Roundtrip St Justinian's-Whitesands Beach-Carn Llidi 11 km

Beautiful walk along the coast path with sweeping views of Ramsey Island and Whitesands Bay and the 181 m high Carn Llidi. You climb this rugged hill with wild horses, magnificent coastal scenery and heath, and return inland to St Justinian’s. Excellent walk if you have some time after a boat excursion from the lifeboat ramp at St Justinian’s (see e.g. http://www.thousandislands.co.uk/ for dolphin, and birding trips as well as landings at Ramsey Island). Do not forget your swimwear on a nice day, nor your binoculars.
The walk starts at a parking close to the boat ramp at St Justinian’s. If this free parking has filled up, there is another paid parking a few 100 m inland. You walk towards the boat ramp, and then take the Pembrokeshire Coast path to the right and follow the track along Ramsey Sound with great views of Ramsey Island. After a bit more than 1 km Whitesands Bay comes into view with Carn Llidi in the background. You continue following the path past the little beach at Porthselau, and descend to Whitesands Beach shortly after having arrived to a broader car track. After having visited the beach you leave it via the parking lot and continue on the Coast Path. You have great views of Whitesand Beach and Porth Lleoug while climbing towards the heath covering the area surrounding Carn Llidi and St Davids Head. After about 900 m from the parking you turn right away from the coast path (see waypoint), and slowly climb towards Carn Llidi. After about 700 m there is a shortcut left leading you to the path going to the top (see waypoint). From here you climb the last 90 m to the top. Here you have magnificent views along the coast, towards Ramsey Island and St Davids. From the top you scramble down a bit towards a small path which takes you down to the edge of the heathland where you follow a path southwest below the top. After about 900 m from the top you turn left on a path away from the heathland going south past Llaethdy hostel onto a small road. Via another footpath you get to the B4583 road which you cross on a broad gravel track. You follow the track, passing a small standing stone in the fields on your right (see waypoint), towards Croeswdig farm. A bit before the farm you turn left on a public footpath taking you through marshland, across fords and through fields to the St Davids-St Justinian’s road. You follow this small road back for 1.7 km. I intended to walk other public footpaths indicated on the OS map to the north of this road, but these paths were not in use anymore.
Only at the parking on Whitesands Beach you might find something to eat and drink (I think only in season). Most of the walk is relatively easy, apart from part of the climb and descent of Carn Llidi which is a bit more rugged.