Explore Cardigan Bay - the coast of Ceredigion - along the Coastal Way
Get to know the Welsh coastline by taking a road trip along our Coastal Way. It’s part of the Wales Way, a recently launched family of three national routes – the Coastal Way, the Cambrian Way and the North Wales Way – that guide you through some of our country’s most striking scenery. Each route is designed to introduce visitors to the best of Wales. They’re packed with great things to see and do as you travel, giving you the local knowledge to venture off the beaten path and create your very own Welsh adventure.
Discover the Wales Coastal Way in Ceredigion
The Coastal Way runs in an unbroken sweep along Cardigan Bay through the counties of Gwynedd, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire. It’s a stunning seaside road trip with serious star power. Stretching from Aberdaron on the tip of the wild Llŷn Peninsula in the north to the miniature city of St Davids in the south, it’s an epic coastal journey through a protected Heritage Coast, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and two National Parks. Along the way you’ll encounter an unmistakably Welsh landscape of sandy beaches, pretty harbour villages, sublime estuaries, hidden coves and mighty castles.
The Coastal Way in Ceredigion
Around 70 miles of the Coastal Way lie within Ceredigion, stretching from the mouth of the Dyfi Estuary in the north to the historic market town of Cardigan (in Welsh Aberteifi, the ‘mouth of the Teifi’) in the south.
The Teifi estuary between Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire
It’s a route studded with highlights. Here are just a few, from north to south.
For wildlife enthusiasts, our stretch of the Coastal Way is particularly inspiring. Birds and animals thrive in untouched landscapes and seascapes, and there are plenty of ways to get a closer look as you travel.
Visit the Dyfi Osprey Project to peek into the nests of these majestic birds of prey, brought back from the brink by careful conservation efforts. Nearby, the huge Dyfi National Nature Reserve, whose sand dunes and saltmarshes are internationally important for their birdlife, are best accessed from the visitor centre at Ynyslas. You’ll find yet more birdlife at RSPB Ynys-hir, the first RSPB reserve in Wales. Underlining their importance, this cluster of three sites sit within Wales’s only designated UNESCO Biosphere.
Looking south over the Dyfi estuary towards Ynyslas and Cors Fochno National Nature Reserve.
If conditions are right, you may catch a glimpse of Borth’s submerged forest, an otherworldly collection of ancient tree remains stretching for nearly three miles along the shore. According to legend, they are part of the lost kingdom of Cantre'r Gwaelod (sometimes known as the ‘Welsh Atlantis’).
Aberystwyth at dusk, from Constitution Hill
Aberystwyth is our thriving ‘capital’. Take a trip away from the coast here on the narrow-gauge Vale of Rheidol Railway. Relive the romantic age of steam as you ride up to Devil’s Bridge, where you’ll find dramatic waterfalls hidden in a deep gorge.
New Quay harbour
Spot porpoises, dolphins and grey seals on a boat trip from New Quay and explore the marshland home of kingfishers and otters at the Welsh Wildlife Centre near Cardigan. And you’ll also want to visit the charming little harbours of Aberaeron and Aberporth – they have Ceredigion’s salty seafaring heritage written all over them.
Cycling towards Borth
As you travel, you’ll also find a great choice of places to eat and sleep, plus a huge range of outdoor activities.
Onwards along the Coastal Way
Ceredigion is sandwiched on the Coastal Way between Pembrokeshire in the south and Snowdonia Mountains and Coast (in the county of Gwynedd) in the north. Don’t miss out. Follow the road in all directions.
There’s so much to see along the Coastal Way it’s difficult knowing where to start. To point you in the right direction we’ve created a series of themed itineraries showcasing the best the Coastal Way has to offer. From week-long odysseys to short two- and three-day breaks, these guided tours take in the sights, sounds and tastes of our spectacular shorelines. Enjoy the trip.
Head south over the Teifi river from Cardigan for Pembrokeshire or if you're travelling north, continue over the Dyfi for the Snowdonia Mountains and Coast.