Pembrokeshire Coast Path Guided Trail Holiday Tour Style: Guided Trails Destination: Wales Trip code: XPLDW Trip Walking Grade: 4 HOLIDAY OVERVIEW The magnificent Pembrokeshire Coast in Wales takes you on a journey along its wild and rugged coastal path between Cardigan and St Davids. There is stunning coastal scenery as we pass through tiny, secluded villages to our destination of St Davids - Britain's smallest city. The variety of natural features on the coast are overwhelming. The display of wild flowers, abundance of seabirds including puffins and Manx shearwaters and the perfect place to catch a glimpse of grey seals, harbour porpoise, bottlenose dolphins, whales and basking shark. WHAT'S INCLUDED • Full Board en-suite accommodation • Experienced HF Holidays Walking Leader • All transport to and from walks • Luggage transfer between accommodation • Group transfers to and from Carmarthen railway station www.hfholidays.co.uk PAGE 1 [email protected] Tel: +44(0) 20 3974 8865 HOLIDAYS HIGHLIGHTS • Wild, rugged coastal paths of South-west Wales • Magnificent trail from the ancient fishing village of St Dogmaels to Britain's smallest city, St Davids • Grey seals, basking sharks, dolphins and a host of bird life to see TRIP SUITABILITY This Guided Walking /Hiking Trail is graded 4 which involves walks/hikes on well defined paths, though often in hilly or upland areas, or along rugged coastal footpaths. These may be rough and steep in sections and will require a good level of fitness. Coastal paths such as this often feature a considerable amount of ascent and descent due to the nature of the coast, so you should be prepared for this. It is your responsibility to ensure you have the relevant fitness and equipment required to join this holiday. A sustained effort is required to complete this trail and provision cannot be made for anyone who opts out. Please be sure you can manage the daily mileage and ascent detailed in the daily itineraries. The walking day is normally 6 to 7 hours. It is important for your own enjoyment, and that of your fellow guests that you can maintain the pace. It makes a lot of sense to spend time getting some additional exercise before your holiday. We suggest that you fit in a number of longer walks, including some on hilly terrain. Other exercises such as cycling, jogging and swimming are also excellent for developing increased stamina. ITINERARY Day 1: Arrival Day We organise a group pick up from Carmarthen Railway Station to take you to your accommodation, at the Salutation Hotel (check in from 1500). Pick up is 1650 and the transfer takes an hour. Your leader will be at reception at 18:30 to meet the group and for a quick introduction to the holiday before dinner. Day 2: St Dogmaels To Moylgrove Our trail begins in St Dogmaels, an ancient fishing village whose houses cling to the steep hillsides above the www.hfholidays.co.uk PAGE 2 [email protected] Tel: +44(0) 20 3974 8865 Teifi Valley. The first few miles follow minor roads and country lanes with fine views across the estuary towards Cardigan Island and we experience the full sweep of Cardigan Bay. Rounding Cemaes Head a wonderful vista opens up towards the South West, with views of Dinas Island and the distant lighthouse on Strumble Head. Continuing south we pass the highest point on the whole of the national trail, over 575 feet. The cliffs are magnificent, revealing textbook examples of rock structures. At Ceibwr we turn inland towards Moylgrove. 8 miles (13km) with 2,000 feet (610m) of ascent. Day 3: Moylgrove To Newport Our roller coaster journey continues from Ceibwr. This is perhaps the wildest and most uninhabited section of the walk, at times the route can be quite tough, but it’s a wonderful exhilarating journey through stunning cliff scenery and numerous rock formations and caves. Pwll-y-Wrach, (Witches Cauldron) is the remains of a collapsed blowhole and a classic feature of marine erosion. If we are lucky, we may see seals in this area. Rounding Morfa Head we catch our first glimpse of Newport and Newport Bay. 9 miles (14km) with 2,200 feet (670m) of ascent. Day 4: Newport To Goodwick Leaving Newport we pass Parog, Newport's oldest port. Before the silting of the estuary in the late 1800s, slates, herrings, woollen fabrics and other local products were exported here. The coastline is quaint on the way to the idyllic sandy coves of Aberrhigian and Aberfforest. Cwm-yr-Eglwys (Valley of the Church) is a favourite beauty spot. Sheltered from the westerly winds the valley has an almost Mediterranean feel to it with a lush covering of trees and shrubs, which surround the focal point of the settlement, the ruined church of St Brynach. The coast becomes more exposed around Pwllgwaelod, with fascinating dark shale cliffs and creeks, offshore stacks and small beaches down below. We approach Fishguard Harbour and our pick up for the day at Goodwick. 13 miles (20km) with 2,950 feet (900m) of ascent. Day 5: Goodwick To Pwll Deri We follow the path past the peninsula of Pen Anglas. We reach the summit of Carnfathach with a typical Pen Caer landscape with the bleak expanse of Ciliau Moor and the volcanic crag of Garnwnda beyond. This is a harsh yet beautiful environment and with small clusters of settlements along our route. Carreg Goffa and Carregwastad Point are the scenes of the very last invasion of Britain, which took place on 22 February 1797. There is a simple memorial stone which commemorates the landing of Colonel Tate and his invasion force of 1,200 men. Strumble Head is a glorious, wild stretch of coast overlooked by the coastguard lookout building and popular for bird watchers. Weaving in and out of volcanic rock we reach the beauty spot of Pwll Deri. 9 miles (14km) with 2,500 feet (760m) of ascent. Day 6: Pwll Deri To Porthgain We admire the great rampart of cliffs over 450 feet high in some places and appreciate the magnificent setting of the Pwll Deri Youth Hostel. We reach Aberbach a pretty bay and further along is Aber Mawr the most important Ice Age settlement in Pembrokeshire and close by, Castell-coch an Iron Age promontory fort. This delightful peninsula has wonderful coastal views and the going gets gentler as we pass the delightful hamlet of Abercastle and the beach at Aber Draw to Porthgain. 11 miles (18km) with 3,000 feet (910m) of ascent. Day 7: Porthgain To St Davids Porthgain is a fascinating village, moulded by a short-lived Industrial Revolution in Pembrokeshire. The small harbour was used between 1837 and 1931 for the export of slates and bricks. We encounter another interesting village, Abereiddi, now a favourite spot for artists. From here it’s an excellent final few miles along www.hfholidays.co.uk PAGE 3 [email protected] Tel: +44(0) 20 3974 8865 the cliff tops before we round the wonderful wild heather-covered section of St Davids Head to uncover the crescent-shaped beach of Whitesands Bay. Leaving the coast path for the final time we walk on a quiet road to enter St Davids via its Cathedral, a truly stunning end to our holiday. 12 miles (19km) with 3,000 feet (910m) of ascent. Day 8: Departure Day At the end of the holiday we will return you to Carmarthen railway station for 10:30. ACCOMMODATION Salutation Inn, Newport - Pembrokeshire Coast Path A warm welcome awaits at the 16th century Salutation Inn, a former coaching inn which has been tastefully modernised to give 21st century comfort to our guests. The original parts of the old inn now blend perfectly with the modern. Bedrooms have a TV, tea and coffee making facilities, telephone and hairdryer. All rooms are also WiFi enabled. Laundry facilities are available. Y Glennydd, St Davids - Pembrokeshire Coast Path Set in a 3-storey townhouse, the Y Glennydd, family-run hotel is in the heart of this tiny but magical city of St Davids. The hotel dates back to the 1880s and is situated within a few minutes' walk of both the city centre and cathedral. Rooms include TV, tea and coffee making facilities, and hairdryers. WiFi and drying facilities are available. USEFUL HOLIDAY INFORMATION Holiday Information We try to create a relaxed atmosphere on the walk but please listen to safety instructions from your leader. Keep members of the group in view especially when weather or visibility is poor. If you leave the group, then your leader will no longer have responsibility for you. Our leaders consider the safety of the group as a whole and are likely to be more cautious over potential risks such as bad weather. Immerse yourself in the magnificent solitude of Pembrokeshire, on a journey along the wild and rugged coastal path between Cardigan and St Davids. With stunning coastal scenery, we pass through tiny secluded fishing villages to our destination, magical St David's, Britain's smallest city. Pembrokeshire is the most westerly of all the Welsh counties and surrounded on three sides by the Irish Sea. A Celtic stronghold for thousands of years, legend claims that it was an important part of King Arthur's kingdom which avoided both Roman and Saxon colonisation. In Medieval times, two pilgrimages to St Davids were considered to be equivalent of one to Rome. The wildlife and variety of natural features on the Pembrokeshire coast are overwhelming and it is the wonderful display of wild flowers and abundance of sea birds that make this coastal National Park so special.