The 186-mile Pembrokeshire coastal path is one of 15 long-distance National Trails in England and Wales, waymarked by an acorn symbol. The prime sections of the trail can be tackled in ‘bite-size’ chunks. And Pembrokeshire is not just about beautiful coastline; there are woodland, riverside and hill walks through ancient, unspoiled landscapes, including the Preseli Mountains, from which the bluestones of Stonehenge were quarried. The county’s national park authority has on-line guides for over 80 circular routes of varying lengths and difficulty. We’ve selected eight of the best.

1 PORTHGAIN and ABEREIDDI
Distance 3.6 miles Duration 2 hours
Terrain Rugged coastal path, steep descent to Porthgain
Porthgain (Chisel Port in English) was once a thriving industrial port, with a quarry and brickyard. The little harbour is still in use and is surrounded by industrial archaeology. Walking westwards brings you to remote Traeth Llyn, a wonderful sandy beach with shale cliffs, rock formations and safe bathing. The main feature at the former slate-quarrying settlement of Abereiddi is the Blue Lagoon, an old slate quarry now flooded by the sea to spectacular effect.

2 PORTH CLAIS and ST DAVID'S
Distance 2.6 miles Duration 1 hour 15 minutes
Terrain Rugged coast and field paths; fairly level
One of the smallest cities anywhere in the world, St David’s has the title purely because of its stunning 12th-century cathedral. It contains the shrine of the saint who died in 601AD, and also the tomb of Edmund Tudor, father of Henry VII. Nearby are the ruins of the 14th-century Bishop’s Palace.
Porth Clais harbour stands at the mouth of the River Alun and was once the port of call for pilgrims to the shrine. The narrow harbour here was carved out by glacial meltwater about 7000 years ago.

3 NINE WELLS and SOLVA
Distance 3.1 miles Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
Terrain Gentle footpaths and quiet country lanes
Solva is one of the jewels of the Welsh coastline. A pocket harbour sprang up at the head of a fjord-like inlet created at the end of the last ice age. The rest of the trail is a voyage of exploration in miniature. Nine Wells, nearly a mile to the west, has several disused quarries which trap the sun and are heaven for plants and butterflies. The coastline has numerous caves, and an Iron Age promontory fort at Porth-y-Rhaw.

4 ANGLE
Distance 3.7 miles Duration 2 hours 30 minutes
Terrain Level but rugged coastal path.
Dominated by views of oil terminals, Angle Peninsula is still a wild and windswept place. Sandy West Angle beach, at the mouth of Milford Haven estuary, is accessible by car and has a reasonable beach café and shop. It offers excellent rock pools and is home to the rare cushion starfish. Offshore is rocky Thorn Island, dominated by a large Victorian fort (now a hotel and bar), which can be reached by motorboat. Angle village, half a mile east, boasts an assortment of architectural styles including a Georgian hotel, a medieval dovecote and a fortified tower house.

5 CAREW and CRESSWELL QUAY
Distance 4.9 miles Duration 2 hours 30 minutes
Terrain Flat to moderate; some wet, muddy stretches
The Carew and Cresswell rivers are two secluded creeks offering peace and solitude for those seeking a respite from busy coastal resorts in summer. Cresswell Quay, with its pub, makes a particularly tranquil spot. The route is splendid for birdwatching, with barn owls visible in the early morning or evening.

6 BOSHERTON and ST GOVAN'S
Distance 4.4 miles Duration 2 hours 30 minutes
Terrain Fairly level, with stretches of cliff edges
Bosherton Lily Ponds is hidden behind the sand dunes of Broadhaven South. This giant 18th-century artificial lake fills three valleys; the walk crosses it at four points. Visitors can see many species of birds, including coots, mute swans and kingfishers, along with dragonflies and damselflies in summer.
The grey limestone cliffs west of Broadhaven have been eroded by the sea to form dramatic shapes, notably at St Govan’s Head, famous for the tiny 13th-century stone chapel of St Govan, tucked into a cleft below the headland and reached by a series of steps.

7 ST FLORENCE, LYDSTEP and PENALLY
Distance 7.9 miles Duration 6 hours
Terrain Cliff edge, moderate gradients
This walk begins in the village of St Florence. With its whitewashed cottages and Flemish chimneys, St Florence is the centre of a footpath network, and its garden-centre tearoom is recommended. Parts of this route follow a long-established path once used by quarrymen at Lydstep. Lydstep Haven, backed by the terraces of a modern caravan village, offers safe bathing. Its limestone caverns form one of the greatest free natural attractions of Pembrokeshire. They’re found on a low-tide beach at the bottom of a ravine leading from a National Trust cliff-top car park. The cliff path leads to the hillside village of Penally, which has two greens and a pottery.

8 AMROTH
Distance 3 miles Duration 1 hour 30 minutes
Terrain Fairly level; fields, bridleways and sea front
Low tide unveils a massive expanse of firm sand, with an added extra. What at first appears as lumps of brown rocks in the beach turn out to be wood – the ancient remains of a submerged forest. At very low water, tree stumps can be seen in the sand and fossilised antlers, nuts, animal bones and Stone Age flints have been found. The isolated beaches to the east are also worth exploring when tide permits.