Stage THREE: Minehead to Birkenhead - 967 miles

Embark on the dramatic third stage of the British coastline adventure. This 967-mile journey takes you from the rugged cliffs of Minehead to the bustling port of Birkenhead, revealing the stunning beauty and challenging terrain of the Welsh coast.

BASIC ROTE -

54.    East Quantoxhead — Hinkley Point — Wall Gommon — Steart— Otterhampton — Cannington — Wembdon — Bridgewater — A38 — Down End-—Pawlett— Huntspill — Highbridge — Burnham on Sea .............31 miles (1,512 miles)

55.    Burnham on Sea— Brean — Bleadon Level sluice gates — Uphill — Weston-super-Mare — Sand Point — Woodspring — River
Banwell sluice gates — River Yeo sluice gates — Clevedon —  Portishead .............. 31 miles  (1,543 miles).

56.  Portishead — Easton in Gordano — Clifton Suspension Bridge —A4— Avonmouth — A403 — Severn Beach — Aust.................... 25 miles (1,568 miles).

57.  Aust — Littleton Warth — Oldbury-on-Severn — Hill — Upper Hill — Blackhall — Ham — Berkeley — Wanswell — Hinton
— Purton — Gloucester and Sharpness Canal — Shepherd’s Patch .............. 21 miles (1,589 miles).

58.  Shepherd’s Patch — Gloucester and Sharpness Canal — Gloucester — Minsterworth — Westbury-on-Severn ........................... 23 miles (1,612 miles).

59. Westbury-on-Severn — Broadoak — Newnham — Lydney — Aylburton — Alvington — Woolaston — Tidenham — Chepstow
— Pwllmeyric— Haysgate— Portskewett .............. 30 miles (1,642 miles).

60.   Portskewett — West Pill — Gold Harbour Pill — Goldeliff — Newport — Transporter Bridge — Fair Orchard — St Brides - Wentlooge — Peterstone Wentlooge — Rumney ............... 30 miles (1,672 miles).

61.   Rumney — Cardiff— Llandough — Penarth — Lavernock Point — Sully Bay — Barry Island — Bull Cliff—Porthkerry ................... 22 miles (1,694 mies).

62.   Porthkerry — Aberthaw Power Station —Summerhouse Point — St Donat’s Bay — Nash Point— Cwm Mawr — Dunraven Bay —
Ogmore-by-Sea — Ogmore .................24 miles (1,718 miles).

63.   Ogmore — Merthyr Mawr — Candleston Castle — Porthcawl — Sker Point — Kenfig Sands — Margam Sands — Port ‘Talbot -
Neath Bridge — A483 —Swansea ............... 30 miles (1,748 miles).

64.  Swansea — The Mumbles — Coastguard Station — Langland Bay — Caswell Bay — Pwlldu Bay — High Tor— ‘Threecliff Bay —
Oxwich Bay — Oxwich Point — Port-Eynon Bay — Port-Eynon Youth Hostel .............25 miles (1,773 miles).

65.      Port-Eynon Youth Hostel — Port-Eynon Point - Overton Cliff— Common Cliff — Thurba — Kitchen Corner — Rhossili —
Rhossili Bay — Spaniard Rocks — Broughton Bay — Llanmadoc — Cheriton — Landimore — Llanrhidian — Crofty ............................ 25 miles (1,798).

66.  Crofty — Pen-clawdd — Vernel — Yspitty — Llanelli — Pwll =Burry Port — Kidwelly — Llandylaelog — Croesyceiliog —Carmarthen ........................33 miles (1,831 miles).

67.  Carmarthen —Cwrt Malle — Ffynnon — Pont-ddu — 5t Clears — New Mill — Cwmbrwyn — Pendine — Marros Sands — Telpyn
Point — Amroth — Wiseman’s Bridge — Saunderstfoot .................. 28 mies (1,859 miles).

68.  Saundersfoot — Monkstone Point — Tenby — Giltar Point — Lydstep — Manorbier ..............14 miles  (1,873 miles).

69. Manorbier — Freshwater East — Barafundle Bay — Broad Haven — St Govan’s Head — Elegug Stacks — Castlemartin — Freshwater West — Angle .....................26 miles (1,899 miles).

70. Angle — Angle Bay — Bullwell — Lambeeth — Hundleton —Pembroke — Neyland Bridge — Llanstadwell — Milford Haven —
Hubberston ........................ 25 miles (1,924 miles.)

71. Hubberston — Herbrandston — Sandy Haven — Dale — St Ann’s Head — Marloes Sands — Martin's Haven.................................. 24 miles (1,948 miles).

72.  Martin’s Haven — St Brides Haven — Little Haven — Broad Haven — Nolton — Newgale —Solva........ 26 miles (1,974).

72. Solva — Caerfai Bay — Porth-clais — Ramscy Sound — St Justinian’s Life Boat Station —- Whitesand Bay — Penberry —
Abereiddy — Porthgain — Trevine ......................29 miles (2,003 miles).

73.   Trevine — Abercastle — Aber-Mawr — Pwillderi — Strumble Head — Carregwastad Point —Goodwick — Fishguard ..................22 miles (2,025 miles.)

74. Fishguard — Penrhyn — Dinas Head — Fforest Bay — Newport— Pwll-coch — Cetbwr Bay — Cemaes Head — Poppit Sands —
St Dogmaels — Cardigan ..................33 miles (2,058 miles).

75.  Cardigan —Gwbert-on-Sea— Verwig — Felinwynt— Parellyn— Aberporth — Tresaith — Penbryn Beach — Llangranog — Pendinas — Ciliau —Cwmtudu— New Quay ..............28 miles (2,086 miles).

76.  New Quay — Little Quay Bay — Lhwyncelyn — Ffos-y-flin — Aberacron ...................10 miles  (2,096 miles.)

77.  Aberaeron — Aberarth — Llanon — Llanrhystud —'Tynbwich — Morfa Bychan — Aberystwyth ........20 miles (2,116 miles).

78. Aberystwyth — Clarach Bay — Wallog — Borth — Ynyslas — Tre’r-ddél — Furnace — Dovey Junction Station — Gogarth Halt — Penhelig — Aberdovey ................25 miles (2,141 miles).

79.  Aberdovey — Bron-y-Mér — Aber Dysynni — ‘lonfanau — Llangelynin — Llwyngwril — Fairbourne — Morfa Mawddach Station — Toll Bridge — Barmouth — Llanaber — Tal-y-Bont — Dyffryn — Llanbedr ..........28 miles (2,169 miles.)

80. Llanbedr — Llanfair — Harlech — Llanfihangel-y-traethau — Llandecwyn Station — ‘Voll Bridge — Penrhyndendraeth — Minflordd — ‘Toll Bridge — Portmadoc — Morfa Bychan — Criccieth — Llanystumdwy — Afon Wen — Butlin’s Camp ..................... 26 miles (2,195 miles).

81.  Butlin’s Camp — Pwllheli — ‘l'raeth Crugan — Llanbedrog — Abersoch — Marchros = Llanengan— Hell’s Mouth —‘Treheli—
Blawdty — Aberdaron ................. 28 miles (2,223 miles.)

82. Aberdaron— Port Meudwy —Gwyddel — Llanllawen—Anelog —Carreg — Porthor (Whistling Sands) — Port lago — Porth ‘ly-
Mawr— Porth Colmon— Porth Vowyn— Porth Dinllaen— Porth Nefyn — Nefyn............ 24 miles (2,247 miles.)

83.  Nefyn — Pistyll — Craig Dda — ‘Trevor — Gurn Goch — Clynnog- fawr—Aberdesach— Pontlyfni—Penygroes — Valysarn—Nanlle — Drws-y-Coed — Llyn Cwellyn — Snowdon Ranger Youth Hostel ................. 27 mies (2,274 miles).

84. Snowdon Ranger Youth Hostel — Snowdon Ranger Path — Snowdon — Snowdon Ranger Youth Hostel — Drwy-y-Coed — Nantle — Talysarn — Penygroes — Dinas Dinlle ..................25 miles (2,299 miles.)

85. Dinas Dinlle — Morfa Dinlle — Saron — Ysgubor Isaf — Caernarvon — Port Dinorwic — Menai Bridge — Bangor .......................... 21 miles (2,320 miles).

86.  Bangor — Penrhyn Castle — Aber — Llanfairfechan — Penmaenmawr — Penmaen-bach Point — Conwy Morta — Bodlondeb — Conwy = Deganwy = Llandudno ..................26 miles (2,346 miles.)

87.  Llandudno (West) — Marine Drive (Great Onnes Head) — Llandudno (East) — Penrhyn — Rhos-on-Sea — Colwyn Bay — Llanddulas — Abergele Roads — Kinmel Bay — Rhyl ...............26 mies (2,372 miles)

88.  Rhyl — Prestatyn — Point of Ayr— Coal Mine — Ffynnongroew — Mostyn — Greenfield — Bagillt — Flint — Oakenholt ................25 miles (2,397 miles).

89.  Oakenholt —-Connah’s Quay —Shotton—Queensterry Bridge — BSS Shotton — Burton Point = Denhall House Farm = Little Neston — Neston — Wirral Way -— Parkgate — Heswall — Thurstaston — Galdy — West Kirby...... ...23 miles (2,420 miles).

90.  West Kirby — Hovlake — Mockbeggar Wharl— New Brighton — Egremont— Birkenhead — ‘Tranmere — Rock Ferry — New Ferry - Port Sunlight — Bromborough — Eastham — Overpool — Ellesmere Port —Stanlow — Elton .........30 miles (2,450 miles).,

 

 

The grandeur of Cardigan Bay and Llŷn Peninsula

We hope visitors to this page are left with an overwhelming impression of the whole sweep of Cardigan Bay and the Llŷn Peninsula. These regions offer unparalleled natural beauty, from expansive sandy beaches to rugged headlands, embodying the wild and untamed spirit of the Welsh coast.

From sea to Snowdon: an unexpected ascent

During the northern section of this stage, I temporarily left the coast for a significant detour: to ascend Snowdon, the highest peak in England and Wales. This involved a challenging 30-mile return walk, from sea level to the summit and back again. The conditions on the summit were freezing, with icicles everywhere. The cold was so intense that I had to run down the mountain to warm myself up before returning to the coast to continue my journey northward towards England. It was a truly unforgettable and invigorating personal challenge within the broader coastal walk.

The magnificent Welsh coastline

The most memorable and unique challenge of this stage is undoubtedly walking the entirety of the Welsh coastline. This includes the breathtaking Pembrokeshire Coast Path, renowned for its dramatic cliffs and pristine beaches, and the sweeping vistas around Cardigan Bay. It's a continuous journey through diverse landscapes that truly sets this stage apart from the others.