Two Welsh pub walks make UK top ten for dog owners

Nation.Cymru staff

A mountain walk near Y Fenni and a coastal route from Porthgain to Abereiddi have made a UK top ten of autumn pub walks for dog owners.

The route taking in Pen-y-fâl and Mynydd Llanwenarth in Bannau Brycheiniog came fifth, paired with the Lamb & Flag in Llanwenarth Citra. The walk from Porthgain to Abereiddi, paired with the Sloop Inn, came tenth.

Leather goods brand pampeano assessed more than 100 routes between 5km and 12km. Pub quality accounted for 45% of the score, the practicality and difficulty of the route for 35%, and dog-friendliness for 20%.

Pen-y-fâl and Mynydd Llanwenarth

The 7.1km route near Y Fenni scored 91.98 out of 100 and was rated moderate in the ranking. Pen-y-fâl rises to 596 metres, with views across Bannau Brycheiniog on a clear day. The national park authority’s guide to a shorter, 5km route from the Mynydd Llanwenarth car park warns that the final approach to the summit is steep and uneven and can be slippery in wet weather. www.beacons-npa.gov.uk

The Lamb & Flag, on the A40 outside Y Fenni, welcomes dogs in its bar. www.lambandflagpubabergavenny.co.uk

Porthgain to Abereiddi

The 6.3km coastal route scored 91.42. The coast path passes above Traeth Llyfn and traces the area’s quarrying history. The red-brick hoppers at Porthgain harbour once held crushed granite for shipment, while Abereiddi’s Blue Lagoon is a former slate quarry flooded by the sea. www.pembrokeshirecoast.wales

The national park authority publishes a 5.8km circular walk linking the two villages. It describes the terrain as rugged in places, with cliff edges and a steep descent into Porthgain. The Sloop Inn says it welcomes dogs in its bar from 3 November to 1 March. www.pembrokeshirecoast.wales

The other routes in the top ten

The Otter Trail and Hawksley Memorial Garden in the South Downs topped the ranking with 92.29 points, paired with the Bush Inn in Ovington, Hampshire. The other routes were:

• 2nd: Stow-on-the-Wold to Bourton-on-the-Water, Cotswolds, paired with the Porch House.
• 3rd: Warkworth Beach and Castle, Northumberland, paired with the Masons Arms.
• 4th: Dunstanburgh Castle circular, Northumberland, paired with the Jolly Fisherman in Craster.
• 6th: Rydal Water and Cave circular, Lake District, paired with the Badger Bar at Glen Rothay.
• 7th: Worth Matravers and St Aldhelm’s Head, Jurassic Coast, paired with the Square and Compass.
• 8th: Hole of Horcum short circular, North York Moors, paired with the Horseshoe Inn in Levisham.
• 9th: Old Harry circular, Jurassic Coast, paired with the Bankes Arms in Studland.

Routes taking in Yr Wyddfa, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis all scored below 83.

Pampeano attributed their lower scores to tougher terrain and longer walking times, which made them less practical in the shorter daylight hours of autumn.