Porthdinllaen Beach and Cliffs Walk

Porthdinllaen beach and village
Porthdinllaen beach and village

By Vicky · Published Oct. 5th, 2024

This easy circular walk heads over a lovely beach to the cute little village of Porthdinllaen before continuing around the cliffs.

Location

The Porthdinllaen Beach and Cliffs walk starts at Morfa Nefyn National Trust Car Park. It’s free for members or £5 per day, and you can pay by coins or using the PayByPhone app/website.

Porthdinllaen Walking Map

Tips

  • This walk is on beach, paths and a few bits of rock, so wear appropriate shoes.
  • There’s a great pub in Porthdinllaen, but it can be very busy on sunny summer days.
  • The beach of Porthdinllaen can also get busy – arrive early!
  • The map for this hike is the Ordnance Survey Map OL253: Lleyn Peninsula West*.
  • More nearby hikes will be coming soon!

Porthdinllaen Beach & Cliffs Walking Route

Beach in Wales
Walking along the beach in Wales, UK

From the car park at Morfa Nefyn, head towards the beach. There are steps on the right that lead to a road which finishes 20 metres to the left at the beach. This beach, called Morfa Nefyn, is a lovely place with sand and pebbles, and it’s quite sheltered with small waves.

Turn left and walk along the sand. At high tide, there’s a path heading left just behind the big rocks for a short while until the beach is a bit wider. In about 600 metres you’ll come to a house right on the edge of the water. Pass this and you’ll reach another little sandy cove.

Porthdinllaen ViIllage

On the far side are a few more houses, and around the corner is the beach of Porthdinllaen itself. This little fishing village is very lovely. There are cute cottages and great views across the sea to some gentle hills in the distance. In the village on the beach, there’s a popular pub, Tŷ Coch Inn, with an interesting interior and fantastic views from the terrace.

Walking along the beach to Porthdinllaen village
Walking path from Porthdinllaen around the cliffs

After a stop here, or on the beach, continue further. The route leaves the beach and heads a short distance through the white cottages. A small dirt path continues around the back. The walking route continues right above the ocean, and you get great views back of Porthdinllaen village.

The scenic path heads past a few houses, next to the water, before reaching RNLI Porthdinllaen Lifeboat Station. Most of the time you can visit inside the lifeboat station and check out the boats, plus learn a little about their history.

Walk up the lane at the back of the building to a small car park and continue in the direction the walking sign points. The path leads between two golf greens and down the rougher grass on the other side. It can be slightly unclear so keep your eyes open.

Walking along the Cliffs

Cliffs in Wales
On a circular walk from Porthdinllaen village

Before you reach the rocks, you’ll meet a better path. Turn left here to continue around the coastal path. In places, the route is not very obvious. In one of two sections, you need to watch your step as the path is quite narrow. At any point, if you get lost or find it too difficult, you can head left, uphill and inland, to reach the golf course.

You should eventually come to a little building housing the coastwatch, on a high point. The path continues from here around the edge of the golf course. In a while, you’ll reach a small paved road. The quickest way back is to walk along the road, but the nicest way is to stick to the path on top of the cliffs.

Eventually though, when you see a shed-like building, you should cross over the golf course to the road. Otherwise, the clifftop path bends right and further away. From here, it’s about 750 metres walk down along the road to the car park where you started and the end of the Porthdinllaen Beach & Cliffs walk.


Guidebooks to explore more of Wales

The Lonely Planet Wales Travel Guide* is a good all-round guide to the country and a great place to start when planning your trip to Wales. The Wild Guide Wales and Marches* contains inspiring photos and focuses on hidden places and remote regions. If you’re heading to the hills of northern Wales, the Mountain Walking in Snowdonia Cicerone Guide* is the perfect choice.


Find other great hikes in the UK here.

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