Anglesey, Bridgend, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Glamorgan, Gwynedd, Monmouthshire, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Swansea
1386 km / 861 miles
(click to enlarge)
The Wales Coast Path (WCP) opened on 5 May 2012. The path provides a continuous walking route around the whole coast of Wales - from the outskirts of Chester in the north to Chepstow in the south. It is as near to the coast as legally and physically practicable, sometimes going inland, taking into account estuaries and the needs of health and safety, land management and conservation, and with parts still under development with continued funding, in places to secure closer access to the coast. Unlike the England Coast Path that is under development, the Wales Coast Path is not a National Trail and so may not meet the same standards.
The Welsh coastline has many contrasts: from cliff top strolls to estuarine wanders, picturesque fishing villages to vibrant cities, industrial heritage to unconquered castles, desolate windswept beaches to bustling seasides. The Wales Coast Path not only takes you through the Welsh landscape, it takes you through its heritage and its communities. The North Wales coast is a mixture of wonderful sandy beaches and family friendly towns and villages. Anglesey has world class geology and picturesque beaches and the island is linked to the mainland by the Menai Suspension Bridge built in 1826 by Thomas Telford. With the Snowdonia National Park providing a mighty natural backdrop, around the Llŷn Peninsula, there are small fishing villages, estuaries and miles of sandy beaches. From the dunes of Ynyslas in the north to the historic market town of Cardigan in the south, the majestic sweep of Cardigan Bay affords the walker glimpses of dolphins and porpoise, seals and a host of marine birds. The Ceredigion Heritage Coast has picturesque seaside towns and villages and stunning beaches. The Pembrokeshire Coast is a National Park and has wildlife rich islands. The Path (which has National Trail status here) passes through some of Britain's most spectacular scenery, including 58 beaches and 14 harbours and the UK's smallest city - St Davids. Carmarthen Bay is a coastline of great contrasts and takes in a range of habitats including fresh water marshes, salt marshes, sand dunes, pine forests and coastal commons all supporting a spectacular array of flora and fauna. Set within the bay is Pembrey Country Park - 500 acres of landscaped woods and parkland leading down to the little harbour of Burry Port. From the busy seaside city of Swansea to the stunning coastline of the Gower Peninsula with its award winning golden beaches, the area is home to 10 nature reserves, 24 Wildlife Trust reserves, 32 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and five Special Areas of Conservation. The final southerly coastline takes in city landscapes, village life and magnificent views of the Severn estuary (the estuary has the second highest tidal range in the world at 49 feet and is home to the Severn bore).
The Wales Coast Path has its own waymark. The coastal path uses many existing promoted walking routes, also waymarked in their own right, and listed below as linked pages, as well as some new sections. Existing walking routes included the Pembrokeshire, Gower, Llŷn and Ceredigion coastal routes. In addition to the coastal route, the land border with England is approximated by Offa's Dyke Path, enabling a full circuit of Wales on promoted footpath routes. Outline mapping of all of the full Coast Path and the existing routes is provided on this website using the Show Map links and their side menus for connected and related paths.
The Ramblers have been involved in developing the route locally, and the inaugural Big Welsh Walk which celebrated the launch of the Wales Coast Path was coordinated by Ramblers Cymru (Wales) in 2012, with over 5,500 people walking, and it was repeated from 4-6 May 2013. The Minister had earlier opened a 20 mile stretch of coast path between Llandudno and Prestatyn, a challenging 4.5 mile section from Pendine in Carmarthenshire to the start of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path at Amroth, and a boardwalk in Porthcawl that has been designed to facilitate disabled access.
Many guidebooks have been published for the various sections of the Path.
UPDATE November 2022 - An announcement* on 21st October 2022 from gov.wales was that the 1826 Menai suspension bridge connecting the mainland of Wales and the island of Anglesey would be closed to 'all traffic' from that date for 'structural strengthening work'. This work is scheduled to take a possible 14 to 16 weeks, with the bridge re-opening in early 2023. The closure would have affected both the Wales Coast Path and the O Fon i Fynwy path, as they make use of the bridge's pedestrian walkway. However, the same announcement says that the footway has been re-opened for 'pedestrians and dismounted cyclists'. So both LDPs remain open across the bridge while other traffic is diverted to the Brittania Bridge.
* https://gov.wales/menai-bridge-closes-essential-maintenance-work
UPDATE July 2023 - Due to ?continuing formation of deep sinkholes? on a road section (The Quays) by the Power Station at Baglan Bay, near Port Talbot, the coastal route along Aberavon Sands has been closed off at grid reference SS 731931. A diversion is in place ?until further notice? around the perimeter of an industrial estate. (An inland WCP variant, which omits Aberavon Sands and the Power Station, runs between the A48 over Cleveland Bridge and Port Talbot docks.)
UPDATE June 2023 / September 2023 - Network Rail has announced that the Barmouth Viaduct will be closed to pedestrians from 31st August 2023 to 24 November 2023 for the final phase of restoration.
December 10th 2023 - Barmouth Viaduct has re-opened.
23rd November 2023: The Wales Coast Path is closed and diverted due to riverbank / estuary coast erosion on the River Taf between near Laugharne (SN 305109) and Delacorse (SN 307122). The closure is listed as ?until further notice?.
1st February 2024: A new 1.2km flyover road and bridge was opened between the northern edge of Machynlleth and the A487, bypassing the 200 years old Pont-ar-Ddyfi bridge across the River Dyfi. The new bridge, which includes a walk/cycle way, crosses the river approximately 480m upstream of the old one. The old bridge remains part of the Welsh Coast Path (WCP), but the new one provides a 'dry' alternative at time of flooding.
For information on other temporary WCP diversions see https://www.walescoastpath.gov.uk/latest-news/temporary-path-diversions/?lang=en
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