View of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path. This location is Marloes peninsula
**Pembrokeshire Coast Path** (Welsh: *Llwybr Arfordir Sir Benfro*) (also called the **Pembrokeshire Coastal Path**) is a National Trail in Pembrokeshire in the Wales, in the United Kingdom. It is a footpath that anyone can walk anytime for free. It was made a footpath in 1970. It is 186 miles (299 km) long. The highest place on the path is Pen yr afr. It is 574 feet (175 m) high. It's lowest place is Sandy Haven crossing. It is 6 feet (2 m) low at the water. The path goes along coast and people walking on the path will see the water most of the time. 

The path starts at Amroth and goes north to Poppit Sands. A plaque is located at Poppit Sands. The path used to stop, or start, at Poppit Sands. Now it goes to St. Dogmaels. At St. Dogmaels the path connects to another path called the Ceredigion Coast Path. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path is a part of the Wales Coast Path.

History
-------

The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park was founded in 1952. After it was founded, Ronald Lockley did a survey for a path on the coastline. The region was very rural. There were villages on the coastline but communication between other villages was very hard. People often used boats to visit each other. Lockey reported on this in 1953. He suggested that a footpath be created to help. Most of the places the path would go through were public space, so anyone could walk on them without any problems. Other parts were owned by people, so you could not walk on the path without asking. They asked the owners if it was okay to use their land for the paths and most people said it as ok. There are still some areas of the path that go in strange directions because path users cannot walk on the private land. It took 17 years to build the path. 100 footbridges and 479 stiles were built. Thousands of stairs were built into the ground.

The path was opened on May 16, 1970 by Wynford Vaughan-Thomas. It was 180 miles (290 km) long. Now it is 186 miles (299 km).

Description
-----------

The footpath at Poppit Sands
Most of the path is located in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. The path goes along the Irish Sea. There are many different types of geological and environmental areas. There are headlands, cliffs, coves, glacial valleys, and more. The path goes by 58 beaches and 14 harbors.

Most of the path is easy to walk. There is one part that goes 35,000 feet (11,000 m) high. There are two areas near the water that it passes which sometimes get flooded. These parts are at Dale and Sandy Haven. The path goes through some towns and villages. These include Tenby, St Davids, Solva and Newport.

Connected trails
----------------

There are some trails that connect to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. They are:

* Cilgerran Gorge Circular Walk
* Brunel Way Walk
* Llys-y-Frân Circular Walk

Geology
-------

The rocks under the path are over 300 million years old. The look of the land that the path goes along is the effect of the Ice Age. There are a variety of different types of rocks one can see on the path: igneous, pre-Cambrian, and more.

Wildlife
--------

Walkers on the path can see wild flowers during the seasons of Spring and Summer. There are a lot of birds. Many of the birds are seabirds. There are also porpoises, dolphins, and seals in the water off the path.

Ancient history
---------------

There are historical sites on the path that date back to Neolithic times. There are places where there used to be hut circles. There are former places that people lived in during the Bronze Age and Iron Age. Most of the land near the path is farmed and people also fish off the path like they did in ancient times, but with modern tools.

The path goes past Sandy Haven beach.

Awards
------

The path was named the second best *National Geographic's* place to visit on a coast in 2011. The beaches along the path are famous also and have won over 300 awards for their quality, environmentalism and beauty.[*not in the source given*]

Other websites
--------------

* Pembrokeshire Coast Path on the National Trails website