The tranquil seaside hamlets of Portgain and Abereiddi feel about as far away from heavy industry as you possibly get. But it wasn’t always like this and back in the late 19th-century, both would have been bustling with activity. Porthgain specialised in brick-making and the crushing of rock, and the remnants of the old storage hoppers as well as a few of the quarry buildings still stand to this day. Abereiddi was also built around quarrying and the workers’ cottages and a few lime kilns still line the beach. But this short walk is all about magnificent coastal scenery and it really doesn’t come any better. Rugged cliffs lead from Porthgain to the wonderfully secluded Traeth Llfyn, and shortly after that, the coast path drops to the spectacular lookout tower above Abereiddi. If you’re in a rush you could probably get around in little over an hour, but explore the beaches, the headlands and the ruins, and it could easily last all day.
Distance: 3.5 miles (5.6km)
Time: 2 hours
Start & finish: Free car park in Porthgain SM815325
Paths: Coast path and then muddy footpaths over fields. Finishing on good tracks and quiet roads.
Maps: OS Explorer (1:25 000) OL35 North Pembrokeshire) Landranger (1:50 000) 157 St. David’s & Haverfordwest)
TIC: The St David’s Visitor Centre – 01437 720385
Your route
Head down to the quay and then bear left to walk in front of the Shed Bistro to the far side of the quay. Continue towards the sea beneath the tumbledown storage hoppers and when you reach a small white cottage, turn left to climb steps all the way up onto the coast path. Turn right to head towards the headland and continue towards more ruined buildings where you’ll easily make out the straight lines of a dismantled railway. Stay on the main path as it rounds Porth Egr – a deep cleft in the cliffs with a fine beach beneath it, and continue to the next headland, where it swings left again.
Porthgain Quay
Keep ahead now, passing steps that give easy and safe access to the beautiful and usually deserted beach of Traeth Llfyn, and climbing up to a gate, where you need to bear right above the far end of the beach. Continue up onto the next headland, Carn Lwyd, which offers wonderful views ahead to Trwyn Castell and Abereiddi Tower.
Blue Lagoon, Abereiddi
Continue towards Abereiddi, where you can bear right to visit the tower if you wish. Despite its rather gothic looks, the tower was probably built as a navigation marker to guide boats looking for the quay. Although another possibility is that it is nothing more than a folly built for quarry bosses’ wives to enjoy afternoon tea. There are also signs of a much earlier promontory fort on the headland. Continue down towards Abereiddi where you’ll soon see the rather stunning ‘Blue Lagoon’ down to your right.
This azure coloured pool was formed when the main slate quarry flooded in a storm in 1904. Continue down to the beach, where you’ll see the remains of lime kilns and worker’s cottages. Keep left as the path bears right towards the beach and go through a gate towards the public conveniences. Keep these to your left and go through another gate into a field.
Abereiddi
Keep to the left hand edge of the field, climbing steadily with gorse bushes to your left, and you’ll cross the line of the old railway that once took slate from Abereiddi to Porthgain. Continue to the top and cross a stile then keep straight ahead to pass a wall corner to another stile. Here, ignore a path that runs left back towards the coast and instead bear right to continue along the edge of the field, to another junction of paths where you take the broad farm track ahead.
Abereiddi
This leads to Barry Island Farm where you keep straight ahead, keeping the farm buildings to the right. Continue along the drive and down into a dip, where you bear around to the left at a junction. This then climbs easily up to join the road, where you turn left to return to Porthgain.
Sloop Inn, Porthgain
Words & Pictures: Tom Hutton
First published in Welsh Country Magazine 2008
