DISTANCE/DURATION: St Non’s to Caerbwdi 1.7 miles (2.8 km) 1 hour each way Caerfai to Caerbwdi 0.9 miles (1.4 km) 30 minutes each way.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Service bus St Davids 411, *Puffin Shuttle 400 (*seasonal, hail & ride).
CHARACTER: Stile-free walk, easy to moderate, three fairly steep slopes and one narrow stream to cross.
This walk offers magnificent views of the wild coastline of St Brides Bay, between Newgale and Ramsey Island, and out to Skomer Island.
Limited parking at St Non’s with more space at the large National Park car park at Caerfai.
St Non’s Bay is named after the mother of St David who was born here in 462 AD. The ruined chapel marks her birthplace.
St Non’s Retreat dates from 1929 and the present St Non’s chapel was built in 1934 in an early Celtic style using materials from the ruins of the nearby Whitewell Priory.
There is a short slope, 1 in 8 gradient, leading up to the first gate, after which the gradient is slight before reaching a rough and uneven stretch – picking your way around boulders – with a 1 in 12 gradient for 25m.
The path continues with the same rough and uneven character but with a more moderate slope. At a crossing over a small brook, there are good views of Skomer and St Brides Bay.
The path continues with a 1 in 6 slope for 15m. There is a modern Celtic cross carved on a boulder west of Caerfai.
After passing through a kissing gate there are a number of slopes, 1 in 8 downhill for 35m, 1 in 12 uphill for 30m.
To walk a shorter stretch of path, park in the large car park at Caerfai then access the Coast Path via the moderately sloping path (1 in 13 for 50m) near the gate to the east of the car park.
A number of paths cross at this point. The lower path leads down to the beach and is a moderately graded concrete path, which ends with a short flight of steps.
On the Penpleidiau peninsula is an Iron Age promontory fort with four defensive embankments and ditches. Newgale may be seen in the distance.
At Caerbwdi the purple Jasper sandstone was quarried and used in the construction of St Davids Cathedral.
After a high step, the path descends very steeply to Caerbwdi.
Find this walk
Grid ref: SM759243
SAFETY FIRST!
- Take great care when on the Coast Path
- Stay on the path and away from cliff edges
- Wear boots and warm, waterproof clothing
- Take extra care in windy and/or wet conditions
- Always supervise children and dogs
- Leave gates and property as you find them
