Some stretches of coast path are all about the view. The section that curves around St Davids is about something more: the geology under your boots, the birds riding the updraught, the seals hauled out on rocks below, and the sense of walking through a landscape that has been argued over, prayed in and farmed for well over a thousand years. It is rugged, exposed and occasionally muddy, and it rewards anyone willing to slow down.

Why this stretch stands out

St Davids is the smallest city in Britain, and the coast path wraps around it like a frayed ribbon. Nowhere else in Wales do you get cathedral, harbour, headland and island quite so close together. The cliffs here are carved from ancient rock, some of it over 400 million years old, folded and tilted into jagged slabs that catch the light at sunset.

What makes it special for walkers is the variety packed into a short distance. You can potter along clifftops for an hour and pass a Bronze Age burial chamber, a ruined chapel, a working lifeboat station and a colony of nesting seabirds. Distances are modest, but the climbing adds up, so budget more time than the map suggests.

The classic walk: Caerfai to Solva

The most popular day section runs from Caerfai Bay, just south of St Davids, to the harbour village of Solva. It is roughly eight miles (13km) and takes most people four to five hours with stops.

Start on the purple-red sandstone beach at Caerfai, then climb onto the clifftop and head east. The path rolls along above a series of narrow inlets and rocky coves, with plenty of stone stiles and short, sharp descents that will test your knees.

• Porth Clais — a small tidal harbour about two miles in, once a busy port for timber, limestone and coal. There are toilets and a seasonal kiosk here, plus a slipway that is a lovely spot for a flask of tea.
• Porth y Rhaw — a quiet, boulder-strewn cove with a ruined lime kiln and excellent rockpooling at low tide.
• Carreg Golchfa — a rocky promontory where the path narrows and the exposure is real. Take your time and keep dogs close.
• Solva — a deep, sheltered inlet that dries out almost completely at low water. The village has pubs, cafés and a very good ice cream stop at the bottom of the hill.

If you only have half a day, do Caerfai to Porth Clais and back. It gives you the best of the cliffs without committing to the full distance.

Heading west: St Justinians and St Davids Head

West of the city, the path changes character. From Whitesands Bay the route climbs towards St Davids Head, a wild, heather-covered plateau scattered with outcrops and the remains of Coetan Arthur, a Neolithic burial chamber. From the top of Carn Llidi the views stretch to Ramsey Island and, on a clear day, across to Ireland.

Drop down to St Justinians, where the lifeboat station sits above a narrow, dramatic inlet. This is the launch point for boats to Ramsey Island, and the sound between them — with its notorious tidal race, the Bitches — is one of the most powerful stretches of water in Wales. Watch from the clifftop for harbour porpoises and, in summer, a steady procession of guillemots and razorbills.

Finish with the short walk to St Non's Bay, where a ruined chapel and holy well sit above a rocky shore. It is a quiet, oddly moving place, and a fine spot to end a day.

Wildlife, tides and timing

The coast here is a designated nature reserve for good reason. Choughs — black crows with red bills — are resident year-round, and peregrines nest on the sea cliffs. Grey seals pup in sheltered caves during the autumn, so keep your distance and never approach a pup on a beach.

Spring brings a haze of sea thrift, spring squill and bluebells on the slopes. By August the heather is out in purple sheets, and the clifftops hum with insects.

• Check tide times before planning any beach or harbour detour, especially at Porth Clais and Solva.
• Wear proper boots — the path is often wet, stony and steep.
• Carry water and food — there are no shops between St Davids and Solva.
• Pack a waterproof even on a bright morning; coastal weather turns quickly.
• Assume patchy phone signal and carry a paper map or downloaded offline version.
• Keep dogs on leads near livestock and cliff edges.

Staying and living by the coast

St Davids makes an excellent base. The cathedral, tucked in its hollow, is worth an hour of anyone's time, and the tiny streets around it hold pubs, bakeries and a decent little supermarket. Solva is quieter, with a strong artsy streak and a harbour that fills and empties like a slow heartbeat. Self-catering cottages, B&Bs and campsites are plentiful, though summer weekends book out months ahead.

Out of season, this coast becomes something else entirely — empty paths, low golden light, and the sound of waves doing their patient work. Bring a good coat and you will have it largely to yourself.