Penmaen to Three Cliffs Bay Walking Route
Long sections of sandy beach make for a pleasant, relatively simple walk. This is a lovely walk that is somewhat easy depending on the path you select, with extensive lengths of sandy beach. There are also a few rock scrambles available if you want to try them. Three Cliffs Bay can be seen from a variety of locations.
Walk Summary :-
Walk Grade: Easy
Route Type: Circular
Distance covered: 2.5 Miles / 4 Km
Average time: 2-3 Hours
Suitable for: All
Terrain: The walk covers stepping stones, sandy slopes, grassy slopes, dune scrambles, natural rock steps, and rocky coastal paths
Start From: The green by Penmaen Church, opposite the bus stop
Finish: The green by Penmaen Church
Useful information :-
Public Transport Availability: Yes
Car parking: At the village's western end, you can refer to the map for more details. There is another small car park up the lane from the church
Refreshments: Bring your refreshments with you
Toilets: No public toilets on this trek.
Be Prepared: Suitable clothing and footwear
Safety Information: Please check the tide before the journey begins
Details of the Walk :-
- From Penmaen to the stream crossing, turn east and cross the main road (not marked). Continue down the lane, passing five houses/bungalows on your right, then turn right onto the first road on the right (there is a "Beach" sign on the far side). As the road curves to the left and becomes rougher, go down past a National Trust sign "Notthill" on the left, then past some cottages. Pass through a bit of gate on the right ("Residents only – Stonesfield") and down to a clear path on the right. You should be able to enjoy beautiful views of the bays and caves from this vantage point. Your journey from here will be determined by the tide, which you should check before beginning. If the tide is going out and isn't expected to turn for another hour or two, you can go straight down the steep stepped route from the main path. This trail leads through the Stonesfield shacks before turning left at Penmaen Pill's tidal portion. 'Bathing in this region might be harmful,' states a huge warning notice. You can either walk along the south side of the stream to the beach or go over the slatted guarded walkway marked 'National Trust Three Cliffs', leading down a slight sandy slope to the beach. Take the alternate approach across the stepping stones if the tide rises quickly or has already come in. The path continues downhill on a rocky track until it reaches the tidal margin. The stepping stones are reached after a short walk along the edge (a route continues here around the northern and western edges of Pennard Pill, finally leading to Parkmill). This can be muddy in spots, and high tide necessitates detours through dense woodland). After crossing the stepping stones, continue to the north and east side of Pennard Pill to the Three Cliffs heights, then cross the shingle promontory.
- Beach trek to the Three Cliffs via a stream passage- You have a choice once you're on the beach. You can head directly for the Three Cliffs peaks, but keep in mind that you'll need to cross the Pennard Pill sometime. This is typically not a problem if you wear waterproof walking boots or wellingtons, or you can go barefoot. Also, remember to double-check your tides and avoid doing this on a rising tide. You can walk around the coast into Oxwich Bay if the tide is low.
- Go back to Penmaen. You can return to Penmaen by passing through the natural archway between the two eastern peaks of the Three Cliffs and returning to the stepping stones along the eastern side of Pennard Pill. Please dress appropriately since this area can be damp and slick. It is possible to reach the dunes above the stream with some difficulty, but the cliffs there are deceptive and fragile, so be careful if you choose this way. Another path climbs to the top of the dunes. A rock climb up a ledge, close to the east of the tallest of the Three Cliffs peaks, is moderately tough. Going in via the Pobbles Beach inlet is a quicker but slightly more tiresome option. Begin walking towards the golf clubhouse, then turn left onto one of the well-marked trails. This will take you to the base of the average attack starting point. If you can, try to locate the 'official' slatted route, you can either return to the stepping stones via one of the numerous pathways from the highest point of the dunes or continue on the slatted path to Pennard Castle and Parkmill.
Highlights :-
Beautiful views of the bays and the coastline and Pennard Castle and the ruins of an ancient church. View of the Devon coastline, including Three Cliffs Bay.
