Ceredigion Coast Path facts for kids
The Ceredigion Coast Path (Welsh: Llwybr Arfordir Ceredigion) is a super long walking trail in Wales, a country in the United Kingdom. It's called Llwybr Arfordir Ceredigion in Welsh. This amazing path stretches for about 65 miles (105 km) (that's about 105 kilometers!) along the beautiful coast of Cardigan Bay. It starts in Cardigan in the south and goes all the way up to Ynyslas in the north.
The Ceredigion Coast Path is actually a part of an even bigger trail called the Wales Coast Path. This huge path is 870-mile (1,400 km) long! It goes all around the entire coast of Wales. The Wales Coast Path was officially opened in 2012.
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What is the Ceredigion Coast Path?
The Ceredigion Coast Path was created to link up many existing walking routes along the coast. Before this project, you couldn't walk the whole way without stopping. Now, it's a continuous path that's easy to follow. The path was fully opened in July 2008.
The path follows the Welsh Heritage Coast. This means it goes through areas with special natural beauty. It starts in Cardigan, where you can find a bronze otter statue near the bridge over the River Teifi. The path ends at the Ynyslas war memorial.
As you walk, you'll see many different types of landscapes. There are sand dunes at Ynyslas, tall cliffs, and lovely sandy beaches. You might even spot some sea caves! The path also goes through small villages and popular holiday towns. It's a great way to explore this beautiful part of Wales up close.
Amazing Wildlife Along the Coast
This part of the Welsh coastline is very important for wildlife. Two areas in Cardigan Bay are special protected zones called Special Areas of Conservation. This is because they are home to many amazing animals.
Keep your eyes peeled for incredible sea creatures! This coast is famous for its bottlenose dolphins. You might also see grey seals playing in the water or resting on the rocks. And if you're lucky, you could spot porpoises swimming by. It's a fantastic place for nature lovers!
Exploring the Path: Sections to Walk
The Ceredigion Coast Path is long, but you don't have to walk it all at once! It's divided into eleven smaller sections. This makes it easy to choose a shorter walk that fits your plans. You can access the path by road at many points along the way.
Here are the eleven sections of the path:
- Cardigan to Mwnt: 11.7 miles (18.8 km) – Note: There's a temporary path connecting Gwbert with Mwnt right now.
- Mwnt to Aberporth: 5.3 miles (8.5 km)
- Aberporth to Tresaith: 1.5 miles (2.4 km)
- Tresaith to Penbryn: 1.6 miles (2.6 km)
- Penbryn to Llangrannog: 1.7 miles (2.7 km)
- Llangrannog to Cwmtydu: 5.5 miles (8.9 km)
- Cwmtydu to New Quay: 3.8 miles (6.1 km)
- New Quay to Aberaeron: 6.5 miles (10.5 km)
- Aberaeron to Llanrhystud: 7.4 miles (11.9 km)
- Llanrhystud to Aberystwyth: 10.6 miles (17.1 km)
- Aberystwyth to Borth (Ynyslas): 9.9 miles (15.9 km)
At its southern end, the Ceredigion Coast Path connects to the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. This happens after you cross the old bridge in Cardigan over the River Teifi.
Getting Around the Path
Even though some parts of the path can be challenging with hills, there are flatter sections too. These are great for walkers who might need an easier route. For example, between Aberporth and Tresaith, the path was changed to avoid steps. There's even a special path near Aberporth that's good for wheelchairs. It's called the Aberporth Inclusive Access Cliff Top Trail and is about 1-kilometre (0.6 mi) long.
For a while, there was a special bus service called the Cardi Bach. It helped walkers get to different parts of the path. It ran between Cardigan and New Quay. This bus service was very popular, helping thousands of passengers each year. Sadly, the funding for this bus service ended in September 2014, and it stopped running.
If you want to reach the northern part of the path, near Borth and Aberystwyth, you can take a train. These towns are on the Cambrian Line railway.
