Adventure walk: 3.6 to 4.4 miles (5.8 to 7.1km).
Character: great coastal views, industrial heritage, mainly on grassy paths, gradients.
Toilets: in village near car park.
Please note: it is possible for Tramper users to follow the Coast Path further towards the Blue Lagoon near Abereiddy. Please note that access to the car park at Abereiddy involves negotiating a steep flight of steps.
How to get there
Public transport: Strumble Shuttle (wheelchair accessible).
Own transport: North Pembrokeshire, 6 miles North East of the city of St Davids. Approach via the A487 road.
This walk is mainly on grassy surfaces with a variety of gradients. Once on the higher ground it levels out, and there are many points from which to take in the views.
The pretty little village of Porthgain is a peaceful place today but was once buzzing with industry.
Until the 1930s the cove was a busy port from which slate, bricks and road stone were shipped for house and road building.
Look out for the huge ruins alongside one side of the inlet; these are a series of red brick hoppers that once held the crushed road stone.
Ships were loaded through chutes that reached the harbour side. The history of Porthgain is fascinating, and a separate leaflet (with an additional walk) is available in the village.
Directions
Walk back onto road and turn right onto footpath just after phone box.
Once past the house, the path becomes quite steep for 134 metres: 1:5 for 18 metres, followed by 1:10 to 1:12 for 56 metres, then 1:6 for 6 metres, 1:10 for 29 metres and finally 1:15 for 25 metres.
Follow path round to right, then across access track to path on opposite side behind hedge. Follow path, go straight on through gate, then kissing gate and on reaching waymark post, there is a choice of two viewpoints.
For viewpoint ahead: continue more or less straight ahead between two low walls and follow path until reaching cliff.
For viewpoint by the old quarry buildings: turn left and where the path forks, take the right-hand path. Soon it forks again, bear right again onto the higher path.
This follows the line of the old tramway, and is more uneven, with some railway sleepers visible on the surface. Follow path until reaching quarry buildings.
To return to the village, retrace steps.
