and Elegug Stacks. If you’ve been researching Pembrokeshire online then the chances are that you’ve seen pictures of these iconic rock formations. The Green Bridge of Wales is one of the country’s most famous landscapes, an extraordinary natural arch of rock reaching out into the ocean, formed over millions of years, creating a bridge of solid rock. We’re not usually ones for ticking the tourist boxes but visiting this most southerly tip of Wales to see these ancient giants was something we’ve been wanting to do for a while now.

What’s more the display of geological scale doesn’t stop with the bridge as this section of the coastal path is peppered with a variety of unusual and incredible rock formations rising up from the ocean. The Elug Stacks, so called due to their nesting Guillemots and free standing in stature are every bit as awesome as the bridge and punctuate the unique character of this part of the UK.

Note: We actually got slightly lost on the way there as the postcode that it published online is inaccurate. Infact this inaccuracy is so consistent that when you reach the point the postcode takes you to there is a small handwritten sign telling you that Google is wrong, with some directions to the right place. So you can either take this slightly round the houses route or look up the stacks online and follow the roads 'freestyle’. This route will take you along a series of single track roads where you will see a small chapel off to your right, before taking you through a military firing range (don’t worry the majority of the time it is safe to drive through, and if it’s not you will know about it!), eventually landing you in a coastal car park which is free to park in.

2. Barafundle Bay:

Often voted one of the best beaches in Britain, Barafundle is quite an extraordinary sight to behold. A large mass of golden sand, framed by bracken covered sand dunes and pine trees, Barafundle is hidden in a small bay half a mile walk from the nearest car park. There are actually two routes to take from the carpark; the first is the quickest and most popular, leading you along the coastal path before introducing you to the bay with a stunning view from a height. The second, and one we took, is a slightly longer walk that takes you cross country before dropping down through a beautiful forest which soon opens up into the sand dunes that eventually lead to the beach.

We strongly suggest taking this route, not only is it beautiful but also not ‘the beaten path’ and so you may well have it all to yourself. If you take this less walked track on the way in you can then leave by the more conventional on the way back, hence completing a loop and seeing it all.

As mentioned, the bay is beautiful, making for a great place to hang out, relax, sunbath and with the shape of the bay protecting it from winds and currents, it is also a fantastic place to swim. If, like us, you’re not great at staying in one place, then the coastal path continues on away from the beach to the west taking you up through some woods and out onto a much quieter stretch of coast. Our inquisvity led us in that direction and we were rewarded by the sight of a lone Porpoise playing in the shallows. A beautiful corner of Pembrokeshire.

3. Church Door Cove:

Church Door Cove is home to another extraordinary piece of rock shaped like.. You guessed it.. Church doors.

To get there, head to Lydstep Head where you can leave your car. Then take the metal steps down to the small pebble beach and you’ll find yourself face to face with the door. Our advice is to go at high tide so you can swim through the gap, however please do be careful whenever open water swimming, make sure you’re with someone to keep an eye out!

4. Coastal Path Near Whitesands:

We were looking for a nice quiet spot to watch the sunset over the ocean at the far western tip of the National Park. Luckily in Pembrokeshire you are never too far from such a spot and after talking to the guys at the rental company where we rented our kayaks (link) we made our way down to the busy beach at Whitesands. It was a late summer evening and heaving, however this was not our final destination, just an ice cream stop. We had been told to pick up the coastal path here and follow it past the campsites west and so did exactly that, hugging the shore line for about 15 minutes until the crowds were out of sight and all we could hear was the sea lapping against the rocks.

Here we made our way over a rocky headland and scaled down the face of the cliff until we were perfectly positioned out of the breeze, down by the water and crucially looking out west. There was no one else in sight. It was perfect and beautifully illustrated the fact that if you just persevere beyond where most people can be bothered to go you will find a belter of a spot… oh that plus always talk to locals, they will point you in the right direction.

Conclusion:

If you haven’t been to Pembrokeshire yet, then you should really give some thought to changing that. It is, in our opinion, one of the most dramatically beautiful corners of the UK and is absolutely jam packed with options for adventure, the majority of which are free. Whats more it is big, and so even if you are planning a visit at a peak time, there are plenty of off the beaten track spots to explore and escape the crowds.

The Numbers:

/ 4 Days

/ £0 to see all of the above

/ £6 Beaches discovered

/ 299km Length of coastal path