There are currently no dates scheduled for this trip.
We offer private and bespoke group options for all our trips. This trip can start on any date of your choosing, with a minimum of 6 people. To explore this option please don’t hesitate to contact us with your preferred dates, accommodation, and group size.
You can also let us know if you would like to see this trek added to our calendar or would simply like to register your interest. We will accommodate requests from our walkers wherever possible.
Overview
This is the northern section of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, starting in St Dogmaels and finishing in Broad Haven.
Totalling 84 miles it features some of the most inspiring and exquisite coastal paths in the UK. You will walk through glorious surf beaches, including Whitesands Bay and Newgale, see ancient stone circles, and maybe even spot a dolphin or seal!
Since you will be spending some evenings in St Davids, the UK’s smallest city, you will also get the chance to visit the cathedral.
This trek offers incredibly varied coastal scenery from sandy beaches to dramatic cliffs, almost all contained within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.
Highlights of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path
- Walk some of the most beautiful coastline in the UK.
- Glorious beaches, including Whitesands Bay.
- Seeing the Blue Lagoon at Abereiddi, home of the Red Bull Cliff Diving Championships!
- Staying in St Davids, the UK’s smallest city.
Itinerary
Each day, you will be guided along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path by your qualified and friendly walking guide, and all the logistics of your trek will be managed by your trek manager, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience.
We will be with you from the moment you set off in the morning to the moment you arrive at your accommodation in the evening. You will only need to carry your day bag, with essentials to keep you warm, dry, fed, and hydrated for the day. Your main luggage will be transported to your next accommodation for you.
Everything will be taken care of so that you can just enjoy the walking!
Today is the day we will all make our way to Cardigan to begin our Pembrokeshire Coast Path adventure.
If you plan to get the train to Haverfordwest and would like a free transfer to your accommodation, this can usually be arranged – just email us to let us know. Do be aware that this is the nearest major train station to Cardigan and the transfer will take one hour.
We will only be able to offer one transfer on the arrival day, leaving the station at 5:00pm and arriving in Cardigan at approximately 6:00pm.
In the evening, you will get a chance to meet the rest of your group, as well as your guides, for a welcome evening and briefing. This will be in a local pub/restaurant where you will have the option of an evening meal.
Accommodation in or near Cardigan
You will begin your journey along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path from the small village of St Dogmaels.
We will leave the village along the road, passing the first of many beautiful beaches on this trek, Poppit Sands. Soon we will be following the dramatic coastline along the many ups and downs of cliff path
We will enjoy views across to Cardigan Island, pass through the scenic Ceibwr Bay and eventually seeing Newport Sands in the distance. We may even see some dolphins along the way. As the day draws to an end we will follow the River Nevern into woodland before reaching the centre of Newport itself.
This is the most challenging day of the trek, with many ups and downs (note the overall ascent below), but the magnificent scenery makes it well worth the effort.
Distance: 14.5 miles (23.5 km)
Total ascent: 1150m
Time: 7.5-9 hours
Accommodation in or near Fishguard
Today’s walk to Fishguard is gentler than yesterday.
We begin by making our way to the seafront and possibly with a walk along the beach depending on the tide. We then walk above the slate quarries used for walling stone in Newport, before following the coastal path from the Bays of Aber Rhigian to Aber Fforest.
From here we travel around to the excellent viewpoint at Dinas Head, where you will be able to see Fishguard and Goodwick in the distance.
We will continue along the coastal path with many more dramatic views of the cliffs below, before reaching Fishguard itself.
Distance: 12 miles (19.5 km)
Total ascent: 660m
Time: 6.5-7.5 hours
Accommodation in or near Fishguard
Today’s walk to Pwll Deri is the shortest day of the trek.
We leave Goodwick by crossing the ferry port to a minor road. From here we will rejoin the coastal path which takes on a slightly different character to previous days. It is sandier and more open than the earlier sections with a little less of the ups and downs.
We will follow this to the lighthouse at Strumble Head. From here, the character of the coastal path changes once again, becoming rockier underfoot and more undulating than earlier in the day.
Soon we will reach Pwll Deri where you will be collected and taken back to your accommodation.
Distance: 9 miles (14.5 km)
Total ascent: 680m
Time: 5.5-6.5 hours
Accommodation in or near Fishguard
Today we will walk to Porthgain on a beautiful section of the trail.
You will begin by passing the memorial stone at Pwll Deri before regaining the coastal path. The scenery today is excellent and you will pass through many beautiful bays. First comes Aber Bach then Aber Mawr, followed by Abercastle.
There is very little road walking or even road crossings today, just 11 miles of excellent coastal walking. Once you pass Abercastle you will walk through the village of Trefin before reaching the outstanding ruins of Porthgain itself.
Distance: 11 miles (17.5 km)
Total ascent: 525m
Time: 6-7 hours
Accommodation in or near St Davids
Today’s walk to Whitesands Bay is one of the shorter days of this trek, meaning you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful beach once you arrive.
We begin by making our way from Porthgain to Abereiddi, famous for the stunning Blue Lagoon, which is home to the Red Bull Cliff Diving Championships!
From here there is a short ascent out of Abereiddi Bay and then the walking is quite easy-going as we head towards St Davids Head. Finally we descend into Whitesands Bay to complete our fifth day on the trail.
Distance: 9.5 miles (15.25 km)
Total ascent: 570m
Time: 5.5-6.5 hours
Accommodation in or near St Davids
The coastal path loses some of its undulations today as we walk to Solva. From Whitesands Bay we head south with excellent views of Ramsey Island and “The Bitches”, a famous tidal race.
We soon swing round the tip of the peninsula to follow the coast back westwards, walking above Porthlysgi Bay and through the quay at Porth Clais. We will still have three beautiful bays to see – St Non’s, Caerfai, and Caer Bwdy – before reaching our destination of Solva.
Distance: 13 miles (20.5 km)
Total ascent: 540m
Time: 7-8 hours
Accommodation in St Davids or Broad Haven
The last day of our journey on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path!
Today we will walk to Broad Haven beginning by leaving Solva and passing the interesting spur of land at Dinas Fawr. We will make our way to the famous Newgale Sands, renowned for its excellent surfing and large sandy beach.
We will follow the beach for a short while before ascending back onto the coastal path. Soon we will pass the smaller, more secluded, beaches at Nolton Haven, Madoc’s Haven, and Druidston Haven, before finally making our way into Broad Haven.
Distance: 11 miles (18 km)
Total ascent: 726m
Time: 6.5-7.5 hours
Accommodation in St Davids or Broad Haven
Today is departure day and time to say our goodbyes.
For those that need it, we will provide a free lift to the train station in Haverfordwest, then continue on to St Dogmaels/Cardigan for those who have a car to return to.
We will leave St Davids at 9:00am and arrive at Haverfordwest Train Station by approximately 9:45am. We will then continue to St Dogmaels/Cardigan, arriving there by approximately 10:45am.
What's Included?
The cost includes
- Accommodation for 8 nights (breakfast included)
- 7 Days guided walking
- Qualified UK Mountain Leader as your guide
- Route Map
- Luggage transfers
- Support vehicle
- Pembrokeshire Coast Path Information Pack
- Maximum group size of 8
- Free transport back to St Dogmaels or Cardigan
- Free pick up and drop off to Haverfordwest train station
Not included in our packages
- Lunches, snacks and dinners
Accommodation Options
Bed & Breakfast
The Bed and Breakfast option provides you with good standard accommodation, with breakfast included within the price of the holiday. The B&Bs we use are located within small towns or villages, giving you access to local shops as well as a choice of pubs, ensuring you have plenty of opportunities to enjoy an evening meal.
In areas where there are no B&Bs or facilities such as shops or pubs, we will instead drive you to a nearby village where a better overall experience can be achieved.
FAQs
This trek is graded 3/5 on our trekking scale.
A good, challenging trek for the average walker. The terrain will include hills and rougher paths, and there will be some challenging longer days. It should be achievable for a person of good general fitness and determination.
The Pembrokeshire Coast Path is similar in overall difficulty to the West Highland Way. It is worth noting that the first day is a challenging day with significant ups and downs as you negotiate the coastline (closer to 4/5 on our difficulty scale). The trail does become less strenuous thereafter.
To help you decide if this trip is right for you please also refer to the itinerary, which includes daily distances, ascent, and detailed descriptions of the terrain.
You can read more about our grading system in our Trip Difficulty Guide.
Please note: all long-distance walking is challenging, particularly if you are not used to walking/exercising on consecutive days. What makes a trek challenging is personal and depends on your fitness, strengths, and preferences.
You can expect wonderful coastal scenery from dramatic cliffs to sandy beaches. To can expect to spot seabirds and seals, and possibly dolphins too. Over the 7 days of walking there is a physical challenge to this trek and it does start with the most strenuous day.
For the most part the Pembrokeshire Coast Path is similar in difficulty to the West Highland Way. Therefore if you have enjoyed the West Highland Way you are very likely to love this trek as well.
The first day is certainly the most demanding, so be prepared for a tough start. It is both the longest and most hilly day of the trail including steep stepped inclines (see the itinerary for further details).
However, the rest of the trek is gentler and so it will soon get easier. Don’t let the idea of a coastal path fool you, the Pembrokeshire Coast Path is not a flat walk. While there are no mountains to climb, it is certainly an undulating path.
While you don’t need long-distance walking experience you will need a reasonable level of fitness and determination to help you get to the finish. The fitter you are the more enjoyable the experience. After booking you can opt in to our ‘Training for the Trails’ mailing list to help you arrive prepared for your trek.
Your accommodation will be in a combination of Cardigan/Aberteifi, Fishgaurd/Goodwick, St David’s and Broad Haven.
Cardigan and Aberteifi – Cardiagn is an ancient market town set right on the River Teifi estuary, with Aberteifi just over the bridge. It is just a 5 minute transfer from the start of the walk and so it is where you will be staying on the night before you begin walking the trail. If you intend to arrive early in the day, do consider a visit to Cardigan Castle.
Fishguard and Goodwick – are very close together, and you will be spending nights 2, 3 and 4 staying in one of these locations. Both are coastal towns with a sections of pubs, takeaways and shops.
St Davids – is the smallest city in the UK and only granted that status due to the existence of St Davids Cathedral. In regards to its size, it is in fact comparable to a village, which makes St Davids a beautiful and special place. The city has a few good places to eat, as well as shops and takeaways which you will have four nights to discover and enjoy. For those with extra energy, St Davids Cathedral is well worth a visit and so are the ruins of the medieval Bishops Palace.
Broad Haven – a coastal village and where we conclude our trek, which has a few pubs and cafes.
You will be provided with a full kit list, but as a guide the basics you will need are:
A small rucksack (around 25 litres), walking boots, waterproof trousers, waterproof jacket, hat, gloves, a spare warm layer and walking trousers (not jeans or denim), a water bottle, sun and midge protection.
With Thistle Trekking you get a personal service. We are happy to answer any questions and queries and help where we can with all aspects of your trip.
Your point of contact will be the same person from the first enquiry to the final communication before your Pembrokeshire Coast Path trek.
Our guides are all qualified, experienced, and fun companions on the trail.
Pembrokeshire Coast Path
The Pembrokeshire Coast Path lived up to all my expectations. The scenery was spectacular.
John S
The Pembrokeshire Coast Path (north) was a very pretty trail. The rugged coastline always offered picturesque views. Watching the seals in the coves was fascinating!
Both our guide and trek manager were attuned to the needs and wants of all participants. There were zero hiccups in the trip. I really appreciated the lift at the beginning and end of the trek.
Thistle Trekking continues to provide a terrific value proposition.
Kenyon S
Great walking group, excellent guides and nice accommodations.
John C
