Visit Southern Wales Blog

In May this year, Wales became the only country in the World to have a dedicated footpath running right around its coast.

At over 800 miles long, theWales Coastal Path runs all the way from Chepstow in the South East, through Cardiff and the traditional seaside resort of Porthcawl and onwards to the beautiful Gower and Pembrokeshire coasts. From there it heads North towards Ceredigion and Snowdonia before finally heading along the North Wales coast to Llandudno before coming to an end in the North East Corner.

In the seven months since the path opened many writers and bloggers have ventured out and have given their opinion on the path or certain sections of it.

One of the most comprehensive I've found is Charles Hawes' blog, who seems to have covered most of the South Wales section of the path.

Also worth reading is the Bald Hiker's (Paul Steele) account of his walk along the path from Merthyr Mawr through Porthcawl and to Kenfig National Nature Reserve. Look out too for some fantastic images.

He describes the pretty hamlet of Merthyr Mawr as "a beautiful small quiet place with historic church and thatched cottages" and Kenfig National Nature Reserve as "a calm, surreal beautiful remnant of what was a huge sand dune system"

Have you walked part of the path? What did you think? Let me know which was your favourite part and any tips you have for other walkers setting out.

Well, after much build up and anticipation, Wales last week became the first country in the world to have a walking route going right around the coast.

The path runs for 870 from the outskirts of Chester in the North, through the Snowdonia National Park, down the West coast, around the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path and through South Wales taking in the cities of Swansea and Cardiff before finally ending in the border town of Chepstow.

Well I say ending, but if you haven't had enough you can take the Offa's Dyke Trail North from here along the Wales/England border for another 160 miles back to your starting point.

There's been lots of coverage of the path in the press with the Guardian saying "Wales has surely set a standard in coastal path designation" and Lonely Planet said that Coastal Wales was the best place in the world to visit in 2012.

Leave a comment to tell us what you think of the path and which section is your favourite and don't forget to share the beauty of the coast with us by adding an image to our flickr group.