Seniors walking Pemprokeshire Coast Path

There are lots of local companies that will arrange self-guided walking trips with lodging, baggage transfer, and maps and directions, for the long-distance paths in the UK. We have used Celtic Trails, but friends have also used Contours and Macs Adventures. And I am sure others here can recommend more. .

This site will lead to info about local buses:>https://www.visitpembrokeshire.com/explore-pembrokeshire/getting-around

Probably the best way to get to Pembrokeshire if not using a car will be by train. For south Pembrokeshire - I would take the train to Tenby. For west Pembrokeshire, Haverfordwest would be the place to take the train and then local bus to the coast. Note that the county is divided in half by Milford Haven - part of which is an oil port. Part of the south western tip of Pembrokeshire is out of bounds for much of the year due to being a military range.

The section of the south coast shown on this map is very attractive and not in the military range - which begins on the western edge of the map:>https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.6450685,-4.8177888,13390m/data=!3m1!1e3!5m1!1e1

This map shows the western part of the coast and the location of Haverfordwest. The more northern section of the coast from St.David’s up towards Fishguard has fewer beaches and tends to be higher land than the southern bit mentioned earlier:> https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.8618639,-5.0457848,11.23z/data=!5m1!1e1

We have used contours and will do it again with pleasure. But I don't know anything about the Pembrokeshire Coast Path specifically.

You might like to also check out Encounter Walking Holidays who are based in the south west and thus specialise in that part of the country. They will draw you up a specific self guided itinerary based on your dates and walking abilities as well as shipping your main luggage to your accommodations on a daily basis. For an additional fee they’ll supply all necessary maps and guide books.

They organised our trek on the Two Moors Way - I handed over the booking to them as I wasn’t overly familiar with that part of the country. Everything ran like clockwork and they couldn’t have been more helpful.

The Pembrokeshire Coastal Path is on our ‘to do’ list - we’ve walked odd parts of it on a day walk basis with friends and what we’ve seen is excellent. I believe the path bypasses the oil terminal and naturally the military ranges, although I can’t think that part of the trail is the most scenic.

Hope you get something fixed up and have a great trip.

Ian

Also see:>https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/pembrokeshire-coast-path

In the part within the military range, the walking is generally on the level with some big cliffs. This section includes the Stack Rocks, The Cauldron and The Green Bridge of Wales = a natural arch.

You can also check out section of the Coastal path on Google as they have walked it with their camera. For example - click this link and you will be on a section at Barafudle Bay:https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.6168001,-4.9040621,2a,75y,330.57h,85.62t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s_4PeblaLUOqO32bvZ00SsA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!5m1!1e1

Thank you for the replies!
Has anybody walked it without using a tour company - just a bag transfer company?

We've used Contours for our self-guided walking tours, but have not experienced Wales. In response to you question about doing it yourself with the aid of a luggage transfer company, my answer would be in two parts and dependent on questions you would need to answer:

First, how much work do you want to do or can you do in setting up the trip? I'm assuming that you want overnight accomodation with roofs and walls - inns, B&Bs etc. Depending on question two below, you will need to find and book sequention lodgeing within walking distances and your budget. Then you will have to coordiante luggage transfer with those locations. And you will have to be prepared for dealing with problems while you are on the walk.

Second, what kind of daily distances and hours can you or do you want to walk? If you can do longer mileage days, finding lodging options are easier than limiting walking days to shorter distances. Booking companies sometime need to provide and arrange for transfers between trail and available lodging to keep walking distances within you target range.

To use Contours trip options as an example of transfer:

The Twelve (12) walking days "strenuous/demanding" option requires two transfer days at the end of the walk: https://www.contours.co.uk/pembrokeshire-coast-path#PCP1

The Eighteen (18) walking days "moderate" option requires five transfer days to keep daily milage "moderate": https://www.contours.co.uk/pembrokeshire-coast-path#PCP5

You can self-test your booking capability by trying to find sequention lodging for the tour.