Marloes, Pembrokeshire

Bus service 400 (the Puffin Shuttle) goes between St David’s and Marloes via Broad Haven, three services daily in summer, three days a week in winter (01239 613756, www.richardbros.co.uk). From the train station at Haverfordwest, bus 311 links with Broad Haven (0871 200 2233, www.traveline-cymru.info).

[1] With your back to the Lobster Pot Inn (SN793085), turn left and follow the lane out of the village. Take the first footpath on the right, which leads to the Coast Path above Musselwick Sands. Keep left at the fork and follow the Coast Path to Martin’s Haven.

Skomer Island, the closest to the mainland, is the largest of the three islands: a national nature reserve with the widest variety of bird species of all the islands. Over half a million seabirds nest here during May and June, including puffins, kittiwakes and Manx shearwaters. Grassholm is the only gannet colony in Wales and one of the largest in the world, home to more than 39,000 pairs of gannets in the summer breeding season.

[2] Turn left up the lane from the beach to the toilets and the Skomer Marine Nature Reserve public display. Continue up the lane, then turn right through a gate and left to follow the wall. The National Trust owns the open-access Deer Park here, although there have never been any deer. Nearby, the most westerly point of the Marloes peninsula overlooks the turbulent tide race of Jack Sound. Carry on along the Coast Path, which leads past Gateholm Island to Marloes Sands. The twisted, folded rock of the cliffs is an impressive sight. Having skirted a disused airfield, you reach Westdale Bay. It’s only 1km from here to Dale if you take a short cut across the neck of the land, but you certainly shouldn’t miss the rest of the coastal walk. 

[3] Continuing south along the fairly level cliff-top Coast Path takes you to St Ann’s Head, where you join an access road that goes past the old lighthouse (now a holiday let with Coastal Cottages). At the junction where you turn left at the gates to the current lighthouse property, it’s worth the detour right to the signed Cobbler’s Hole viewpoint. 

[4] Now heading northwards, the Coast Path winds its way round various bays, with views of Milford Haven and the vessels that ply its waters. The first of these, Mill Bay, is notable for being the landing point of Henry Tudor and his army in 1485, after 14 years in exile. Following the subsequent Battle of Bosworth he became Henry VII, the first king of the Tudor dynasty. When you reach a lane (leading right to the Dale Fort Field Centre) turn left and follow it to Dale. 

[5] Unless you’re catching the bus back to Marloes, follow the B4327 out of the village (the route of the Coast Path) past the lime kilns and take the first lane on the left, which leads back to Marloes. Note the Clock Tower on the right before you reach the pub. 

The wild and exposed headlands of the Marloes and Dale peninsulas offer superb walking and glorious views for relatively little effort, this being one of the less strenuous sections of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. All along the wind-battered Atlantic-facing coast there are fine views of the rugged islands of Skomer, Skokholm and Grassholm, home to thousands of birds, including puffins, razorbills, gannets, guillemots and shearwaters. Grey seals, dolphins and porpoises are also to be seen in the waters around here. Boat trips depart from Martin’s Haven – on the route of the walk – between April and October. One of the finest beaches in Pembrokeshire, the magnificent sweep of Marloes Sands is another highlight of this route. The final 4km/2½-mile section of the walk, along the road from Dale back to Marloes, could be omitted by catching the Puffin Shuttle bus.

Route devised by Fiona Barltrop for Walk Magazine.