Global Adventure - Hike the Pembrokeshire Coast Path National Trail

Arrive at Heathrow airport by no later than 5:00 PM on June 2. We’ll spend the first night at a hotel near Heathrow airport and travel together in a chartered bus to our starting point in Amroth, Wales on June 3. We’ll start the trek on June 4.  Treks on June 4-12 will take us to St Davids, where we’ll have a rest day, perfect for exploring the historic city, its cathedral, or exploring by boat the local wildlife reserve islands nearby (at your own expense). Trekking on June 14-18 will bring us to St Dogmaels and the end of the trip. Return home on the following day via a chartered bus to Heathrow, from which you can travel home or continue elsewhere.

Itinerary Highlights:   

Following our arrival in Amroth on June 3, 2024, we’ll have an orientation and an included welcome dinner in the resort town of Amroth. The trek itself begins on June 4 and takes one south along the shore of Carmarthen Bay, along the beach at Tenby and Lydstep, past views of Caldey Island, and on to lodging at Manorbier (16.5 mi., 1930’ gain). The second day trends west along the southern coast of Pembrokeshire, dipping down to low cliffs at Stackpole Head, and inland to lodging at Bosherston (10.5, 1310’). The next day returns to the south coast and then heads inland to skirt the military installation at Castlemartin Ranges, before returning to the coast and rounding the peninsula at Angle, where we lodge for the night (15.5, 1280’). The following day takes us along the south shore of Milford Haven, past a major energy facility, and into the town of Pembroke and lodging (11.5, 850’).

The next day, June 8, we cross the Pembroke and Cleddau rivers, pass through Pembroke Dock, and continue along the north shore of Milford Haven to lodging in the town of Milford Haven (11.5, 1230’). Next, we tour west along the north shore of the Haven, past Stack Rock Fort, and into Dale, where we stay for the night (10.5, 640'). The next trek heads south to St Anne’s Head and its lighthouse, and then north to round Wooltack Point, and east to lodging at Marloe’s (13.0, 1350'). The following day, we head north on a low bank past St Brides, up again and north to Norton Haven (13.0, 1500'). Next, we trek north and then west around St Brides Bay to lodging at St David’s (14.5, 1770').

June 13 is a rest day, with opportunities to explore St Davids, see its cathedral, or take an excursion (at your own expense) to or around nearby islands, which harbor considerable avian wildlife.

We’re back on the trek again for a short day, hiking past Ramsey Island to Porth Mawr/Whitesands Bay (7.0, 770'). The next day trends northeast, looking out to St George’s Channel, with Ireland fifty miles distant, to lodging at Abercastle (14.0, 2140'). Next, we turn north to the lighthouse at Stumble Head and then east and south to Goodwick/Fishguard (16.5, 2310'). The next day’s trek travels along Fishguard Bay and Newport Bay, high above the water only at Dinas Island, to Newport (11.5, 2110'). Our final day, June 18 is a big one, with two climbs (475’ sand 550’), northeast along the coast to Cemaes Head and then southeast to St Dogmaels (15.0, 2940'). We’ll finish our trip with a farewell dinner in St Dogmaels before heading to bed. We return via charter to Heathrow to head home—or travel on!—the next day.

In order to complete the entire trip, we will maintain close to a two-miles-per-hour pace, while moving, with regular, short breaks and a longer lunch. (Some days we will have more leisure, of course.)   While there is a rest day after day nine of the trek, it is possible to call a taxi for a transfer to the next stop any day without walking the trail, in case of fatigue or minor injury. All of the stops are within a 30-minute taxi ride.  Should weather make trekking too unpleasant or unsafe (which can happen with some frequency on this route), we will be able to use local shuttles or taxis to skip a segment of the trip and head to the day’s lodging.

Time of Year:  In  June, the average highs are in the low-to-mid 60s and lows near 50°F. Rain is common, but light (0.1-0.2” per day). The high seasons for this trip are May and August.

Lodging:   Lodging in B&Bs, inns, hotels, and guesthouses near the trail, with taxi transfers included for lodging further from the trail.

Food:   Breakfasts are included and, depending on the lodging, may include full cooked breakfast (typically with sausage, bacon, black pudding, eggs, beans, sautéed mushroom, and fried tomatoes), a “Full Welsh” breakfast (with traditional laverbread, which is fried seaweed and oats), or continental options (cereals or porridge, yogurt, fruit, perhaps smoked fish). Vegetarian or vegan cooked breakfasts can also be served. Lunches (not included in the trip price) can be purchased from some lodgings or assembled from options in local shops. Dinner (mostly not included in the trip price) can be provided by the lodging or a nearby pub or restaurant. It is likely that some vegetarian or vegan meals will be available.

Leader’s Experience:   The leader (Mike Kretzler, mkretzler@comcast.net or makretzler@gmail.com) has decades of hiking and backpacking experience in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain West. He has led scores of hikes and backpacks for the Mountaineers, including trips to the Olympic Coast, in the Olympic Mountains, and to the Snake River Canyon. He’s organized three private, international hut-to-hut treks (Alps, Corsica, and Pyrenees) and been on three Global Adventures trips to Patagonia. His professional experience includes 27 years managing IT staff for Washington State. This is his first Global Adventure as leader.

Participant Requirements:   Participants must be current Mountaineers members with a waiver on file. They should have excellent fitness and stamina. Though only day gear will be carried, the trip requires long trips on successive days, with many small ups and downs (maximum elevation is 560’). Must demonstrate recent strenuous backpacking or trekking over multiple days, and the ability to get along well in group situations, based on recent trip experience. To participate in this adventure, participants must carry international medical and evacuation insurance.  NOTE:  Your leader makes most of the arrangements and provides logistics support during the trip but is NOT a tour guide!  As a Mountaineers group we will operate as interdependent, capable travelers making our way together and helping one another succeed and be safe. 

NOTE:  Participants must be fully vaccinated and at least one booster for COVID-19 to participate in the trip.  In addition, participants are expected to practice conservative covid behavior before and during transit to the trip including masking and avoiding crowded indoor spaces whenever possible; and that they will carry covid self-tests on the trip and use them at any time when they experience a symptom commonly related to covid.  Any positive test will mean that the participant will need to leave the group and quarantine at their own expense for at least 5 days (or longer if not symptom free) before flying home.

Trip Price Detail:   $3900. This price includes lodging and breakfasts along the trail, charter transfers between Heathrow and the Coast Path endpoints at Amroth and St Dogmaels, the welcome and farewell dinners, and luggage transfers between lodging points each day. Also included are maps with the route marked on and a guidebook or route notes describing the trail and an information pack containing an itinerary, instructions on how to find your accommodation each night, and a kit list.  A considerable budget contingency is reflected in the price due to uncertain exchange rates, and it's possible that the final payment could be reduced  if the contingency isn't needed.

Excluded from the trip price are travel to the UK, lunches and most dinners, and optional excursions along the way.

Registration Instructions:   This trip requires that prospective participants submit an application form (below), which will be reviewed by the leader. After receiving the leader’s approval, you may then register from the trip listing by clicking the REGISTER button and paying an $1950 deposit. The deposit holds your place on the roster. Registration closes when the roster fills. After registering, participants must complete a Trip Agreement and Release Form and arrange for international medical and evacuation insurance for the trip. The final payment date will be set later.

Application     Trip Agreement     Release

Supplemental Information

Cancellation Policy:   If you cancel before March 1, 2024, you will receive a refund of your payments less a $350 cancelation fee. If you cancel between March 2 and April 20, 2024, you will receive a refund of 50% of your payments minus a $100 cancelation fee. If you cancel between April 21 and May 17, 2024, you will receive a refund of 25% of your payments minus a $100 cancelation fee. If you cancel after May 17, 2024, you will not be eligible for a refund. The above penalties (other than the $100 cancelation fee) may be waived if someone takes your place on the adventure before May 17, 2024.