Pembrokeshire Coastal Path near Poppit Sands

June 2015

is justly popular with walkers; we enjoyed the views and sea cliffs. We stayed at a lovely boutique b&b at St Dogmaels - Oriel Milgi where there was great attention to detail in room design and in breakfast: we were well looked after!

St Dogmaels and Poppet Sands are on the west side of the river Teifi which marks the boundary between Pembrokeshire and Cardiganshire. St Dogmaels is ideally situated for both counties and their coastal walks.

We started on Friday with a short circular walk from the Wildlife Centre at Cilgerran. What looked to be an easy stroll along the river bank of the gorge turned out to be a knee-bending clamber on inumerable steps up and down the gorge sides. As it turned out, the riverside track was accessible for nearly all the way, but we did the proper thing and followed the steps, several hundreds of them, I think!

The walks are well signposted and there is a wide choice. We eschewed the castle, café and shop, but there's a lot to do there.

Back at our St Dogmaels b&b we freshened up and ate at The White Hart where giant cod and sewin (Welsh brown trout) were on offer. A friendly and busy, unpretentious local.

On Sunday we walked along the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path around Poppet Sands returning via an inland route. The sea cliffs are perilously high, the narrow lanes green and welcoming. Veering slightly off piste at one point we circled a farm with newly mown garden and approaching up a slight slope I found five foxes sunning themselves less than 20 yards away. As a poultry keeper with plenty of hens lost to urban foxes I'm no pal of them, but for a moment this was a delightful scene - until they caught sight of me, when mum, dad and three cubs sprinted for cover.

The Webley Arms offered a short but appealing menu with a solicitous landlord and good views outside, so we put our feet up with a pint of Reverend James knowing that we had walked a tiny but representative sample of the county.

Welsh Map