"A winding path through mixed woodland and an easy stroll above the Haroldston cliffs."
Walk directions
From anywhere in the car park, walk towards the youth hostel and follow a waymarked path marked Coedwig Haroldston Woods that runs between the hostel and the former coastguard building, now a holiday let. Fork left at the junction with the holiday park path and continue to a gate then a kissing gate, to continue with the stream on your left.
Cross the stream by a bridge and now, with the valley floor to your right, go through a gate and bear left to continue easily upwards until you reach a T-junction of paths by a fingerpost. Turn right here, past a part-concealed bench on the right, and then swing left to continue upwards to another junction of paths by a small chapel, St Madoc of Ferns.
Turn left to the road and then right on to it to walk uphill, with the church on your right. Ignore the turning to the right, then take the first left, towards Druidston Haven. Follow this past an ineffectual cattle grid to a sharp right-hand bend. Continue for another 300yds (274m) to the Haroldston Chins parking area and a gate on the left.
Go through the gate and follow the well-surfaced track down towards the coast. On reaching the cliff tops, bear around to the left and continue past Black Point.
After passing the Harold Stone situated in front of a modern white house on your left, fork right through a gate to remain on the coast path (marked with an acorn). The path starts to drop, generally quite easily, but there is one steep step. Follow the path down to meet the road and turn right.
Cross over the bridge and then, just before the road you are on merges into the main road, turn left on to a tarmac footpath that leads through a green and back to the car park.
Woodland walking is something of a rarity along the Wales Coastal Path, so this short stretch of permissive path, which sneaks through a narrow strip of woodland separating Broad Haven from Haroldston, makes a refreshing diversion from the usual salty air and the cries of the seabirds. This is the... easiest of the Pembrokeshire walks in the book, with an almost billiard table level section of coast path, some of which has been surfaced for access by wheelchair users. The artificial path, however, takes nothing away from the quality of the scenery, which is magnificent. The cliffs here are of softer shales and millstone grit making them prone to erosion and subsidence, as you’ll witness first-hand along the way. Amazingly, this whole stretch of coast sits on top of huge coal reserves, but the last colliery, which was situated further north in Nolton Haven, actually closed down in the early 1900s. As you progress south, you’ll pass the crumpled remains of an Iron Age fort on Black Point and also a diminutive standing stone, known as the Harold Stone, which is tucked away in a field on the left as you approach Broad Haven. It’s said to mark the spot where Harold, the Earl of Wessex, defeated the Welsh in the 11th century, but it’s actually more likely to be Bronze Age. Broad Haven is about as close as you’ll get to a traditional seaside resort in north Pembrokeshire. The town’s popularity as a holiday destination blossomed in the early 1800s, but recent years have seen an acceleration in development that has resulted in almost wall-to-wall caravan parks and a significant rise in the number of residential properties. The beach is beautiful, with gently sloping sands encased in brooding dark cliffs. As well as the usual selection of family holiday-makers, it’s a popular place with windsurfers. This is due partly to shops and places to eat behind the beach, and because the prevalent southwesterlies that blow across and onshore from the left make it a safe but fun place to play in the sometimes sizeable surf. At low tide, it’s possible to walk south along the beach to the charming village of Little Haven. A walk northwards will reveal some fascinating rock formations beneath the headland. These include Den’s Door, an impressive double arch in a rugged sea stack; the Sleek Stone, a humpback rock forced into its contorted position by a geological fault; and Shag Rock and Emmet Rock. Contorted layers of rock are also clearly visible in the main cliffs.
Wales meets the Atlantic Ocean in spectacular fashion at Pembrokeshire. Unlike the West Country, Pembrokeshire can offer the coast without the crowds, and quaint fishing villages without those huge coach parks.
"A winding path through mixed woodland and an easy stroll above the Haroldston cliffs."
Walk details
1hr 30min
Difficulty:
Easy
Gradient:
Gentle
Distance:
3.5 miles (5.7kms)
Ascent:
290ft (88m)
Walk directions
From anywhere in the car park, walk towards the youth hostel and follow a waymarked path marked Coedwig Haroldston Woods that runs between the hostel and the former coastguard building, now a holiday let. Fork left at the junction with the holiday park path and continue to a gate then a kissing gate, to continue with the stream on your left.
1 of 6
Cross the stream by a bridge and now, with the valley floor to your right, go through a gate and bear left to continue easily upwards until you reach a T-junction of paths by a fingerpost. Turn right here, past a part-concealed bench on the right, and then swing left to continue upwards to another junction of paths by a small chapel, St Madoc of Ferns.
2 of 6
Turn left to the road and then right on to it to walk uphill, with the church on your right. Ignore the turning to the right, then take the first left, towards Druidston Haven. Follow this past an ineffectual cattle grid to a sharp right-hand bend. Continue for another 300yds (274m) to the Haroldston Chins parking area and a gate on the left.
3 of 6
Go through the gate and follow the well-surfaced track down towards the coast. On reaching the cliff tops, bear around to the left and continue past Black Point.
4 of 6
After passing the Harold Stone situated in front of a modern white house on your left, fork right through a gate to remain on the coast path (marked with an acorn). The path starts to drop, generally quite easily, but there is one steep step. Follow the path down to meet the road and turn right.
5 of 6
Cross over the bridge and then, just before the road you are on merges into the main road, turn left on to a tarmac footpath that leads through a green and back to the car park.
Woodland walking is something of a rarity along the Wales Coastal Path, so this short stretch of permissive path, which sneaks through a narrow strip of woodland separating Broad Haven from Haroldston, makes a refreshing diversion from the usual salty air and the cries of the seabirds. This is the... easiest of the Pembrokeshire walks in the book, with an almost billiard table level section of coast path, some of which has been surfaced for access by wheelchair users. The artificial path, however, takes nothing away from the quality of the scenery, which is magnificent. The cliffs here are of softer shales and millstone grit making them prone to erosion and subsidence, as you’ll witness first-hand along the way. Amazingly, this whole stretch of coast sits on top of huge coal reserves, but the last colliery, which was situated further north in Nolton Haven, actually closed down in the early 1900s. As you progress south, you’ll pass the crumpled remains of an Iron Age fort on Black Point and also a diminutive standing stone, known as the Harold Stone, which is tucked away in a field on the left as you approach Broad Haven. It’s said to mark the spot where Harold, the Earl of Wessex, defeated the Welsh in the 11th century, but it’s actually more likely to be Bronze Age. Broad Haven is about as close as you’ll get to a traditional seaside resort in north Pembrokeshire. The town’s popularity as a holiday destination blossomed in the early 1800s, but recent years have seen an acceleration in development that has resulted in almost wall-to-wall caravan parks and a significant rise in the number of residential properties. The beach is beautiful, with gently sloping sands encased in brooding dark cliffs. As well as the usual selection of family holiday-makers, it’s a popular place with windsurfers. This is due partly to shops and places to eat behind the beach, and because the prevalent southwesterlies that blow across and onshore from the left make it a safe but fun place to play in the sometimes sizeable surf. At low tide, it’s possible to walk south along the beach to the charming village of Little Haven. A walk northwards will reveal some fascinating rock formations beneath the headland. These include Den’s Door, an impressive double arch in a rugged sea stack; the Sleek Stone, a humpback rock forced into its contorted position by a geological fault; and Shag Rock and Emmet Rock. Contorted layers of rock are also clearly visible in the main cliffs.
Wales meets the Atlantic Ocean in spectacular fashion at Pembrokeshire. Unlike the West Country, Pembrokeshire can offer the coast without the crowds, and quaint fishing villages without those huge coach parks.
