Photo: Nick Macneill (CC BY-SA 2.0)St Davids Head from Whitesands Bay
Round the headland at the far west of Wales, past an Iron Age fort and a 5,000-year-old burial chamber, with Ramsey Island offshore.
- Distance
- 4 miles / 6.4 km
- Time
- 2–3 hours
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Climbing
- about 200m
- Type
- Circular
- Dogs
- On a lead
The route
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.
Getting there
- Start
- Whitesands Bay car park (SA62 6PS)
- Parking
- Large pay and display at Whitesands. Fills early on hot days.
The next few hours
Nearest forecast point: St Davids
dry for the next few hours, around 14°C, gusting to 27 mph — hold on to the windbreak.
01:00
14°
Clear
W 27 mph
02:00
14°
Clear
W 27 mph
03:00
14°
Clear
W 27 mph
04:00
14°
Clear
W 27 mph
05:00
13°
Fair
W 26 mph
06:00
13°
Clear
NW 25 mph
07:00
13°
Clear
NW 25 mph
08:00
13°
Clear
NW 26 mph
Forecast from MET Norway, used under CC BY 4.0. It's a forecast for the nearest of six points across the county, not for this exact spot — on a coast this shaped, one headland can be in sun and the next in rain.
Light today at Whitesands Bay car park
- Sunrise
- 07:36
- Sunset
- 18:43
- Daylight
- 11h 7m
The light goes gold from about 17:57.
Calculated for these coordinates, accurate to a minute or so. A cliff or a headland to your west will take the sun sooner than this suggests.
Tides near St Davids Head from Whitesands Bay
Ramsey Sound · about 1 miles away
Low water
01:15
Sat 10 Oct · 0.7m
High water
07:12
Sat 10 Oct · 5.1m
Low water
13:27
Sat 10 Oct · 0.7m
High water
19:29
Sat 10 Oct · 5.2m
Predicted times from the UK Hydrographic Office. Wind and pressure shift real water levels, and the tide at a specific cove can run earlier or later than its port. Never plan a tidal crossing on this alone.
Before you go
Exposed and windy. The ground on Carn Llidi is rough and rocky, and the summit path is a scramble in places. Ramsey Sound has some of the strongest tidal races in Britain — impressive to look at, no place to swim.
Where to eat and drink on this walk
The nearest pubs, cafés and restaurants to the start and finish. Check hours before you count on one.
50m away · about 5 min walk
1.6km away · about 25 min walk
Pencarnan Coffee
CaféCoffee spot at Pencarnan on the St Davids peninsula, out towards Porthselau and Whitesands.
1.6km away · about 25 min walk
2.4km away · about 35 min walk
Beaches on the way
Stay near this walk
Hand-picked places to stay within about 2 miles, nearest first. Our picks are data-driven — we haven’t stayed — and we earn a commission when you book through a partner link. How that works.
St Davids · Sleeps 4 · 2 beds
- 2 miles away
- Best for: Couples and small families · walking into St Davids
Bookable via holidaycottages.co.uk
St Davids · Sleeps 4 · 2 beds
- 2 miles away
- Best for: Couples · walkers
Bookable via holidaycottages.co.uk
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St Davids · Sleeps 2 · 1 bed
- 2 miles away
- Best for: Couples · walk-everywhere stays
Bookable via holidaycottages.co.uk
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Distances and times are approximate. Conditions on the Coast Path change with the weather and the season — take a map, and check tide times and firing times where they apply.