Section 10: Dale to Neyland

Distance: 16.3 miles / 26.2 km. Mostly outside the National Park proper due to industrial development on the Haven, but historically and environmentally interesting. Two tidal crossings — double-check tide tables to avoid long road detours. Only one stile on the whole section (south of Herbrandston, high-tide alternative route).

Sub-sections

Leg	Distance	Difficulty
Dale → Musselwick (low-tide route via The Gann)	1.6 mi	Easy but includes a stony causeway and a stretch of soft sand
Pickleridge → Musselwick (high-tide route)	3.2 mi	Moderate — narrow road + farmland footpaths
Musselwick → Wenall Bay	1.8 mi	Moderate, one steep hill near Monk Haven
Wenall Bay → Sandy Haven	2.2 mi	Moderate — steps/hills concentrated near Sandy Haven
Sandy Haven (high-tide alternative)	3.9 mi	Easy grade, but a busy, largely pavement-less road detour
Sandy Haven → Gelliswick	3.5 mi	Moderate, tidal creek crossing then industrial coastline
Gelliswick → Venn Farm (through Milford Haven)	3 mi	Easy — road/town walking
Venn Farm → Hazelbeach	2.6 mi	Moderate, fields/woodland, near LNG plant and wind turbines
Hazelbeach → Neyland	1.6 mi	Easy — quiet road then seafront pavement

Hazards — the two tidal crossings

The Gann: crossable ~3.5 hrs either side of low water.
Sandy Haven: crossable ~2.5 hrs either side of low water.
To manage both in one walk, aim to reach the first as the tide is dropping (halfway between high and low) — that gives about 5 hours to reach the second crossing.
A dangerous, busy, pavement-less stretch of main road lies just west of Milford Haven — follow the acorn waymarks onto the inland footpath/bridleway via Castle Pill instead.

Facilities & transport

Dale: car park, WC, bus.
St Ishmael's: pub (Brook Inn), shop, 0.6 mi off-path.
Sandy Haven: free car park (east bank only), no WC.
Milford Haven: full town services — supermarkets, banks, hotels, rail station.
Neyland: marina town, pub, shop, free car park at Brunel Quay.

Highlights

Gann Pools SSSI — important overwintering bird habitat.
Stack Rock Fort and South Hook Point — Victorian coastal defences amid modern LNG infrastructure.
Milford Haven's history as a planned 1790 port town founded by Sir William Hamilton.
Neyland's Brunel railway heritage — once the terminus of the South Wales Railway.

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Layers

Actual walked route

Sections

Points of interest

Reference