Nolton Haven to Caerfai

Route:

• The gradient out of Nolton Haven is gentle, but don’t let this fool you into thinking this is typical for the rest of the day’s walk
• Not far past the distinctive ‘lump’ of Rickets Head, the path drops down to a hollow, where a tall chimney is all that remains of a coal mine
• Climb back up the other side and a gentle slope then takes you down to Newgale beach
• If the tide is right out, it’s possible to walk all the way to Cwn Mawr along the sand, although the river at the village end can be difficult to cross even where it fans out near the sea
• The best place to cross it is to clamber along the pebble bank, on the far side of the river, opposite the cafe. If you do go this way, take care not to get cut off by the tide
• The best place to cross it is to clamber along the pebble bank, on the far side of the river, opposite the cafe. If you do go this way, take care not to get cut off by the tide
• Several more ups and downs bring you to a pebble-backed beach just before Solva. The path up onto The Gribbin from here is very steep and taxing but the view is stunning once you get to the top
• Proceed along the ridge, past a rocky outcrop, to pick up a wooded path on the left
• Walk along the harbour wall, right to the end, where a few steps take you back onto the Coast Path. When the path splits, take the steeper fork on the right. Turn left onto the lane and past the front of the house with a turret
• Before long you reach the remains of a promontory fort ramparts, just before the path dips down to Porth y Rhaw
• Look over the precipitous cliffs to spot the remains of three tugs that went aground in 1986
• Caer Bwdy, a little pebbly beach, comes next. The climb back up to the cliff top is the last of the day unless you want to visit Caerfai beach to cool off.
• You know when you’ve reached Caerfai as it’s backed by several campsites and a car park. The south facing beach is hemmed in by steep cliffs and is usually a sun trap
• Head inland along the lane from the car park to get to St Davids and Oriel y Parc
• If in doubt, follow the acorn symbols that indicate where the route goes