Dinas Head, Pembrokeshire

Start and Finish

Pwllgwaelod - a kilometre or so off the A487 near Dinas Cross

Distance

8 miles or 13 km

Along the way

This circular walk takes you around the high cliffs of Dinas Head. The path has some steep gradients and cliff edge walking, so supervise and keep a close eye on any younger members of your party.  Sometimes called Dinas Island, Dinas Head is actually a headland formed at the end of the last Ice Age that’s partially detached from the mainland. As you climb up the steep path to the headland and are surrounded on three sides by water, there’s a definite sense of being out at sea.

Dinas is famous for its abundant birdlife, so make sure you bring your binoculars. In winter, look out for ravens, chough and herring, greater and lesser black backed gulls, while summertime sees breeding razorbills, guillemots, fulmars and shag nest on the cliffs.

One of the best spotting points is overlooking craggy Needle Rock on Dinas Head’s eastern side, which also offers great views across the water to Newport Sands and inland towards the Preseli Hills. As you walk, you’ll see colourful coastal wildflowers like scabious, thyme, heather, thrift, pennywort, foxgloves and orchids, with bluebells blooming in late spring on the headland’s eastern slopes.

The Wales Coast Path leads round to the charming hamlet of Cwm-yr-Eglwys, where you can see the ruins of the local church destroyed by the great storm of 1859. From Cwm-yr-Eglwys, follow the footpath along the neck of the headland to return to Pwllgwaelod.

Walk Highlights  

Theresa Nolan, Wales Coast Path Officer highlights:
"This is a fascinating circuit walk with great views from the high cliffs on Dinas Head with plenty of wildlife to look out for along the way".

Need to know

• There are toilets, a small car park and a pub at Pwllgwaelod and a toilet at Cwm-yr-Egwlys.
• If you want to use public transport, you can use the seasonal Poppit Rocket coastal bus service. Check the Pembrokeshire website for bus routes and timetables

Itinerary and Map   

Download the Dinas Head itinerary (PDF) and a route map (JPEG)