Anglesey, Bridgend, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Glamorgan, Gwynedd, Monmouthshire, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Swansea
1370 km / 851 miles
(click to enlarge)
The Wales Coast Path (WCP) opened on 5 May 2012. The path provides a continuous walking route around the whole coast of Wales - from the outskirts of Chester in the north to Chepstow in the south. It is as near to the coast as legally and physically practicable, sometimes going inland, taking into account estuaries and the needs of health and safety, land management and conservation, and with parts still under development with continued funding, in places to secure closer access to the coast. Unlike the England Coast Path that is under development, the Wales Coast Path is not a National Trail and so may not meet the same standards.
The Welsh coastline has many contrasts: from cliff top strolls to estuarine wanders, picturesque fishing villages to vibrant cities, industrial heritage to unconquered castles, desolate windswept beaches to bustling seasides. The Wales Coast Path not only takes you through the Welsh landscape, it takes you through its heritage and its communities. The North Wales coast is a mixture of wonderful sandy beaches and family friendly towns and villages. Anglesey has world class geology and picturesque beaches and the island is linked to the mainland by the Menai Suspension Bridge built in 1826 by Thomas Telford. With the Snowdonia National Park providing a mighty natural backdrop, around the Ll?n Peninsula, there are small fishing villages, estuaries and miles of sandy beaches. From the dunes of Ynyslas in the north to the historic market town of Cardigan in the south, the majestic sweep of Cardigan Bay affords the walker glimpses of dolphins and porpoise, seals and a host of marine birds. The Ceredigion Heritage Coast has picturesque seaside towns and villages and stunning beaches. The Pembrokeshire Coast is a National Park and has wildlife rich islands. The Path (which has National Trail status here) passes through some of Britain's most spectacular scenery, including 58 beaches and 14 harbours and the UK's smallest city - St Davids. Carmarthen Bay is a coastline of great contrasts and takes in a range of habitats including fresh water marshes, salt marshes, sand dunes, pine forests and coastal commons all supporting a spectacular array of flora and fauna. Set within the bay is Pembrey Country Park - 500 acres of landscaped woods and parkland leading down to the little harbour of Burry Port. From the busy seaside city of Swansea to the stunning coastline of the Gower Peninsula with its award winning golden beaches, the area is home to 10 nature reserves, 24 Wildlife Trust reserves, 32 Sites of Special Scientific Interest and five Special Areas of Conservation. The final southerly coastline takes in city landscapes, village life and magnificent views of the Severn estuary (the estuary has the second highest tidal range in the world at 49 feet and is home to the Severn bore).
The Wales Coast Path has its own waymark. The coastal path uses many existing promoted walking routes, also waymarked in their own right, and listed below as linked pages, as well as some new sections. Existing walking routes included the Pembrokeshire, Gower, Ll?n and Ceredigion coastal routes. In addition to the coastal route, the land border with England is approximated by Offa's Dyke Path, enabling a full circuit of Wales on promoted footpath routes. Outline mapping of all of the full Coast Path and the existing routes is provided on this website using the Show Map links and their side menus for connected and related paths.
Many guidebooks have been published for the various sections of the Path. Path passports are available for each section of the Path and can be downloaded from the Wales Coast Path website.
July 2023: Due to "continuing formation of deep sinkholes" on a road section (The Quays) by the Power Station at Baglan Bay, Neath Port Talbot, the coastal route along Aberavon Sands has been closed off at grid reference SS 731931. A diversion is in place "until further notice" around the perimeter of an industrial estate. (An inland WCP variant, which omits Aberavon Sands and the Power Station, runs between the A48 over Cleveland Bridge and Port Talbot docks.)
23rd November 2023: The Wales Coast Path is closed and diverted due to riverbank / estuary coast erosion on the River Taf between near Laugharne (SN 305109) and Delacorse (SN 307122). The closure is listed as "until 04-03-2025".
1st February 2024: A new 1.2km flyover road and bridge was opened between the northern edge of Machynlleth and the A487, bypassing the 200 year old Pont-ar-Ddyfi bridge across the River Dyfi. The new bridge, which includes a walk/cycle way, crosses the river approximately 480m upstream of the old one. The old bridge remains part of the Welsh Coast Path (WCP), but the new one provides a 'dry' alternative at time of flooding.
For information on these and other temporary WCP diversions see https://www.walescoastpath.gov.uk/latest-news/temporary-path-diversions/?lang=en
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