Gorge walking wales

 Visit Pembroke shire For a Memorable Coastal Walking Holiday

Pembroke shire is a popular destination for all kinds of holidays - but if it's long walks that you want, this Welsh county is a truly great place to visit.

It's here that you'll find the Pembroke shire Coast Path, a 186-mile route that runs from St Dogmeats to Amroth.

The path forms part of the only coastal national park in Britain and has much to offer if you choose walking holidays in this part of Wales.

Much of the route is along narrow cliff-top paths that go over headlands down to the sea, providing some amazing views along the way.

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It was opened in 1970 and is one of the UK's most visited long distance walking paths - making it particularly ideal for those who love a good challenge.

Estimates suggest that it should take between ten and 15 days to complete the entire route, although you obviously don't have to do this if you don't want to - it's easy enough to pick and choose the parts of the path you most want to cover and combine these with trips to nearby sights and attractions.

The path goes through the likes of Tenby, Pembroke and Milford Haven and also reaches the smallest city in Britain, St Davids.

It then continues on to Fishguard and St Dogmaels - where you'll be able to take in the stunning Preseli Hills.

This part of the national park might be a welcome change from the coast itself if you've been walking along it for quite a while.

It's where the bluestones you can see at Stonehenge were originally taken from and is also home to the Golden Road, which used to form part of a Wessex-to-Ireland trading route.

Burial cairns and earthworks from the Iron Age can also be seen here, as well as the Beddarthur stone circle, which marks where Arthur and his knights crossed the ridge to engage in combat with magic boar Twrch Trwyth on Cwmcerwyn.

If possible, you should book your walking holidays in Pembrokeshire in the spring or early summer for the best possible weather.

You can opt to cycle or ride a horse along special roads designed for this purpose, although walking really is the main focus of the coastal path.

Altitude-wise, you'll find yourself climbing and descending paths that total 35,000 ft, although the highest part of the route is Pen yr Afr at 574 ft.

If you love historic attractions, you might want to find time to visit the Castell Henllys Iron Age fort near Newport, which was occupied from around 600 BC to the first century AD.

Guided tours can offer fascinating insights into what life was like at the fort in its heyday and you'll be able to see the original, excavated foundations on your visit, along with four roundhouses that have been recreated more recently.

Head out into the grounds and you'll find all manner of wildlife ranging from otters and dormice to pipistrelle bats.

Another historic sight to take in on walking holidays in Pembrokeshire is Carew Castle, which has a history stretching back over 2,000 years and clearly displays how it changed from being a Norman fortification to an Elizabethan country house.

Also located close to the castle is a 19th century mill that used to be harnessed for flour-making.

It is a listed building and the only restored example of its type in Wales.

Other ideas for excursions away from the coastal path include trips to St Davids Bishops Palace, St Dogmaels Abbey, Haverfordwest Castle and Scolton Manor Museum and Country Park.

If you're taking the kids with you, why not stop off at one of the many child-friendly attractions available in Pembrokeshire?

Young ones are sure to have a great time visiting Oakwood Theme Park, taking river cruises along the Cleddau, checking out the creatures at the Silent World Aquarium & Reptile Collection in Tenby and spotting wildlife at the Ramsey Island nature reserve.

With so much to see and do on walking holidays in Pembrokeshire, it might be a good idea to plan ahead and draw up an itinerary for each day of your stay by researching what's on offer along the path.

But don't forget to leave some time for simply wandering off the beaten track and making some discoveries of your own!

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