The Coastal Way: A Welsh Journey
Running along the entire sweep of Cardigan Bay, from Aberdaron in the north to St Davids in the south, the 180-mile/290km Coastal Way is one of three Wales Way national touring routes. Rather than a rigid set of directions, each ‘Way’ is a flexible route with plenty of opportunities to venture off the main path, following loops and detours so that you can create your very own personal journey.
This three-day itinerary highlights uniquely Welsh places and experiences. As you travel, you’ll explore a language, culture and heritage that can only be found here in Wales.
Day 1
Begin your journey at Nant Gwrtheyrn. What was once an abandoned quarrying village on the Llŷn Peninsula’s northern coast has been reborn as a cultural centre where visitors can learn the Welsh language and explore centuries of history and legend. There’s a deep and moving insight into Welsh culture at Yr Ysgwrn in Trawsfynydd, former home of celebrated early 20th-century poet Hedd Wyn. In addition to telling the story of Hedd Wyn’s work and Wales’s rich bardic traditions, it offers revealing insights into the impact of the First World War on this small rural community.
Continue on to Llanycil on the northern shore of Lake Bala and Mary Jones World, where you can hear the inspiring tale of the 15-year-old schoolgirl’s quest to buy her very own copy of the Bible in Welsh.
Suggested overnight: Bala or Dolgellau
Day 2
Start your day with a drive down the coast to Aberystwyth, home of the National Library of Wales. This vast repository of Welsh culture and history houses a centuries-spanning archive of books, letters, newspapers, maps, photographs and music (plus a shifting programme of shows and exhibitions). Further south along the coast is Llangrannog, a pretty beach village that’s home to Gwersyll yr Urdd. Established in 1932, it’s a residential outdoor activity and education centre where children and young people can enjoy everything from skiing and swimming to climbing and quad bike rides (ask about day visits and family holiday breaks). Finish your day at 900-year-old Cardigan Castle, birthplace of the eisteddfod, Wales’s biggest cultural celebration, held here for the first time in 1176. Unlike many of our mighty fortresses, Cardigan Castle has been occupied throughout its long history, featuring Grade-II listed gardens and a Georgian mansion alongside its medieval walls.
Suggested overnight: Cardigan
Day 3
Start out with a glimpse into our ancient past at Pentre Ifan Burial Chamber, a few miles off the A487 near Nevern. Built from the same Pembrokeshire bluestones used in the construction of Stonehenge and topped by a mighty capstone measuring 16.5ft/5m, it has stood in this lonely spot in the foothills of the Preseli Mountains for more than 5,000 years. Next, stop at Solva Woollen Mill on the banks of the River Solva, where wool has been produced for over a century. You can see traditional production methods in action in the weaving shed, before picking up some woolly, one-of-a-kind keepsakes in the shop. Take time to explore the weaving sheds where you can watch the weaver at work: a hive of activity with whirling looms and spinning bobbins.
Finish your journey at St Davids Cathedral Library in Pembrokeshire’s picturesque mini-city of St Davids. With a collection dating back to the 16th century containing unique early Welsh Bibles and manuscripts, it’s the only cathedral library of its type in Wales.
Suggested overnight: St Davids
More itineraries are also available under the headings of adventure, walking, heritage, culture, landscape, coast, food and drink, family breaks and golf.