A Guided Walk Around The Dale Peninsula Coast Path
Introduction by Phil Bradfield
I first came to Dale in 1980, as a recently qualified biology teacher accompanying pupils on their A-Level field trips to Dale Fort Field Centre. I immediately fell in love with the area, and have since visited Pembrokeshire many times, both in my former job as a teacher and on family holidays.
One of the attractions of the Dale peninsula is the fact that it is a peninsula. You can walk around the 6 miles or so of the coastal path in a few hours, or over the course of a day at a more leisurely pace. And it’s a circular walk, so at the end you aren’t stuck for a lift back!
To explore the route on GoogleMaps, go HERE
The geography and location of Dale has caused it to be endowed with more than its fair share of archaeological and historical remains. Its situation on the west coast of Wales, together with the shape of the peninsula, jutting out to face the entrance to the great natural port of Milford Haven, has resulted in the construction of a wide range of encampments and military installations. These span history, from Bronze-age settlements through to Victorian forts and a Second World War airfield.
As a biologist, with interests in geology, archaeology and history and a liking for walks, the Dale area has always seemed perfect to me. It’s got everything – natural history, birds, beaches and rocky shores, geology, abandoned military installations and archaeological remains. Its location in a rural part of Wales well away from major cities has meant that many sites of interest are in a good state of preservation. Add to that a mild and pleasant climate for most of the year, and you have the ideal place for a walk.
A few years ago, through my work with the Open University, I met Andrew Denyer. We collaborated on a project with the OU, producing materials for a ‘podcast’ guide to a coastal walk in Devon. I mentioned Dale to Andrew at the time, saying that it would be an excellent place for another guided walk. At last it’s come to fruition!
We are indebted to the late John Barrett for his excellent little guide ‘The Dale Peninsula’. It provided us with much of the information and inspiration for putting together this booklet. However Barrett’s guide was written in 1966 and updated in 1980, so we thought it was high time to have another look at the coast walk and review what the route has to offer today.
The printed book of this walk is available to buy both by mail and in and around the Dale Peninsula.