Chair of the Friends of Pembrokeshire Coast Clare Dow has completed her walk along the whole 186 miles of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. 

Clare and husband John at the Amroth end of their 186-mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path walk.
Clare and husband John at the Amroth end of their 186-mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path walk. (The Friends of Pembrokeshire Coast)

Clare set herself the challenge of walking the path in sections over her first year in office. Starting in St Dogmaels on September 15, 2023, she has walked the coast path in 20 sections, finishing in Amroth on August 12 in glorious summer sunshine. 

She was accompanied on each section by husband John and by other members of the Friends. She has made videos of the highlights of each section which the Friends are putting on their website to bring the Pembrokeshire Coast scenery, nature and wildlife to all.

Clare says: “One of the objectives of the Friends is to encourage our members and the general public to get out and enjoy our wonderful National Park. I hope these 30 minute videos will give people a flavour of each section and inspire them to walk themselves. It will also allow those who are unable to walk the coast path to enjoy it in all its variety from home.”

For Clare, it was also important to walk the path during a full calendar year.

“I was keen to show that the coast path is beautiful throughout the year, from the gentle days of autumn, through the wet, dark and bracing winter, the gloriously floral spring and in the warmth of summer. There is never a bad time for walking in Pembrokeshire.”

Clare has now set her sights on another challenge – to walk an inland route from Amroth back to St Dogmaels.

“Although we have recently dropped ‘National Park’ from our working name, we are still committed to the whole park. I want to plan a walk that takes in the beautiful river inlets and wooded slopes of the Daugleddau and the high moors of the Preseli Hills.”

The Friends is an independent registered Charity whose aims are to help protect, conserve, enhance and promote the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. It has around 400 members.

To find out more about the Friends and view the videos, visit www.fpcnp.org.uk.