Walk 38: Pwll Deri to Fishguard

Our walk from Pwll Deri to Fishguard was a game of two halves – we started out with great weather, beautiful views and enjoyable paths, and hated almost every minute of the end of the walk!

We walked this portion of the Wales Coast Path during our trip to Pembrokeshire in summer 2023, and, as we were staying with my parents, were able to take advantage of a lift to Pwll Deri in the morning, before walking back to our accommodation in Fishguard.

Unlike on our previous walk, which was very foggy, the weather was glorious at Pwll Deri, and we were able to enjoy its beauty. The first part of the walk was great, with continuous stunning views on what is a pretty remote section of path.

The terrain felt quite mountainous at times, and we were able to enjoy a bit of scrambling as we went, soon getting our first view of Strumble Head in the distance. Situated on the north-west tip of Pembrokeshire, Strumble Head is home to a tiny island off the coast, characterised by Strumble Lighthouse.

Although we stayed in Fishguard during this trip, we had stayed in a property with views of Strumble Lighthouse earlier in the year, and it was an idyllic spot. Strumble Head is known as a great place for seal watching, and, right on cue, as we approached the island, we enjoyed a great view of a seal hanging out in the sea.

After passing Strumble Head, we soon reached Porthsychan Beach, a small shingle and pebble beach in a sheltered cove, before continuing through a section with grazing horses and another with cows, which always puts me a bit on edge, but these guys were very chilled and clearly used to people, so we got through fine!

We had a few gentle ups and downs as we continued along the path, passing Carregwasted Point, the landing place of the French forces in their attempt to invade Britain in 1797, and then through a sweet woodland section.

As we continued along the clifftop path, the vibe of the walk gradually began to change as it slowly dawned on us that it was a flying ant day. What began as a minor irritation became hellish as we were constantly pulling ants out of our hair and wafting them off our clothes and faces. We must have encountered thousands of ants as we tried to navigate the path.

We spotted a few seals playing in the sea as we walked, offering a bit of light relief, but we started to tire and struggled to find somewhere to take a break with the ants circling around us. After a few ups and downs, we finally reached the top of a pretty hill where we found a spot to sit down and have some lunch. After some food and drink, a bit of a break and a t-shirt change, I was feeling ready to take on the rest of the walk!

By this point, we were getting close to Goodwick, and the walking got gradually easier. The remote, coastal path became more of a wide, moorland section, before, much to our relief, we finally reached the road. We headed down into Goodwick and enjoyed some more relaxed walking alongside the beach, before being taken up quite a few steps to Marine Walk, a nice, tarmac walking route from Goodwick to Fishguard.

This section was nice, with lovely views of Fishguard, although we did come across a couple of flying ants’ nests to remind us that, despite the lovely views, we were still in The Bad Place. The path took us back down to Lower Fishguard, where we enjoyed pretty views of the harbour before reaching our lovely cottage for a flying ant check and a well-deserved bath!

🥾 Distance: 11 miles.

⭐ Highlight: The section from Pwll Deri and Strumble Head was incredible.

👎 Less Good: The flying ants of course!

🚗 Transport: We had a lift to Pwll Deri and walked back to our holiday cottage.

🛏️ Accommodation: We had a lovely two-week stay in a pretty cottage in Lower Fishguard.

🌱 Food: We had dinner at the cottage.

🗺️ Map: This route is featured in the official Pembrokeshire guide.

Still not convinced? Read my ten reasons to walk the Wales Coast Path. If you’re ready to start planning your walk, you can find lots of resources to help you on your way here. Please note, I collect a share of the sales from the links on this page.