St Davids Head from Whitesands Bay

Walk north from the Whitesands car park along the back of the beach and pick up the Coast Path as it climbs onto the headland.

Within a mile you reach Coetan Arthur, a Neolithic burial chamber perched on the cliff with its capstone still balanced on a single upright. It's around 5,000 years old and there is no fence, no sign and no ticket.

A little further on, the path crosses Warrior's Dyke — the rampart of an Iron Age promontory fort that cut off the whole of St Davids Head. You can still see the hut circles inside it.

At the tip, the view is the point: Ramsey Island a mile offshore across the sound, the Bishops and Clerks rocks beyond it, and on a clear day the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland.

For the circular, turn inland and climb Carn Llidi, the rocky hill behind the beach. It's only 181m but it stands alone, so the view runs from Strumble Head to Skomer. Drop back down the lane and track to Whitesands.

Nearby. St Davids itself is ten minutes away — Britain's smallest city, with a cathedral hidden in a hollow so Viking raiders couldn't see it from the sea, and the ruined Bishop's Palace beside it. Both are worth a half day.

Where to eat. St Davids has a good cluster of places; the Farmers Arms and the Bishops are the pubs, and there's a café at Whitesands in season.