Penarth Headland and the Glamorgan Heritage Coast
Vale of Glamorgan
Penarth's Victorian pier and Esplanade mark the start of the Wales Coast Path heading west into the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, a quietly spectacular stretch of crumbling Liassic cliffs, hidden coves and grass clifftop walking. This dog friendly walk from the pier follows the cliff path south past the Cliff Walk gardens, down to Lavernock Bay and on to the dramatic causeway out to Sully Island.
This is an easy walk on tarmac promenades, gravel paths and short grass clifftop, suitable for older dogs and kids. The Penarth seafront has a year round dog ban only on the central section of the beach in summer (1 May to 30 September), but the cliff path and Lavernock are off limits to no one. Keep dogs on leads near cliff edges and on the Sully Island causeway, which is cut off by the tide. Penarth has plenty of dog friendly cafes, and there is paid parking at the pier.
At a Glance
- Distance
- 9.0 km (5.6 miles)
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Duration
- 3 hr
- Walk Type
- Coastal
- Route Type
- Out and Back
- Off Lead Potential
- Moderate
- Livestock Risk
- None
- Facilities
- Cafes, toilets and ice cream on Penarth Esplanade, dog friendly Captains Wife pub at Sully.
- Parking
- Pay and display car parks on Penarth Esplanade and at Cosmeston Lakes, around 200 spaces in total.
Dog Friendly Stays Nearby
Make a weekend of it. These are the closest dog friendly places to stay to Penarth Headland and the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, each one checked for its dog policy before we listed it.
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All dog friendly stays in Vale of GlamorganDog Friendly Hotels Nearby
The closest dog friendly hotels to Penarth Headland and the Glamorgan Heritage Coast. Every dog fact comes from the hotel's own website.
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What’s Nearby?
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A flat, easy circuit around two flooded limestone quarry lakes, where dogs roam off lead in signed areas, past a reconstructed medieval village.
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A flat riverside loop through Cardiff Castle grounds and a champion tree arboretum, where dogs paddle in the Taff on the way to Pontcanna Fields.
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Cardiff
A beech woodland loop near Cardiff where dogs run free with no livestock about, linking Fforest Fawr to the fairytale towers of Castell Coch.
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Somerset
A traditional English seaside resort beach with the world-famous Grand Pier and seasonal restrictions for dogs on the main sands.
Walk10.4 mi awayBrean Down and the Victorian Fort
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A dramatic limestone headland where a dog can stretch out on the wide lower path, ending at a Victorian sea fort with views for you.