Walking the Pembrokeshire Coast Path – Amroth to Penally

I’ve walked most parts of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path some time in the last 48 years since it was established, but never properly from end to end. So I decided it’s time to do it properly and in order, though not all at once. As it’s taken about a year from this decision to actually walking the first section, this could be a very long project!

Yesterday we drove to Tenby then caught a bus to Amroth, the southern end of the Path. This part of Pembrokeshire is very different from the north, with a sequence of busy little villages clustered in valley bottoms on the coast, separated by wooded hillsides. The path was initially easy but steep steps up into the wood at the end of Amroth beach reminded us that it’s not all soft and southern.

There were lovely views ahead to Tenby and Caldy Island, and south and east to Pendine, the Gower Peninsula and, faintly, Devon. We had lunch in Saundersfoot then continued up and down some surprisingly steep, mostly wooded hills to Tenby. The tide was out so we walked across North Beach, cut across the headland and then right down the South Beach to Giltar Point.

At last we were walking on springy turf along the cliff top, and it felt more familiar. But we had already overshot the car by a couple of miles so it was time to turn back with a bit of a trudge along the road and then next to the railway line. Then for some bizarre reason we drove to a pub at completely the other end of the county for a meal where we were cornered by a lonely 77 year old who had just driven down from Hertfordshire for a night. We made our excuses and were glad to get home for an early night.

10.5 miles of coast path walked, it’s around 186 altogether. To be continued (but not immediately).

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