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Day 1: From the boardwalk in the town of Aberystwyth, hike 17 miles to Morben Isaf Touring Park (morbenisaf.co.uk/default.aspx) near Dovey Junction (a one-mile detour).
Day 2: 16 miles to Aberdovey (Awel y mor B&B; awelymor-aberdovey.co.uk/).
Day 3: 16 miles to Cae Du Camping Park (.3 mile off the trail; 01654 711234).
Day 4: 13 miles to Coast Caravan and Camping (hendremynach.co.uk/) or a guesthouse in Barmouth.
Day 5: 11 miles to Shell Island Camping Park (shellisland.co.uk/).
Day 6: 15 miles to Barcdy Camping Park (barcdy.co.uk/) near Llandecwyn.
Day 7: 13 miles to Porthmadog.
WALES COAST PATH TRIP PLANNER
GET THERE Fly to Manchester, England. All trail towns are accessible via rail and bus: traveline-cymru.org.uk.
SEASON Spring through fall. Summer is best; pack for rain and cold anytime.
WHERE TO STAY Save money by camping at near-trail caravan parks (first-come, first-serve; about $15-$20/night). Hostels and B&Bs let you go lighter and offer a respite if bad weather sets in ($70/night and up, reserve three months in advance for July and August). Expect to pay cash at most places. Favorite stops: Hamilton Lodge in Fishguard (hamiltonbackpackers.co.uk/); Cae Du (.3 mile off the trail near Rhoslefain; 01654 711234); Pwll Deri (on trail just south of Strumble Head Lighthouse; http://www.yha.org.uk/hostel/pwll-deri). Note: Youth Hostel Association lodges have a 3-for-4 WCP deal—stay three nights and get the fourth night free.
MAPS AND GUIDES WCP maps 41-54 for Aberystwyth to Porthmadog; maps 62-73 for St. Dogmaels to Dale (free; walescoastpath.gov.uk). One (Isle of Anglesey) of six official WCP Guidebooks is available (northerneyebooks.com); Pembrokeshire Coast Path—Trail Guide by Brian John ($20; aurumpress.co.uk).
BEST PUBS Aberystwyth’s Scholars Pub (trip 1, day 1); Trefin’s Ship Inn (trip 2, day 3); Porthgain’s The Sloop Inn (trip 2, day 4)
INFO walescoastpath.gov.uk
Mapped by Barney Mann
Position Format:
Datum:
Tracks
WCP_AB_PG_01
Distance: 99.71 mi
Points: 9042
Calories: none
Total Time: none
Speed: 0.0 mph
Pace: 0:00 / mi
Active Time: none
Speed: 0.0 mph
Pace: 0:00 / mi
Wales Coastal Path: Aberystwyth to Porthmadog
Points of Interest
001
Location: 52.413744, -4.089836
30-JUN-12 9:42:27AM: Start at the Castle ruins on bluff in Aberystwyth.
002
Location: 52.424950, -4.082567
30-JUN-12 10:15:49AM Top of Constitution Hill. The world's largest Camera Obscura is located here. Check open times.
003
Location: 52.439677, -4.080968
30-JUN-12 10:58:13AM First gate.
004
Location: 52.490025, -4.051397
30-JUN-12 1:06:35PM Leave Borth to head inland. Near train station.
Location: 52.488323, -4.039121
30-JUN-12 1:30:36PM: Bridal trail junction. A hundred feet later is the first climbing stile.
007
Location: 52.487803, -4.033139
30-JUN-12 1:44:18PM Bridge with gates at each end.
008
Location: 52.489993, -4.021254
30-JUN-12 2:22:42PM First place, of many, where I lost the trail. This 100 miles is made up of much new trail, with some interspersed older trail sections. On new trail, a few times each day, the printed WCP map wouldn't be clear enough there wouldn't be a WCP sign/symbol where you needed one, or both, and I'd realize a 100 yards, a third of a mile later, I was not longer on the WPC. Here I went straight east and then north along the next fence line before returning. Also here was the start of an emergency alternate route. I didn't see a laminated alternate route map. So I continued ahead and swam a canal at the next waypoint.
009
Location: 52.491997, -4.023173
30-JUN-12 2:23:21PM I swam a canal here. There is a perfectly good bridge entirely on dry land on the other side. the bridge has a WPC symbol on it. There was severe flooding in this salt marsh two weeks beforehand.
010
Location: 52.496160, -4.000568
The temporary emergency closure section ended here and the alternate WCP re-joined. A laminated alternate route map hung on a post here.
011
Location: 52.504669, -3.980943
30-JUN-12 3:56:43PM Right turn
012
Location: 52.504138, -3.979636
30-JUN-12 3:59:17PM Nicely signed left turn.
013
Location: 52.504359, -3.978785
30-JUN-12 4:01:37PM Turn left onto main highway.
013a
Location: 52.513107, -3.975327
I missed this right turn off the road onto the WCP. So I roadwalked for a mile (dangerous) before taking a dirt road south and (luckily) hitting the WCP at Waypoint 14.
014
Location: 52.525925, -3.961862
30-JUN-12 4:45:29PM Crosses a gravel road.
015
Location: 52.526024, -3.955020
30-JUN-12 4:58:25PM Gate and small creek.
016
Location: 52.526877, -3.952748
30-JUN-12 5:02:22PM Gate, bridge and creek.
017
Location: 52.528925, -3.949855
30-JUN-12 5:08:02PM Three gates, two bridges and cross jeep track.
018
Location: 52.528984, -3.946858
30-JUN-12 5:17:51PM Gate and bridge.
019
Location: 52.530079, -3.945112
30-JUN-12 5:26:59PM Do not go through older, unlabeled gate in stone wall. Hike up along stone wall to lettuce field to find next WCP medallion.
019a
Location: 52.529897, -3.946404
Do not go through old, unlabeled fence here. Stay on this side of stone fence to 20 where there is a WCP medallion.
Location: 52.569940, -3.911628
01-JUL-12 6:09:51AM Morben Isaf Caravan Park. We tent camped here. 15 pounds for two. A mile off the trail.
034
Location: 52.561619, -3.904793
01-JUL-12 6:45:27AM Junction where we left the trail for Morben Isaf Caravan Park and camping.
035
Location: 52.560654, -3.896859
01-JUL-12 7:00:12AM Gate. Waterfall to left. Beautiful valley with clear pools for skinny dipping (if only the sun was out and it was noon not early morning).
036
Location: 52.562158, -3.874185
01-JUL-12 7:28:24AM Gate at end of valley.
Location: 52.575285, -3.863195
01-JUL-12 8:07:07AM Turn right into open field with no clear path. We went too far to our left up near back of hose, but the WCP-baleled gate is at 42.
042
Location: 52.575707, -3.861680
01-JUL-12 8:21:38AM Stile. Turn left onto road.
043
Location: 52.583422, -3.861038
01-JUL-12 8:40:37AM Leave paved road. Right onto dirt track. Wonderful view of Machynlleth.
044
Location: 52.587152, -3.856405
01-JUL-12 8:53:56AM Join main road into Machynlleth. From 43 to 44 on an older trail.
045
Location: 52.590613, -3.853308
01-JUL-12 10:07:06AM Clock tower in Machynlleth.
046
Location: 52.600769, -3.855884
01-JUL-12 10:25:37AM Cross highway bridge and turn left. The WCP medallion on the non-street side of the bridge wall. How would you ever see it.
047
Location: 52.600296, -3.859829
01-JUL-12 10:30:15AM Right turn off highway onto smaller paved track uphill.
048
Location: 52.604007, -3.868081
01-JUL-12 10:47:55AM Hard left turn from paved track through gate onto dirt path.
049
Location: 52.604254, -3.874489
01-JUL-12 11:13:41AM Path hard to follow last few hundred yards. Back on WCP here.
050
Location: 52.605059, -3.877025
01-JUL-12 11:21:08AM Climbing stile, trail junction, go straight, not left or right. Up at 830 feet elevation.
051
Location: 52.605853, -3.880065
01-JUL-12 11:29:31AM Left turn onto gravel road.
052
Location: 52.603572, -3.885014
01-JUL-12 11:38:16AM Dirt road splits. Go straight, downhill. Here is where I saw my shadow for the first time today after much rain.
053
Location: 52.598361, -3.907735
01-JUL-12 12:16:40PM Junction with dirt road. Go straight.
054
Location: 52.595348, -3.915181
01-JUL-12 12:29:49PM Road junction. Begin paved road.
Location: 52.585902, -3.921632
01-JUL-12 12:46:26PM Right onto main highway. Cross bridge over river n Pennal.
057
Location: 52.585543, -3.923704
01-JUL-12 12:54:12PM Left off highway. Be careful, do not take first "walker" sign. Fifty yards farther is the WCP is the WCP sign.
058
Location: 52.581238, -3.926754
01-JUL-12 1:17:56PM Right turn.
58a
Location: 52.579448, -3.929707
ACTIVE LOG125209 Enter woods on path even though there is no WCP sign or medallion.
059
Location: 52.578920, -3.929740
01-JUL-12 1:43:14PM Next WCP sign.
Location: 52.577946, -3.932017
01-JUL-12 1:48:40PM Gate. Leave wood for meadow.
062
Location: 52.574665, -3.937858
01-JUL-12 1:59:44PM Gate after crossing vivid green pasture with no trail.
063
Location: 52.577888, -3.939485
01-JUL-12 2:06:45PM Hard left, 180 degrees, onto gravel road, then a hundred feet to a gate and turn right.
064
Location: 52.576501, -3.948280
01-JUL-12 2:19:17PM Cross main highway.
065
Location: 52.570920, -3.964153
01-JUL-12 2:43:06PM A "Y" junction. Go left.
066
Location: 52.561106, -4.021797
01-JUL-12 3:56:47PM The "Panorama Walk" path just goes n and on with views. Spectacular. And mostly not raining.
067
Location: 52.556633, -4.035720
01-JUL-12 4:22:22PM Big left turn to start descent into Aberdovey.
068
Location: 52.554319, -4.033641
01-JUL-12 4:27:53PM Leave road, go through gate on left.
069
Location: 52.552312, -4.037195
01-JUL-12 4:37:27PM Two stiles, small bridge and gate.
070
Location: 52.546946, -4.040111
01-JUL-12 4:51:48PM Left at stile.
071
Location: 52.544932, -4.041021
01-JUL-12 5:00:09PM Right turn onto Aberdovey street. From here there are a number of ways down onto Aberdovey seaside.
072
Location: 52.543907, -4.048275
01-JUL-12 5:11:30PM One of many B&Bs to stay at in Aberdovey.
073
Location: 52.543587, -4.045866
02-JUL-12 8:50:31AM Start of beach walk at gate.
074
Location: 52.546782, -4.072888
02-JUL-12 9:27:13AM Old cement bunker with first beach WCP medallion.
075
Location: 52.571840, -4.091254
02-JUL-12 10:20:05AM WCP medallions on post n beach.
076
Location: 52.580453, -4.098016
02-JUL-12 10:38:48AM Start of Tywyn. Leave trail here to take road to visit Thomas the Tank Engine's friends at narrow gauge railroad. ONe mile. True.
077
Location: 52.583671, -4.088779
02-JUL-12 10:59:03AM Tallyllyn Train Station. Rev. Awdry based some of his "Thomas the Tank Engine books on this station and on these engines.
Location: 52.600157, -4.096679
02-JUL-12 12:32:31PM Between 82 and 83 the trail was hard to follow. This line approximates the right path. I didn't find it and stomped through salt march.
084
Location: 52.600479, -4.090623
02-JUL-12 12:41:40PM Left turn.
085
Location: 52.610312, -4.072214
02-JUL-12 1:15:46PM Right turn.
086
Location: 52.609775, -4.055937
02-JUL-12 1:35:43PM Hard left turn.
Location: 52.611849, -4.095583
02-JUL-12 2:41:14PM Left turn from one single lane paved road to another.
089
Location: 52.608281, -4.112719
02-JUL-12 3:04:53PM Enter quarry and proceed uphill.
090
Location: 52.609926, -4.112045
02-JUL-12 3:10:09PM Left turn. Not marked, but correct.
091
Location: 52.611058, -4.112513
02-JUL-12 3:15:06PM Gate onto new cut trail. Vegetation is trying to reassert ownership.
092
Location: 52.615125, -4.111128
02-JUL-12 3:29:08PM Walk along stone wall above pasture.
093
Location: 52.619634, -4.108452
02-JUL-12 3:44:20PM High point of stone wall walk.
094
Location: 52.623621, -4.111312
02-JUL-12 3:53:55PM Two gates. Walk through front yard of old stone house.
095
Location: 52.628018, -4.109268
02-JUL-12 4:08:44PM Left turn. Leave short stretch of paved road.
096
Location: 52.632058, -4.109291
02-JUL-12 4:22:40PM Gate after open pasture.
097
Location: 52.633365, -4.108606
02-JUL-12 4:27:17PM Cross highway onto smaller road across street. Cae Du seaside caravan park and camping is .5 miles to west.
098
Location: 52.632643, -4.118253
02-JUL-12 6:40:35PM Cae Du seaside Caravan park and Tenting. Small sign on main road. KNock on door farm house to pay. Great site.
100
Location: 52.633657, -4.106954
03-JUL-12 6:04:53AM Right turn onto small dirt road.
101
Location: 52.634579, -4.101249
03-JUL-12 6:19:05AM Left turn onto small paved road.
Location: 52.644752, -4.101610
03-JUL-12 6:46:23AM Tall stile over stone fence. Bay is visible to north.
104
Location: 52.649809, -4.100653
03-JUL-12 7:02:59AM Gate after series of gates through pastures. Wonderful views. Rainbow this morning.
104a
Location: 52.651656, -4.101527
Make a hard right and stay along fence line, not a soft right and go through pasture as we did here. We re-joined WCP at 105.
105
Location: 52.652689, -4.098789
03-JUL-12 7:20:08AM Last gate make a hard right along fence, not a soft right into pasture. After climbing stone wall we are back on WCP here.
106
Location: 52.653471, -4.096902
03-JUL-12 7:31:22AM Gap in stone fence with no WCP marking.
107
Location: 52.654689, -4.094764
03-JUL-12 7:37:57AM STile over fence down to stream.
108
Location: 52.655591, -4.094736
03-JUL-12 7:43:35AM High metal sign on metal post. Stile and then down to road.
109
Location: 52.654221, -4.091556
03-JUL-12 7:52:18AM Leave small paved road. Left over stile.
Location: 52.689734, -4.037731
03-JUL-12 10:51:42AM Stile
119
Location: 52.692841, -4.042655
03-JUL-12 11:21:48AM WCP goes past front door of house. WCP medallion is on the gate a few feet from front door. Go through gate. I left in my quarter-mile mistaken downhill trek down road. This sort of thing happened a few times every day. The GPS track is cleaned up except for this and a few others left as examples.
120
Location: 52.694364, -4.044918
03-JUL-12 11:29:39AM Junction with road on outskirts of Fairbourne.
121
Location: 52.695260, -4.048641
03-JUL-12 11:34:57AM Ynys Faig Farm with "friendly camping" sites right along the WCP.
122
Location: 52.695948, -4.050717
03-JUL-12 11:38:42AM Train station, fish & chips.
123
Location: 52.704871, -4.057816
03-JUL-12 12:20:05PM Turn right past golf course.
124
Location: 52.708579, -4.031686
03-JUL-12 12:47:29PM Leave long causeway at railroad tracks and a hundred feet down cross tracks.
125
Location: 52.714295, -4.038172
03-JUL-12 12:59:33PM Start across Barmouth Railroad bridge. Toll is 90 pence for walkers. No one was there to collect. The sign at other end said on holiday and no toll.
126
Location: 52.719911, -4.051088
03-JUL-12 1:16:48PM Barmouth. First village or town that actually looks touristy.
127
Location: 52.721416, -4.057111
03-JUL-12 1:28:38PM "Las Vegas Amusements and Arcade."
127a
Location: 52.722622, -4.054921
The "Arousal Cafe." Wales legend says that it is supposed to be the Carousel Cafe, but that the "C" is stolen every time the owner tries to put it up. There actually is a faint "C" in the paint as if the letter had once been there.
Location: 52.736821, -4.070218
03-JUL-12 3:30:08PM Climb onto main highway and turn left.
131
Location: 52.767171, -4.088171
03-JUL-12 4:23:57PM Leave highway. Watch closely for sign and gate.
132
Location: 52.767144, -4.089764
03-JUL-12 4:31:22PM Two rock wall climbing stiles. Go past house. Not well marked.
133
Location: 52.773771, -4.098648
03-JUL-12 5:07:54PM Very confusing in this Caravan park. But the goal is the marked railroad crossing and that's not hard to find. Our not clean track is left in as an example.
134
Location: 52.773679, -4.097835
03-JUL-12 5:10:08PM Correct railroad crossing, not the larger one on road to the south.
135
Location: 52.775289, -4.092961
03-JUL-12 5:26:33PM Tal-y-bont. Good B&B here. Great Italian restaurant -- Tony's, right along the trail. Trail makes quick turn off road on both sides of the bridge.
136
Location: 52.776097, -4.107687
04-JUL-12 9:11:34AM We get off track on way to beach. There is one WCP medallion on top of a post here -- great for guiding helicopters, but not hikers. OUr track to beach is too far south of actual WCP.
137
Location: 52.775274, -4.112345
04-JUL-12 9:20:34AM Beach. WCP actual track comes in a bit further north.
138
Location: 52.782936, -4.122399
04-JUL-12 9:43:23AM Back on WCP.
139
Location: 52.813900, -4.151753
04-JUL-12 10:49:35AM Camping park. We never saw the sign to leave the beach and hiked most of a mile further north along Shell Island beach. the track here approximates correct path.
139a
Location: 52.815161, -4.140457
This point may be along the path that is closer to abandoned airport. We were on the road.
140
Location: 52.823845, -4.135488
04-JUL-12 11:20:37AM We've missed the WCP turn off the beach (no signs) and are blissfully enjoying a beach walk along Shell Island.
142
Location: 52.818971, -4.134432
04-JUL-12 12:03:42PM Road walk slightly to west of newly paved WCP walking track.
143
Location: 52.822682, -4.125631
04-JUL-12 12:15:15PM Right turn.
144
Location: 52.818038, -4.117643
04-JUL-12 12:28:47PM Left turn.
145
Location: 52.819968, -4.108990
04-JUL-12 12:42:19PM Cross railroad tracks and then left turn.
146
Location: 52.826307, -4.107999
04-JUL-12 1:02:23PM New foot bridge over river.
Location: 52.897760, -4.097201
04-JUL-12 6:53:06PM Around the house, the path is easy to miss.
169
Location: 52.898727, -4.083538
04-JUL-12 7:17:50PM Right onto small paved road.
170
Location: 52.898484, -4.083273
04-JUL-12 7:19:57PM Quick jog left onto a dirt causeway.
171
Location: 52.897397, -4.078578
04-JUL-12 7:25:25PM Beautiful new foot bridge.
172
Location: 52.903412, -4.076648
04-JUL-12 7:38:48PM Gate. Pleasant causeway walk.
173
Location: 52.906358, -4.070572
04-JUL-12 7:48:25PM Trail continues on causeway. Leave trail here by right turn onto track for Talsarnau -- Train station, B&B.
174
Location: 52.905141, -4.067130
05-JUL-12 7:36:00AM Talsarnau train station and B&B.
Location: 52.918458, -4.053100
05-JUL-12 8:43:00AM Tall wood highway WPC sign that, like scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz, maddingly says go this way, that way and even a third way. WPC maps saw go southeast, and I do.
178
Location: 52.917811, -4.049548
05-JUL-12 8:51:30AM Left turn off road onto Arduwy Way. NO WPC sing, but this older path is the way.
179
Location: 52.923394, -4.030161
05-JUL-12 9:23:33AM Next WPC medallion.
180
Location: 52.923345, -4.029474
05-JUL-12 9:26:57AM Quick left at junction just before reservoir. Path signed as "dangerous." this is the only water I'd consider drinking, even after treatment, on this 100 mile WCP stretch.
181
Location: 52.927200, -4.018716
05-JUL-12 9:44:34AM Signed gate is chained shut. Climb over and turn left, rejoining the trail that took the other side of the reservoir.
182
Location: 52.931151, -4.016069
05-JUL-12 9:54:32AM Dirt road junction. Take right fork.
183
Location: 52.934897, -4.011332
05-JUL-12 10:03:35AM Next sign on post. Leave main dirt woodland trust road and take left fork downhill.
184
Location: 52.935684, -4.005277
05-JUL-12 10:17:09AM Gate and then over a car bridge.
185
Location: 52.936997, -4.004042
05-JUL-12 10:22:38AM Right turn onto small paved road. Pass hydroelectric power plant.
186
Location: 52.934549, -3.998308
05-JUL-12 11:17:08AM Invited in for a spot of tea by Pete and Barbara.
187
Location: 52.934624, -3.979744
05-JUL-12 11:57:16AM Turn left onto dirt track.
191
Location: 52.939770, -3.981587
05-JUL-12 12:20:53PM Right turn onto dirt road.
192
Location: 52.939451, -3.980717
05-JUL-12 12:47:06PM Make a left turn, stay left of knoll on faint track. I went straight past old barn/house and wandered in a large meadow before backtracking and finding right track.
193
Location: 52.939922, -3.980495
05-JUL-12 12:48:38PM Next post with WPC medallion.
194
Location: 52.940985, -3.980152
05-JUL-12 12:51:18PM turn right onto dirt road.
195
Location: 52.941767, -3.978280
05-JUL-12 12:54:41PM Gate. No signs. Turn left. I got off-trail a short while before as trail made a diagonal northeast.
196
Location: 52.943058, -3.980816
05-JUL-12 12:59:14PM Where WCP dropped down onto the road.
197
Location: 52.944830, -3.988201
05-JUL-12 1:08:21PM Turn right onto main highway in Maentwrog.
198
Location: 52.949095, -3.995969
05-JUL-12 1:24:05PM Turn right off of main road.
199
Location: 52.947349, -4.000324
05-JUL-12 1:32:43PM There was temporary construction here and I had a few hundred-yard detour.
201
Location: 52.948998, -4.002170
05-JUL-12 1:43:59PM Back on WCP, dirt road track.
Location: 52.924741, -4.089346
05-JUL-12 4:16:59PM Left off of main road.
223
Location: 52.922937, -4.087872
05-JUL-12 4:22:59PM Gate and right.
224
Location: 52.921723, -4.090959
05-JUL-12 4:28:45PM Gate and left.
225
Location: 52.920471, -4.091552
05-JUL-12 4:31:34PM Right onto road.
226
Location: 52.918681, -4.098581
05-JUL-12 4:45:08PM Hard left turn.
227
Location: 52.915222, -4.099117
05-JUL-12 4:52:59PM Leave path for Portmeirion. Either you're a fan of the cult classic TV show The Prisoner or not. Portmeirion was where it was filmed. Regardless it is a surreal place. Enter after 3:30pm when the admission is half-price.
Location: 52.924014, -4.124884
05-JUL-12 6:36:39PM railroad bridge into Portmadog. Walk on seaside of bridge rather than lower, estuary side of bridge if you can.
233
Location: 52.924818, -4.127936
05-JUL-12 6:41:36PM Porthmadog. One hundred miles complete. Turn GPS off.
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