Five Short Cliff Walks with Stunning Sea Views

By Understanding Tide Times Before You Visit the Beach
Comments 35
12 Sep 2026

Five Short Cliff Walks with Stunning Sea Views

Wales crams an improbable amount of coastline into a small country, and much of the best of it sits on the edge of a cliff. You do not need to be a hardened long-distance walker to enjoy it, either. Each of the five routes below is short enough for a leisurely morning, gentle enough for most abilities, and rewarded with a bench, a view and a decent excuse to unscrew the flask.

1. Rhossili Down to the Worm's Head, Gower

Start from the village car park at Rhossili and follow the broad clifftop path north towards the lookout above Worm's Head. It is roughly two miles out and back, mostly level gravel with a few shallow steps, and the reward is one of the finest panoramas in Britain: the long sweep of Rhossili Bay on one side, the serpentine headland on the other.

The headland itself is cut off by the tide for several hours either side of high water, so treat the view as the destination rather than attempting the causeway unless you have checked the tide tables and are properly equipped. Bring binoculars in autumn, when grey seals haul out in the coves below and choughs wheel along the ridge.

Distance: about 2 miles (3 km) return
Terrain: gravel path, gently undulating, one short flight of steps
Look out for: seals, choughs, fulmars on the cliffs

2. Strumble Head Circular, Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire's north coast is quieter than the south, and Strumble Head is its understated star. From the clifftop parking area, a waymarked circuit of around two and a half miles takes you past the lighthouse on its rocky islet and along a stretch of the coast path that feels genuinely wild.

This is a fine spot for watching seabird passage in spring and autumn, when gannets, Manx shearwaters and the occasional skua move past offshore. Porpoises are regular in the tide race below. The path is uneven in places, with a couple of stiles and some muddy patches after rain, so boots beat trainers here. There are sturdy benches near the lookout, perfectly placed for a sit-down.

3. South Stack and Holyhead Mountain, Anglesey

Anglesey's north-west corner offers drama without much effort. Park near the clifftop visitor facilities at South Stack and follow the path along the edge to Ellin's Tower, a round lookout perched above some of the most crowded seabird cliffs in Wales.

Between April and July the ledges are packed with guillemots, razorbills and puffins, with kittiwakes nesting on the narrower shelves. The clifftop path is about a mile and a half there and back and largely level, though the optional descent of some four hundred steps to the lighthouse bridge is steep and not for everyone. If you have energy left, the short climb up Holyhead Mountain adds perhaps forty minutes and a view that takes in the Wicklow hills on a clear day.

4. New Quay to Cei Bach, Ceredigion

Cardigan Bay is one of the best places in Britain to see bottlenose dolphins, and this stretch of coast path gives you a fighting chance of spotting them from dry land. Begin above New Quay harbour and follow the waymarks south-west towards Cei Bach, a little under two miles each way.

The route mixes shady woodland with open clifftop, so it works well on a warm day. Red kites often drift overhead, and the benches above the harbour are a lovely place to end the walk with a view back over the bay. The path has some steep, rooty sections and can be slippery after rain.

5. Mynydd Mawr to Porth Meudwy, Llŷn Peninsula

At the far end of the Llŷn, the coast path from the Mynydd Mawr car park towards Porth Meudwy is short, breezy and quietly spectacular. A mile or so of easy walking brings you to a headland viewpoint with Bardsey Island floating offshore and, on clear days, the hills of Ireland on the horizon.

This is chough country, and the cliff-top grassland is rich in wild flowers through late spring. The path is exposed, so a windproof layer is worth carrying even in summer. A trig point and a couple of sheltered benches make a natural turning point before you retrace your steps.

Practical Pointers for Cliff-Top Walking

All five routes share a few sensible rules. Check the tide times before you set out, and never assume a causeway or beach below the cliffs will be passable on the return. Keep dogs on leads anywhere livestock or nesting seabirds are present, and give cliff edges a generous margin, particularly in gusty weather.

Footwear: grippy boots or sturdy trainers; grass and gravel get slick fast
Kit: waterproof, warm layer, flask, and binoculars if you have them
Timing: seabird season runs roughly April to July; seals and choughs are best in autumn
Getting there: seasonal coastal buses serve several of these villages, so you can leave the car behind

None of these walks will exhaust you, and that is rather the point. They are the kind of outings that leave room for a long pause on a bench, a hot cup of tea and the slow business of watching the sea do its thing.

Coastal Walks

Scenic Countryside Drives Through Mid Wales Valleys

Even on sunny days, coastal weather shifts quickly, so pack layers, sun cream, water and a lightweight waterproof in your day bag.

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5 Comments

Robert Sonny says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am

I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
Reply
- John Abraham says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am
  
  I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
  Reply
  - Robert Sonnysays Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am
    
    I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
    Reply
Robert Sonny says Jul 21, 2024 at 10:00am

I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system
Reply

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