Amroth to Tenby

The Coast Path officially starts at Amroth, and this first stage is unlike the rest of it: this was a coal coast, and the industry is still written into the ground.

From Amroth the path runs to Wisemans Bridge, where in 1943 Churchill watched rehearsals for the D-Day landings on the beach. From there to Saundersfoot you can walk the old tramway — a level route through three tunnels cut through the headlands to carry anthracite down to the harbour. It's flat, dark, dripping, and the best twenty minutes of the stage. It's tidal, so check before you commit.

Saundersfoot was built as a coal port and is now a holiday harbour. Past it the path climbs over Monkstone Point, the one proper hill of the day, then drops through woodland behind the beaches at Waterwynch.

You come into Tenby above North Beach with the whole town in front of you: the walls, the coloured houses on the harbour, Castle Hill and St Catherine's Island offshore. It's one of the better arrivals on the whole path.

Where to finish. Tenby has more pubs and restaurants per street than anywhere in the county, and Saundersfoot has a good cluster at the halfway point.

With children. The tramway tunnels section from Amroth to Saundersfoot is flat, short and much loved. Do that bit and get the bus back.