If you were to ask me to design the perfect six-mile walk in Pembrokeshire, Wales, I’d probably sketch out something very close to this.
Pembrokeshire never fails to deliver, but the Stackpole Estate takes the absolute best of the Welsh coastline and packs it all into one spectacularly varied loop.
Where else can you start your morning wandering through tranquil, sheltered lily ponds, break for a coffee on a world-renowned golden beach, traverse dramatic limestone cliffs, and then return through a lush, wildlife-rich valley?
This walk is a true sensory feast, offering shifting landscapes with almost every turn of the path. It’s an absolute must-do if you find yourself in West Wales. Time to lace up the boots!
Walk Overview
Into the Lily Ponds
We begin at the National Trust car park in the little village of Bosherston. Almost immediately after leaving the car park, you are transported down into a completely different world.
The Bosherston Lily Ponds are actually three flooded limestone valleys, created over a century ago by the Cawdor family, who owned the vast Stackpole Estate.
Between 1780 and 1840, they built a series of dams across three narrow river valleys to create this stunning aquatic garden.
Walking along the shaded banks, especially if you visit in June or July, you are treated to the incredible sight of thousands of white water lilies (Nymphaea alba) blooming across the surface.
Even out of season, it’s a haven for wildlife. Keep your eyes peeled and your camera ready—this is one of the best places in the UK to spot otters in the wild, alongside kingfishers darting like sapphire arrows across the water, and dozens of species of dragonflies.
Navigating the eastern arm of the ponds and tracking towards the coast, the woodland canopy eventually breaks when crossing the picturesque Eight-Arch Bridge (a perfect spot for a photo).
From the bridge you cross the farm track through the estate before you meet the famous Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Heading east along the headland, you arrive at the jewel in the crown: Barafundle Bay.
The Magic of Barafundle Bay
It’s completely inaccessible by car, which is exactly what preserves its magic. You enter through a stone archway and descend a flight of steep steps down to the sand.
Flanked by trees and rugged limestone cliffs, Barafundle is regularly voted not just one of the best beaches in Britain, but in the world.
Fun fact: The high wall you see near the beach was built by the Cawdors to keep the estate’s deer from wandering down onto the sand!
Walking the Edge: Stackpole Head
Dragging yourself away from Barafundle is tough, but the cliff walk that follows is phenomenal. Climbing the steps at the opposite end of the bay, we head south towards Stackpole Head.
This stretch of the coastal path is wide open, bracing, and dramatic. The limestone cliffs here have been battered by the Celtic Sea for millennia, resulting in sheer drops, deep blowholes, and hidden sea caves.
The geology here is carboniferous limestone, formed over 300 million years ago.
It’s also a birdwatcher’s paradise. Look out for the red bills and legs of choughs performing acrobatics in the wind, as well as fulmars, razorbills, and guillemots nesting on the precarious ledges below.
Broad Haven South and Church Rock
Continuing around the headland, the coastline dips and reveals the vast, sprawling expanse of Broad Haven South. As you approach from the cliffs above, the view is dominated by “Church Rock,” a spectacular limestone sea stack that rises like a solitary gothic spire out of the waves, just off the beach.
The sand dunes backing Broad Haven South are incredibly rich in plant life and provide a perfect, sheltered spot to sit and empty the flask.
The contrast between the roaring surf of the bay and the quiet calm of the valley right behind it is striking.
The Return Journey
To complete the loop, we leave the beach behind and walk directly inland over the dunes.
You don’t have to climb far before the sand is replaced by lush green grass, and you find yourself back at the southern tip of the Bosherston Lily Ponds.
We follow the western arm of the lakes back towards the start. The water here can be remarkably still, reflecting the overhanging trees like a mirror. It’s a gentle, flat stroll before a little climb back to the car park in Bosherston.
If you’ve built up an appetite from the sea air and the miles, I highly recommend popping into the local tearoom in the village for a well-earned slab of cake. A perfect end to a perfect Pembrokeshire walk.
