Ceibwr Bay to Newport

If you want to know what the Pembrokeshire coast was like before anyone put a car park on it, walk this stage. It is the emptiest seven miles on the path.

Ceibwr Bay itself is worth the drive down the lane from Moylegrove even if you walk no further. The cliffs on either side are folded into tight zigzags — the rock was crumpled during the Caledonian mountain-building and the strata read like a diagram. There's a shingle beach, a couple of parking spaces and nothing else.

Head south-west and within half a mile you reach the Witches' Cauldron, Pwll y Wrach. A sea cave collapsed here, leaving a deep circular blowhole open to the sky, still connected to the sea by a tunnel under a natural arch. At high tide the water surges in and out of it. The path runs right along the lip, unfenced, and the drop is serious — this is not the place to be looking through a camera and walking at the same time.

After that the stage settles into its real character: down into a valley, up the other side, repeat. Foel Hendre and Pwllygranant come and go. The ascent totals well over 500m and it is all in short, steep, relentless pulls. Five hours is realistic, not pessimistic, and the going is rough and wet in patches. There's no café, no bench and no way off except back the way you came.

What you get is the coast to yourself, choughs working the cliff faces, peregrines, and seals hauled out on beaches you can only look down at.

The last mile is a relief. The path drops to Newport Sands — Traeth Mawr — and follows the estuary of the Afon Nyfer round to the Parrog, Newport's old quayside with its lime kilns and boat moorings. There is a crossing of the estuary at low water, but the road bridge is the sensible option and it's not much further.

Where to finish. Newport is the best-fed small town in north Pembrokeshire and you will have earned it. There are pubs, a couple of good restaurants, a deli and a bakery within a few minutes of the Parrog.

If seven miles is too much, park at Ceibwr, walk to the Witches' Cauldron and back — under a mile, and it's the best bit.