Thanks for your regular updates, Raymond. Very interesting.

We have now done the section from Aberdaron to Pwllheli which is scenically excellent.
The path is mostly in excellent condition.

However, the path has been greatly improved by diversion to nearer the coast and this is shown in then newest guidebook but not on the ‘up to date’ OS maps so take care, your GPS will send you the wrong way! Between Aberdaron and Hells Mouth car park there is a lot more climbing than on the old route. The NT café on this section sells all kind of food and drink and not just cold drinks as stated in the guide book.

Walking on the beach at Hells Mouth avoids a 1.3m road section. The views from the inland route are good but we thought the beach walk better. We asked a surfer for tidal advice. Don’t do this! He was wrong in believing you can get through at all tides and we had to flee the tide half way along! Only set off on a falling tide as it would be possible to get trapped.
Near Llanbedrog, if it is a clear day, it is worth climbing the hill just out of the village.

There is a seasonal coast bus http://www.bwsarfordirllyn.co.uk/ and using this and the normal bus routes it is possible to stay in Aberdaron or Llanbedrog and do this section from one base.

In my last note I said the route would be better for back packers as there was so little accommodation. We met a backpacker and he said it was difficult getting food and the campsites were not really campsites.

We have now walked from Caernarfon to Aberdaron
There is poor provision of accommodation, only at Caernarfon, Nefyn and Aberdaron, so we had to use buses and taxis a lot. The backpacker has the advantage on this section!
Apart from Caernarfon to Trefor, the walking and route was excellent and needs no comment
However, this first section is almost all on tarmac and much of it by a busy A road. The guidebook advises taking the bus!
Instead from Dinas Dinlle we went down the coast. The tide was not far out but we found sand and small pebbles most of the way to Clynnog Fawr. A stream crossing was easily avoided by using a path up to the road bridge and walking back down the other side. It was not easy going, but there are worse sections on other parts of the coast path.
One of the books on the route says the needs of ground nesting birds had been the reason the main road was used for the route. As it is unkind and illegal to disturb these birds this bit of the walk has to be done outside the nesting season.
From Clynnog Fawr to Trefor, the next day, we took to the hills via, Bwlch Mawr, tremendous views, and dropped to a right of way which goes to Trefor.
Other than the doggie and caravan people we saw few walkers.

We have now done the north side of the Anglesy Coast Path which is really wonderful. In June there are big fields of orchids and cranesbills, as well as lots of more common flowers. The scenery is very good.
East of Red Wharf Bay there is a new section of path closer to the sea.
Tide at Valley:
The advice is that the tides at the big inlet north of Valley are a problem within one hour of high tide.
We passed it at high tide with no problems and we were only a few days away from spring tides, so it must only rarely be a problem
On the north side we could see tidal debris which showed the path flooded sometimes but south of the bridge we saw no evidence of problems, perhaps due to the new board walk.
Unless there are storms or floods I think it can be assumed that you will get round at High Tide.
Our next trip is to Llyn. Any advice on avoiding the long road sections would be useful. Can any sections of beach be used?

We have now done the southern section of the Anglesy coast path. It is mostly very good but at Easter it was very muddy.
We stayed 3 nights in Holyhead but with hindsight Treardur Bay would have been better for evening meals and beer.
Aberffraw is nice but the pub does not serve meals after 18.00 on Sundays and not a tall on Mondays so some planning is required. This was a problem in S Wales too, you need to check out evening meal provision in advance
Welsh accommodation is often very cold if it is cold outside. Be warned.
A couple of miles east of Newbrough there are some tidal stepping stones, usable apart from an hour on either side of high tide it says on the book. We arrived 3 hours before high tide and all the stones were under water! So we took the avoiding route also fo the tidal section just south of Tal-y-Foel pier, only to find from the locals that this section is almost always passable at high tide except in winter gales.

We have now completed Port Talbot to Penarth which was a gap to fill between Towyn and Chepstow. Next year we hope to complete Anglesey and Llyn peninsula.

Poet Talbot is a huge industrial area, however the inland path is on grass and in fields and trees, with fine sea views. Although the industry is ugly it is awesome.
There is a bit of road walking south of Margam and some big rail sidings, but then wonderful marsh and dunes, then sands.

From Porthcawl onwards there is wonderful cliff scenery and rocky beaches and a delight for geologists.
There are a lot of caravan parks mostly avoided by beach walking.

At Rhoose there has been a cliff collapse and the official diversion takes you along the streets. Instead go as far as the closure and use the informal path around a quarry back to the route. It’s nice.
The west side of Barry Island is nice, the east side is streets, but sea views.

In Barry when going east use the roads through the latitude estate, east of the official path, which is shorter and less busy than the official route which is on road.
From Barry to Sully the route is on main roads but you can walk ion the grass verge for a lot of the way. This section is totally without merit so if you are not obsessive enough to complete every section take the bus!

But do go to the Bendrick Rocks as the walk is good and the rocks interesting. If you see people taking pictures of the rocks that is where the dinosaur footprints are. Without this clue they would be very hard to find!

The rest of the walk into Penarth is nice enough.

We have now completed Llanelli to Port Talbot.
This section is really wonderful. In June there are so many flowers, including forests of orchids.
We had a week when the tide was mostly out and it would be worth trying to plan in a low daytime tide week.
There is quite a bit of tarmac on the first few miles out of Llanelli, but it is mostly a cycleway with lots of flowers. After that is first class until you get to Mumbles. The there is more cycleway but at low tide you can use the beach. At high tide you can walk on the grass verge for much of the way.
Swansea to Port Talbot is more industrial but mostly quite good except for 2 mile section on a cycleway by the side of a busy dual carriageway! I am going to suggest to the path authority that they mow the grass verge to walk on and plant a hedge to hide the road, like they have done on road sections in Carmarthenshire. It is a big improvement.

We have now completed the Carmarthen Coast from Amroth to Llanelli. It is mostly very good and in spring the flowers are really lovely.
There are great views of sea, sand and the Gower.
There are some road sections on the map which look awful, but are mostly on the other side of the fence in a field or wood and so some of the awful looking bits are nice.
But some bits are actually awful due to traffic proximity.
Between Kidwelly and Llanelli there is a lot of tarmac walking on a cycle path but you can mostly walk on grass.

Another trip s to the Wales Coast Path.
Bangor to Caernarfon It is really nice from Bangor untill you hit the main road after the new diversion through the Vaynol estate. Main road then nearly till Dinorwic Marina. Then cycleway to Caernarfon, Scenic but on tarmac. Caernarfon is amazing.
Prestatyn to Holywell. Our hotel receptionist told us this section would be drab! It was lovely. The Dune section is really atmospheric, we were doing it in frost and bright sun. At Mostyn a woodland loop is taken and this is excellent. Then good seaside walking witha big ship the Duke of Lancaster.
Holywell to Shotton. Another sunny frosty day. Nice untill you hit the road east of Flint. There is a park in Connah's Quay ommitted by the official route, its short but nicer than the road and has seats for a rest. Just before the officla turn off there is another which gets you off the road 200 yards sooner. From here to Chester it is mostly nice dessite old industry nearby. Prior to this some years ago we did Prstatyn to Bangor. Thereis lot of promanade but the orme is wonderful and there are other good bits.

We have walked another section, Chepstow to Penarth, just beyond Cardiff.
Much of it is lovely or at least interesting. Nice nature reserves east of Newport and fine views across the Severn
We were out of season so we could not use the Newport Transporter Bridge which cuts out a chunk of horrible busy road walking.
You can go across the top of the Transporter Bridge which must be fun if you do not have vertigo
Just east of Cardiff is one of the worst sections of named path I have come across in 40 years. Busy docks road and the only off road bit full of litter and burnt out cars. I will be writing to complain!
It is a shame because much of this section is really good.

Inspired by the wonderful Pembrokeshire Coast Path and Cardigan Coast Path I am hoping to complete the whole of the Wales Coast Path.
I have previously done most of the North Wales coast and I accepted that there a lot of the walk would be on hard promenades.

Sadly Wales was in too much of a rush to be first with a coast path and it shows.
On the section between Talybont and Pwllheli which I have just completed there were too many miles on roads.
A 2 mile section of actual beach between Porthmadoc and Criccieth was used as a huge car park. It was really horrible!
Some sections were busy A roads but many sections of minor roads were accesses to caravan parks and were worse than the main roads.
The views were magnificent and there were lots of lovely flowers, but I dislike road walking especially if there is busy traffic.

If you are doing this walk, it would be best to do this section out of season!
If you are young enough, wait a few years as it is slowly being improved

my friend and i are about half way round the path but we hardly ever see other walkers.anyone on here done the whole path.ive been researching it and can only find about 20 people who have done the whole path.surely there must be more ?.
it would be nice to talk to other walkers and their experiences.so far we have done Machynllach to margam.
nigel pearce