The Abereiddy to Porthgain Walk is a short 1.9 mile, initially demanding section of the All Wales Coast Path. Allow two hours in each direction to soak up the views.
The All Wales Coast Path spans a whopping 870 miles and encompasses the north, south, and mid coastlines of Wales. This is just a very short section of it, and one of our favourite walks in Pembrokeshire – the views are absolutely spectacular. It’s a fairly steep route, but should be suitable for all fitness levels.
Fancy it? Take a look at our guide to this scenic circular walk below…
Abereiddy to Porthgain Walk: All you need to know
Prep list:
- Food and something to drink
- Sturdy footwear, fleece and waterproof jacket
- Mobile phone or beacon
- Taking the dogs? – please keep them on a leash whilst on the coast path.
Keep your eyes peeled for:
- Red Kites, Buzzards and Kestrels
- Dolphin and Porpoises
- Grass snakes, Adders and Lizards
- Disused Quarries and Quarry Buildings
Check out our guide to the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path, for more stunning coastal walks along this gorgeous part of Wales.
The Abereiddy to Porthgain Route
Starting in Abereiddy, head to the northern end of the car park to find the coastal path. From here you have two choices. The first being to make a diversion and head off to view the Blue Lagoon before making the steep climb up onto the coast path or the second choice of just heading straight up and on to Porthgain.
On reaching the top of the initial steep climb you will find yourself more or less standing in a field, head left for a spectacular view down into the Blue Lagoon or straight on to find the coastal path. Once on the path follow it to your right to head for Porthgain. The views from this section of the footpath are simply stunning and well worthy of a couple (if not more) snaps for the photo album.
Worth a mention also is the beach of Traeth Llyfn which is stunning at low tide, you will see the way down in the distance – lookout for the metal steps leading down the cliff.
A little further on brings you to the now disused Jerusalem stone quarry, which looks more like it belongs on the moon than on the West Wales coastline. Two huge craters stacked halfway on top of each other comes to mind. Dolerite was quarried here up until 1931. A few quarry buildings remain here that can also be explored should you wish.
Continuing on towards Porthgain, you will walk alongside the old tramways that were used to move the stone from the quarry to the crushers situated on the clifftop above Porthgain. An even more impressive quarry sits at the end of the tramways (slight detour off the coast path to the right). This was a slate quarry during the 1800s, supplying a second-grade quality slate used for window sills and slabs. Underneath your feet here are many now disused tunnels that transported the slate to the harbour below.
Backtracking to the coast path, you are now very close to reaching Porthgain harbour, follow the path down to discover more of Porthgain’s industrial past.
Having passed the harbour and the old impressive brick-built hopper system used for storing the crushed dolerite, you will find yourselves in the village of Porthgain. Here there are a cafe, pub and art galleries to discover too.
If your energy levels are not up for the walk back, you can always cheat and catch the Strumble Shuttle coastal bus service back to Abereiddy, timetable here.
Discover the beauty of the All Wales Coast Path from one of our delightful Pembrokeshire holiday cottages. From remote coastal cottages to those sat right on the harbour, we’ve got an amazing selection of homes to choose from. If you’ve been daydreaming about being by the seaside, why not take a look at our lovely cottages and plan your ideal break today?
