Cycle Pembrokeshire
Westfield Trail
The Trail follows the track bed of the former Great Western Railway built between 1852-6 under the direction of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the most famous of all Victorian Engineers.
It runs through Westfield Pill Nature Reserve, Neyland Marina and on to the car park just beyond Brunel Quay. Most of the track bed was purchased from British Rail by the former District Council in 1982 and sections were originally cleared for use by walkers and cyclists in the early 1990s.
It was named the Westfield Trail at that time and was improved and extended all the way up to Haverfordwest about 10 years later when the longer Brunel Trail was developed.
Fact file
Highlights |
Mostly off-road link between Johnston and Brunel Quay, Neyland – once the terminus of Brunel’s Great Western Railway. The Trail runs along a disused railway line. Sites include woodlands, the Westfield Pill Nature Reserve, a Yacht Haven, Brunel Quay and the picturesque Cleddau estuary Grade: Easy |
|---|---|
Distance |
81/2 miles (14 km) |
Time |
2 hours plus additional time for stops |
Start/Finish |
Greenhall Park Car Park, Johnston (Grid Ref SM934103, Sat Nav SA62 3PT). Free car park. From the A4076 road turn at junction adjacent to pedestrian crossing (signed Rosemarket & Llangwm). After just over100 yards, cross railway bridge and take first right and first right again. Trail starts at far end of car park |
Nearest Station |
Johnston 1/2 mile (turn left uphill out of station to join a cycle path, left over railway bridge and left again. Follow sign for Neyland that leads you alongside the railway line under a bridge. This takes you past the Start of the Trail after about 400 yards) |
Terrain |
Mainly on a tarmacked traffic free path with a few minor road crossings. Reasonably flat or shallow sloping all the way |
Elevation |
Total climb (sum of all uphill sections) - 146 metres |
Refreshments |
Cafe at Brunel Quay (with cycle stands) and Johnston |
Toilets |
Brunel Quay |
Trail Directions (distances in miles)
0.0 Start. Turn left out of Greenhall Park Car Park, Johnston. Follow this disused railway route all the way down to Westfield Pill Nature Reserve and Neyland Marina. On route take care at 3 minor road crossings. These would originally have been level crossings and some of the crossing-keepers cottages still survive
3.3 Carry straight ahead on the low level path following the Trail under the high bridge. The view southwards is now dominated by the masts of Neyland Marina
3.5 Start of the section of Trail alongside Neyland marina. Take care as this is no longer traffic free although vehicle usage is light and the road is traffic calmed. The Trail continues past a waterfront cafe and on past a number of boat yards to the Brunel Quay car park
4.3 Brunel Quay car park. Turn around and follow the same route back to Johnston
8.6 Greenhall Park Car Park, Johnston – end of Trail
Points of interest along the way
Westfield Pill Nature Reserve
A sheltered inlet with lagoons and islands which provide a sanctuary for hundreds of different species of birds and animals including herons, otters and over 20 varieties of butterfly. The site is managed by the Wildlife Trust
Neyland Marina
One of the largest and prettiest yacht havens in Wales
Brunel Quay
Until the mid C19th, Neyland was a quiet fishing village. In 1856, the renowned engineer Brunel established an Irish Packet Service at what was then named ‘New Milford’, and developed a wide range of infrastructure projects including a quay and rail link to support the ferry service. Numerous information boards on the quayside detail the history of this exciting project. The ferry service ended in 1906 and the railway closed in 1964. This part of Neyland languished until its transformation under an ambitious regeneration plan drawn up in the mid 1980s. Brunel Quay has really impressive views of the Cleddau Bridge and Estuary and the area around the Quay has pieces of historic naval equipment on show together with some of Brunel’s railway lines which have been used for a section of riverside fencing. A ferry service operated to and from Pembroke Dock until it was made obsolete in 1975 when the Cleddau Bridge was opened