One of the best ways to experience the varied landscapes of Wales is by walking some of its lovely, well-trodden routes, city walks and family-friendly trails.
We have a huge variety of walks here in Wales that can be attempted by walkers of all abilities. From day hikes to pretty parklands, marina walks and forest trails, we have it all.
If you're looking for caffeine fuel to kick-start a walk or fancy a post-ramble lunch, many walks in Wales have lovely pit-stops where you can get hot drinks, cakes, pastries, sandwiches and even pub lunches.
Ready to ramble? Here are our picks for walks in Wales with the best pit stops.
Read more: 14 gorgeous family walks in Wales to get out in the fresh air
Caerphilly mountain loop walk - Caerphilly Mountain Snack Bar
Don't be fooled by the name, Caerphilly Mountain is an easy hike for those who fancy stretching their legs for an hour or so and is a suitable walk for older children.
There are numerous mapped walks and trails with a lot of people talking their dogs along to enjoy the exercise. Make sure to get a summit selfie at the trig point and get a lovely scenic shot.
One of the best features of this hill walk is the massive bacon baps at the Caerphilly Mountain Snack Bar, handily located in the free Caerphilly Mountain car park. Set yourself up for your mountain walk with a lush bacon roll with lashings of sauce and a hot cup of coffee.
Moel Siabod - Moel Siabod Cafe
There are a number of walks in the Capel Curig area that vary in length and difficulty. The climb to Moel Siabod, which is located to the south of the village, is a favourite for hikers.
The mountain reaches a peak of 872m making it the highest peak in the Moelwynion mountain range. The views from the summit are well worth the hike as on a clear day, you can see Snowdonia, Glyderrau and the Carneddau ranges.
Make sure you set yourself up for your Snowdonia hike at the Moel Siabod Café, located next to The Rocks at Plas Curig Hostel in Capel Curig. This is a very popular part of Snowdonia, where tourists and day hikers jostle for scarce parking spaces in their droves.
Fuel up for those challenging hillside treks with their reasonably priced cooked breakfasts, cakes and a variety of specials. This community cafe also offers practical advice for all your outdoor needs and has a range of leaflets and information on walks in the area.
Chepstow to Tintern Abbey - The Filling Station Cafe
The Wye Valley, stretching along the border of England and Wales, is recognised as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and for good reason too. It's the perfect place for hill and river walks that showcase the UK's lovely rural charms. Opt for the Wye Valley Walk, a long-distance national trail that follows the course of the River Wye.
You can choose various sections of the trail for day hikes and weekend hikes – or opt for a full walking holiday and do the lot. One of the best day hikes on the Wye Valley Walk is the Chepstow to Tintern Abbey section.
It's a scenic, five-mile walk that takes you up ancient stone steps and through ethereal forest paths. There are plenty of photo and picnic spots along the way and you'll also find some viewing points where you can gaze at the winding River Wye.
When you arrive into Tintern, call into The Filling Station Cafe for freshly brewed coffee, teas, cakes and light meals.
Penarth to Sully walk - The Captain's Wife
This five-mile linear coastal route heads from Penarth’s Victorian pier along the coast to Lavernock Point. You'll be taking in several historic sites along the way, including an anti-aircraft battery, prehistoric dinosaur footprints and Sully Island which was once inhabited by swashbuckling smugglers.
At the end of your walk, treat yourself to a proper pub lunch a the Captain's Wife. This popular seaside pub was originally Sully House, a house originally owned by a captain and is full of local legends.
The most prevailing being that when the wife of the captain owner died, her body was kept in a box that was mistaken for treasure and stolen.
Make sure to bag a table in the outdoor area to watch the sun go down over Sully.
Watkin Path Snowdon - Caffi Gwynant
Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales towering at 1,085 metres [3,560 ft] above sea level and over Llanberis.
There are six main paths to the summit of Snowdon, they include Llanberis Path, Pyg Track, Miners’ Track, Watkin Path, Rhyd-Ddu Path and the Snowdon Ranger Path.
The Watkin Path is considered to be the most challenging of the six 'classic' routes to the summit and has beautiful scenery along the way, including waterfalls with crystal clear plunge pools.
In milder weather, you can even swim in these pools providing you have brought your outdoor swim kit with you and some warm layers.
Near the start of the Watkin Path, you'll find Caffi Gwynant, an ideal place for a drink, snack, breakfast or sandwich before or after a walk to the summit of Snowdon.
Castell Coch and Fforest Fawr - Forest Tea Rooms
The dragon trail around Fforest Fawr behind Castell Coch is ideal for those looking for a walk in nature with some sculptures thrown into the mix.
There are wood carvings along this forest route to explore and plenty of wildlife to spot as well. Take the kids on the mile-long walking route for views over nearby Craig yr Allt and the Garth and also be sure to stop by the fairytale Castell Coch.
Nearby, you'll find toilets, food and refreshments at Forest Tea Rooms in Tongwynlais which can be reached from the forest trail.
Here, you can have lunch in a rustic and leafy cafe in the woods that does the best toasties in Cardiff. It's a family-run business in a gorgeous forest setting that even has the odd peacock roaming around.
Millennium Coastal Path Carmarthenshire - Whitfords Cafe
The Millennium Coastal Path is a 13-mile pedestrian walkway and cycleway along the south coast of Carmarthenshire. The path is a perfect, traffic-free way of exploring the scenic coastline and some of the best beaches in the UK.
Have a bracing seaside walk and take in the many viewpoints along the way. This route is super easy to walk or cycle and provides a scenic link between Llanelli and Pembrey Country Park.
The cycleway is well maintained and is a brilliant cycle route for families and couples exploring the area.
When you get to Burry Port on this route, be sure to call into Whitfords for lunch, this Greek restaurant and lounge bar serves authentic homemade Greek food, meze and main meals.
Barry to Porthkerry Park - Craft Republic
This pleasant, coastal walk takes you on the Wales Coast Path and offers sweeping views of the Bristol Channel. You can get the train or bus to Barry island to begin your walk to Porthkerry, which is around three miles.
On this walk you'll experience a pebble beach and clifftop traverse, taking in the views of the Bristol Channel which has the second-highest tidal range in the world, between 12 and 14 metres.
You'll also pass the ruins of a Roman building and another pebble beach as you follow the promenade. There are plenty of cafes and ice cream shops along the way to pick up drinks and snacks for the whole family.
At the end of this walk, you'll be on the grounds of beautiful Porthkerry Country Park where you can take snaps of the iconic viaduct that towers over the park. There's also a playground that the kids will love if they are walking with you.
If you do this walk in reverse, You can head over to the award-winning Craft Republic for a post-walk craft beer or wine. Located in Goodsheds, they have 14 lines of craft beer, lager and cider pouring from their state-of-the-art Direct Draw system.
Cardiff Bay Trail - Coffi Co
This easy, mainly traffic-free, circular trail runs for just over six miles around Cardiff Bay and across to the seaside town of Penarth, via Pont Y Werin. Make sure to follow the ‘Cardiff Bay trail’ signs to complete this easy and scenic loop walk.
This scenic and relatively flat trail is designed for walkers and bikers and is a perfect way for people to explore the waterfront in a low-impact way. Parts of it are suitable for wheelchair users and families with pushchairs too.
Along the trail, you'll see some of the historic and modern landmarks of Cardiff, such as the Norwegian Church, Wales Millennium Centre, the Senedd and the Pierhead building.
There are plenty of places to stop for refreshments, the vibrant waterfront area has lots of cafés, bars and restaurants to choose from.
For a lush sugar hit to pick you up, try a delicious cookie and cream cappuccino from Coffi Co on the way. Guaranteed to perk you right up.
Devil’s Bridge Falls Nature Trail - Hafod Hotel
The Devil’s Bridge Falls Nature Trail is located at the ethereal Devil's Bridge area in Ceredigion and is a circular trail that takes around 45 minutes, depending on your family's walking pace.
Pay to enter via the coin-operated turnstile and you can spend as much time as you like exploring the falls with the kids.
The circular route is a challenging trek though, with steep trails, steps and slippery surfaces, so it's more suited to families with older children who enjoy a nature hike.
There’s an alternative ‘Three Bridges and Punchbowl Trail’ that takes around 10 minutes. It’s an easier trail to manage if you have young children and dogs that can’t manage big treks.
After the walk, head over to the Hafod Hotel that's opposite the Devil’s Bridge Falls Nature Trail for a lovely lunch in a hip setting. The food here features local produce and seasonal flavours and their Devil's beast burger is highly recommended.
Llansteffan Circular walk - Inn at the Sticks
One of the best ways to take in the glorious sea views in Llansteffan is by going on a bracing coastal walk. There are circular walks available and you can also join the long-distance Wales Coast Path, for a longer trek along the Welsh coast.
The Llansteffan circular walk takes you from Llansteffan along the mouth of the Tywi River as it opens into Carmarthen Bay. It’s a three-mile trek that is suitable for most walkers.
From the Llansteffan car park, the Wales Coast Path follows the sandy shoreline with the towers of ruined Llansteffan Castle visible as you traverse the path. You’ll soon reach Scott’s Bay, where a 19th-century villa sits close to the sand.
After your walk, make sure to call into Inn At The Sticks in Llansteffan village for a well-earned lunch.
Here you’ll find local produce presented simply, as well as an excellent selection of wines and local beers.
Everything is made in-house here and their team of chefs use quality, local produce, from Llanelli Bay Mussels and Llansteffan Wild Garlic to Pendine Pigeon and Dinefwr Venison.
Bute Park Cardiff - Pettigrew Tea Rooms
Bute Park starts right in the city centre and has a castle at one end of it — but because of the way it merges into Blackweir and Pontcanna Fields, you could walk for hours along its paths, under its trees and alongside the River Taff.
You can also join the Taff trail in Bute Park, it's an incredibly popular biking and walking route that runs for 55 miles, from the Welsh capital of Cardiff to the small town of Brecon. Bikers and walkers can attempt the whole route or enjoy smaller sections of this scenic trail.
There are a number of coffee stops in the park including the Secret Garden Cafe, Servini's at The Summerhouse and even a coffee trike.
As you approach the main entrance to Bute Park (opposite the Holiday Inn) you’ll also notice the popular Pettigrew Tea Rooms in the old castle lodge. This is a great place to stop and treat yourself to an afternoon tea, or tea and cakes, after a long walk in the park.
Stackpole to Barafundle Bay walk - Stack Pole Inn
There are a number of walks in this beautiful part of Pembrokeshire and a popular one is Stackpole to Barafundle bay.
The walk starts at The National Trust car park at Stackpole Quay, just south of Pembroke and there’s currently a £5 charge for all-day parking.
You can join the Wales Coast Path from here and walk along clifftops enjoying spectacular views of the coast before descending into Barafundle Bay, regularly voted as one of Wales’ most beautiful beaches.
A great stop for lunch is the Stackpole Inn. This restaurant/inn is found in Stackpole, not too far away from the highly-rated Barafundle Bay - which was recently ranked among some of the best beaches in the world.
And The Stackpole's restaurant is awarding winning too, and the bar is always well-stocked with some great ales and ciders - it might be worth staying overnight.
Pen y Fan -Pont ar Daf food trucks
For some of the best views of the Brecon Beacons, hike up the highest peak in the Brecon Beacons National Park, Pen-y-Fan. Enjoy panoramic views of the Brecon landscape on a scenic hike.
This walk is suitable for walkers of most abilities including families with older children who are used to hiking in mountainous areas. The vast majority of walkers hike the well-trodden route to the summit from Storey Arms Activity centre and this is the most family-friendly route. There's also a less crowded ascent via the path up from Taf Fechan Forest past Neuadd Reservoir for the more experienced hikers.
For refreshments at Pen y Fan, there are some food and coffee trucks based at the Pont ar Daf car park selling hot coffee, bacon baps and cakes.
Mumbles to Langland and Caswell Bay Walk
This scenic four-mile walk takes you from seaside favourite Mumbles to the lovely Caswell Bay on the southeast of the Gower Peninsula.
The route starts from the information point near Oystermouth Castle in the Mumbles and follows an undulating coastal path, passing Langland Bay on the way. Along the way, there are several cafes where you can get snacks, drinks and ice cream and there are also toilet facilities if nature calls.
You'll pass a range of pretty bays on this walk including Bracelet Bay, Limeslade Bay, Langland Bay and Whiteshell Point before coming into Caswell Bay.
This beach is popular with surfers and paddle boarders and has both parking and toilets. After your coastal hike, you can also grab coffee and lunch at the Caswell Surfside Cafe, which has prime views of the long golden stretch of sand and the ocean.
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