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South Pembrokeshire CoastStepaside Ironworks and Pleasant Valley
The ruins of an ironworks in a wooded valley, with the tramway that carried anthracite down to Saundersfoot harbour running through it.
- Distance
- 3.1 mi / 5 km
- Time
- 1 hr 45
- Ascent
- 110 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Shape
- Circular
Where it is
The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.
The route
Paths follow the valley from the ironworks along the old tramway and stream, looping back through the woods. Gentle throughout.
Worth knowing
- The blast furnaces and casting house are substantial ruins standing among the trees.
- The tramway continues to Wiseman’s Bridge and the coast, linking to the tunnel walk.
- Grove Colliery above supplied the works with coal dug from the cliffs.
What you’ll see
The ironworks ruins and furnaces, the tramway, and wooded valley.
Background
Stepaside ironworks smelted local ore with local anthracite from 1849, an unusual combination that made the site briefly viable.