Carn Llidi

About Carn Llidi

Perched above Whitesands Bay, Carn Llidi is the Pembrokeshire coast’s pocket-sized skyscraper. At 181 metres, it offers better views of Ramsey Island than most seagulls, provided you don't mind the distinct possibility of being blown sideways into a Neolithic burial chamber while admiring the surf.

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Did You Know?

• •The summit is home to the remains of an Iron Age hillfort and defensive enclosures. These stone ramparts once guarded the peninsula, though they now primarily serve as windbreaks for hikers trying to eat a sandwich.
• •Below the peak lies 'Coetan Arthur', a Neolithic burial chamber with a massive capstone. It dates back to 3000 BC, proving that prehistoric locals were quite capable of heavy lifting without the help of modern hydraulic cranes.
• •During World War II, the hill hosted a 'Chain Home Low' radar station to detect low-flying aircraft. Its strategic position provides a 360-degree vista that makes it impossible for an enemy—or a slow-moving tourist—to go unnoticed.
• •The hill is formed from incredibly hard igneous gabbro, a volcanic rock that stubbornly refused to erode along with the rest of the coastline. This geological persistence gives us a dramatic landmark and several very sore ankles for the unprepared.
• •Despite its modest height, the wind at the top has a professional-grade talent for hat-theft. You will reach the summit in ten minutes only to spend the next hour negotiating with a prickly gorse bush to get your favorite beanie back.