The Miners Walk follows the route of a railway built around 1830 to transport coal. This directly links a walk in Kilgetty with the area’s industrial history. The development of the town and its craft traditions also offer different ways to explore its history, alongside trails in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and the surrounding area. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing between these highlights and taking suitable transport connections into account.
Coal, Railways and the Development of the Town
The Miners Walk follows the route of the former Saundersfoot Railway, built around 1830 to transport coal. Other historical milestones put the railway and mining history in context: mining in Begelly and Kilgetty is recorded as early as 1581. In 1834, a railway opened to carry coal from the mines in Begelly to Saundersfoot. Kilgetty developed around the railway after a station opened there in 1866. Together, these dates tell a story in which mining, transport and the development of the town followed closely on one another.
The Miners Walk offers a tangible connection to this past: not only its name, but also the railway line it follows recalls the area’s former coal transport. Those who pay attention to the landscape’s history as they walk will find a different focus here from that of a trail defined primarily by its natural setting or destination.
Crafts with Distinct Traditions
The Lovespoon Workshop carries on the Welsh love spoon tradition dating back to the 17th century. This link to Welsh craft history adds a distinct cultural tradition to the area’s industrial story. The Avondale Glass Blowing Studio in Kilgetty was founded in 1976 by Vicenzo Speranza. The business first passed to Speranza’s son and then to his grandson. These two subjects offer different perspectives: one centres on a tradition that has been carried on, while the other tells the story of a glass-blowing business and its succession through the family.
Culture enthusiasts can consider this craft history alongside the former importance of mining and railways. This brings Kilgetty’s local trade and transport history into view alongside a Welsh tradition, without suggesting that the two tell the same story.
Walks Between the National Park and Industrial History
The Kilgetty Station Walk starts at Kilgetty railway station and leads into Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Another walk nearby, Wisemans Bridge/Pleasant Valley, is listed as 3.5 miles (5.7 kilometres) long, taking 1 hour and 30 minutes. It follows the route of a disused colliery railway. In the wooded Pleasant Valley, the trail leads to the ruins of Kilgetty Ironworks.
The natural surroundings are also part of this route’s character: great tits, blue tits, wrens, great spotted woodpeckers and chaffinches can be seen in the woods. The two walks therefore offer different points to consider when choosing a route. The Kilgetty Station Walk leads from the station into the national park; Wisemans Bridge/Pleasant Valley combines a specified distance and walking time with the former colliery railway and the ironworks ruins. Route details may change, so it is advisable to check the current route before setting out.
Plan Your Journey and Choose a Focus
Folly Farm is located in Begelly, Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire, SA68 0XA. There is a bus stop directly outside the entrance. From Kilgetty railway station, the attraction can be reached by a short taxi ride or on foot in about 20 minutes. There are several ways to get there; check current local transport connections before travelling.
Kilgetty is also a useful arrival point for the southern end of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path: take the train to Kilgetty and then bus 351 to Amroth. As this involves a bus connection, check the service before travelling.
When looking for a hotel in Kilgetty, it helps to decide first what you want to focus on during your stay: would you like to explore the Miners Walk and the area’s industrial history, choose one of the trails towards the national park, or plan a visit to Folly Farm or a journey to the southern end of the Coast Path? Each of these destinations calls for a different approach to planning your days.
Discover more destinations: Fishguard, Holywell, Milford Haven, Manorbier, Nevern, Moylegrove, St Florence, St David's.
For the broader travel overview: Pembrokeshire.
