West Wales is a landscape shaped by wind, water, and deep time — where rugged cliffs meet quiet estuaries and ancient hills rise above slow-moving rivers. It’s a powerful setting for walking holidays, offering everything from long coastal traverses to inland valley paths wrapped in woodland and folklore. From the sweeping drama of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path to the myth-rich uplands of the Preseli Hills, this is a region where walking feels elemental and grounding.
Nowhere in Britain offers a coastal experience quite like the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the 186-mile-long National Trail that clings to dramatic cliffs and threads through fishing villages, sandy coves, and quiet chapels. Inland, the Preseli Hills and Teifi Valley reveal a softer, more contemplative side of the region — wide skies, sacred landscapes, and riverside trails lined with ancient woodland. Along these routes, you’ll find a strong network of independent places to stay, from coastal guesthouses and harbour-side inns to rural cottages tucked deep inland.
Quiet country lanes, valley roads, and river corridors also make West Wales appealing for scenic cycling holidays, particularly through Ceredigion and the lower Teifi catchment. For those seeking broader experiences, the region is equally rich in outdoor adventures — from sea kayaking and coasteering to wild swimming, horse riding, and slow exploration by water and trail.
One of the UK’s finest National Trails, this 186-mile route runs from Amroth to St Dogmaels, taking in wildlife-rich cliffs, sea stacks, lighthouses, and wide sandy beaches. Ideal for multi-day coastal journeys or shorter day walks combined with kayaking or shoreline exploration.
A remote and sacred upland landscape, believed to be the source of Stonehenge’s bluestones. Walk open ridges and heather moorland dotted with cairns, standing stones, and immense westward views. The area also supports mountain biking and traditional horse riding on quiet tracks.
Follow peaceful riverside footpaths through ancient woodland and farmland, linking market towns such as Llandysul, Lampeter, and Newcastle Emlyn. These gentle inland routes are ideal for slower walking, canoe journeys, and wildlife watching along one of West Wales’s most important river systems.
West Wales is a place of stillness and scale — where every headland, valley, and riverside path feels shaped as much by story as by stone and sea.
You can walk the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, explore upland routes in the Preseli Hills, paddle along cliff-lined shores, visit ancient chapels, and spot wildlife from puffins to seals.
Top routes include the full or sectional Pembrokeshire Coast Path, upland circuits across the Preseli Hills, and peaceful riverside walks throughout the Teifi Valley.
Yes. Alongside walking, you can enjoy sea kayaking, coasteering, wild swimming, cycling, horse riding, canoeing, and wildlife watching across both coastal and inland landscapes.
Late spring to early autumn offers the best conditions for coastal and inland walking, with summer bringing seabird colonies and long daylight hours. Winter is quieter, wilder, and best suited to experienced walkers.
Yes. The region supports a wide range of self-guided and guided walking holidays, from short coastal breaks to multi-day journeys linking beaches, valleys, and historic market towns.
