practical
Walking the Pembrokeshire Coast Path: Where to Stay, Section by Section
Base yourself or move nightly? The coastal buses, the best overnight stops, and how to plan 186 miles of the finest coast walking in Britain.
By Pembrokeshire Guide editors · Updated 11 August 2026
The Pembrokeshire Coast Path runs 186 miles from Amroth to St Dogmaels, with more ascent along the way than Everest has height. Most people don't through-hike it — they walk the best sections from a well-chosen base, and that's where accommodation strategy makes or breaks the trip.
Two ways to do it
The fixed-base method (most people, rightly). Stay somewhere central to a stretch of coast, walk linear sections, and use the seasonal coastal buses — the Puffin Shuttle (St Davids–Marloes area), Poppit Rocket (Newport–Cardigan) and Coastal Cruiser (Angle–Stackpole) — to get back to the car. Check current timetables before you commit: services are seasonal and not daily on every route. Two bases cover the whole park comfortably: one south (Tenby, Freshwater East or Pembroke area), one north (St Davids, Solva or Newport).
The through-hike. 10–15 days. The awkward gaps for overnight stops are the Castlemartin range section (Angle–Bosherston: stay in Angle or inland at Castlemartin) and the Dale peninsula (Dale solves it). Book summer overnights months ahead — villages are small and walkers are many.
The sections worth building a trip around
- Stackpole Quay → St Govan's (6 miles). Barafundle, blowholes, lily ponds, chapel-in-cliff. Base: Bosherston, Freshwater East or Pembroke. The county's greatest hits in one afternoon.
- Marloes peninsula circuit (8 miles). Sands, Deer Park, Skomer views, autumn seals. Base: Marloes or Dale.
- Solva → St Davids → Whitesands (9 miles). Harbour to cathedral to surf beach. Base: Solva or St Davids.
- Whitesands → Abereiddi (7 tough miles). The wild one: St Davids Head, Coetan Arthur, Blue Lagoon finish, pint at Porthgain if you push on. Base: St Davids.
- Newport → Ceibwr (7 strenuous miles). Folded cliffs, the Witches' Cauldron, big north-coast drama. Base: Newport.
- Amroth → Tenby (7 gentle miles). The warm-up: tunnels, Saundersfoot, resort finish. Base: Saundersfoot or Tenby.
What walkers should demand from a stay
Drying space (radiators or a proper porch — it will rain at least once), an early breakfast or self-catering, secure boot storage, and honesty about the walk to the path itself. Properties in our Coastal Path category are chosen so you can start walking from the door — no morning car shuffle for at least some of your days. Dogs manage the path well (leads near livestock and cliff edges); pair with our dog-friendly beach guide to plan the swims.
