![Coast at Martin's Haven. Pembrokeshire, Wales](http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Travel/Pix/pictures/2012/5/3/1336048191732/Coast-at-Martins-Haven.-P-008.jpg)
Dale to Martin's Haven, Pembrokeshire, 10 miles
The Pembrokeshire path was Wales's first national trail, established in 1970, and this quiet corner of the county is a perfect introduction to the drama of the Welsh coast.
Starting at the Griffin Inn (griffininndale.co.uk) in Dale, head round St Ann's Head, savouring the grand views of Milford Haven, a natural harbour used since medieval times. Swim in the sea at Watwick Bay, Westdale Bay or Marloes Sands.
Henry Tudor (later Henry VII) landed at Mill Bay just east of St Anne's Head in 1485, ending his exile in France. Spend the night on Skomer (welshwildlife.org/skomer), a haven for sea birds. The wild flowers in May are spectacular. Accommodation is basic but the sense of remoteness is memorable (bit.ly/IlA2eZ, £30-£60pp in a twin room, under-13s half price).
• Further information on this walk
Aberaeron to New Quay, Ceredigion, 6½ miles
In Aberaeron, the Harbourmaster Hotel (harbour-master.com, doubles in historic buildings nearby from £110 a night B&B) was once a rowdy whalers' inn and is now the epitome of Welsh chic-on-sea. The small port is an ordered delight, with Georgian houses lining the harbour.
Between May and September, look out for bottlenose dolphins. The path takes you through an exquisite wood in Cwm Buwch, at the edge of which a waterfall tumbles onto a deserted beach. Reward yourself with a dip in the sea at New Quay, or a pint in the Black Lion (blacklionnewquay.co.uk), one of several former local haunts of Dylan Thomas.
For an extra jaunt, visit the villa, gardens and farm at Llanerchaeron (nationaltrust.org.uk/llanerchaeron), designed by a young John Nash in 1795 – it's two-and-a-half-miles inland from Aberaeron.
• Further information on this walk
Ogmore-by-Sea to Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, 10 miles
This section of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast path along the Bristol Channel offers wonderful views of Ogmore Castle to the north and south across the water to Exmoor. If the tide is low, you can walk along the beach for two miles, south from Dunraven Bay, avoiding a longer detour inland. At Nash Point, head away from the sea through a wooded cwm to reach the Plough and Harrow in Monknash (ploughandharrow.org). In the 14th century, the site was a grange, or satellite farm – the Vale of Glamorgan is famously rich farmland – attached to the Cistercian abbey in Neath. Today, it's an excellent pub, renowned for its real ales and ciders, and its food (book a table at the weekends; there's usually a gig on Saturday nights).
Near Llantwit Major, the St Donat's Arts Centre (stdonats.com) – in an old tithe barn within St Donats Castle, formerly a home of William Randolph Hearst – puts on regular concerts, plays and exhibitions. You could leave the car here in the morning, catch the bus to Ogmore and arrive back for a performance in the evening. Stay at the Bear Hotel (bearhotel.com) in Cowbridge a few miles inland, or in a tipi beside the castle ruins in Ogmore-by-Sea (tipiwales.co.uk).
• Further information on this walk
Moelfre to Red Wharf Bay/Traeth-Coch, Anglesey, 6 miles
Following cliff-top paths and crossing sandy beaches, this walk winds along the north coast of Anglesey from Moelfre (where there's a memorial to the Royal Charter, a huge iron clipper wrecked here in the 19th century). Sleep overlooking the Irish Sea at Arlanfor (arlanfor.co.uk, doubles from £75 a night) a cosy B&B in Moelfre. Look out for seals and dolphins, stop for a dip at Traeth Bychan, and marvel at Castell Mawr, a huge lump of limestone at the northern end of Traeth-Coch (or Red Wharf Bay).
Enjoy lunch or a pint at the Ship Inn (shipinnredwharfbay.co.uk), overlooking the grand expanse of beach at Traeth-Coch. Inland you could take in the Oriel Kyffin Williams gallery at Llangefni (kyffinwilliams.info), part of the bigger Oriel Ynys Môn art complex. One of Wales's most celebrated artists, Williams was born and lived most his life on Anglesey: his art is ingrained with the place. Every September many local artists open their studios as part of Helfa Gelf, or Art Trail (helfagelf.org/en).
• Further information on this walk
Rhossili to Port Eynon, The Gower, 7 miles
A magnificent section of wild coastline, along the extremity of one of Britain's most beautiful peninsulas, the Gower. Catch the bus from Port Eynon to Rhossili and walk down towards Worm's Head – where Dylan Thomas claimed he used to take his "devils for an airing" while walking. If the tide is low (check at the National Coastwatch station – nci.org.uk/wormshead), you can walk the mile to the very end of Worm's Head. There are superb views down the golden expanse of Rhossili, a well-known surf beach, before you turn south east. Follow limestone cliffs and skirt sheltered bays, past ancient earthworks. Even in summer you may well have the path to yourself.
Reward yourself with very good fish and chips at the Captain's Table in Port Eynon (01792 390980). Stay at Kennoxstone Camping and Touring Park (gowercamping.co.uk, pitches from £13). Note: some campsites on the Gower attract crews of young surfers who party into the night. This is a specifically family-friendly site a few miles inland from Rhosilli Bay.
• Further information on this walk
![](http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2010/03/01/poweredbyguardianBLACK.png)