{{Short description|Peninsula in Pembrokeshire, Wales}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} thumb|Dinas Island showing Pen-y-fan and Dinas Head<br />Inset: location within Pembrokeshire thumb|Pwllgwaelod beach, Dinas Island, on the extreme right
'''Dinas Island''' (Welsh: ''Ynys Dinas'') is a peninsula, partially detached from the mainland, in the community of Dinas Cross between Fishguard and Newport, Pembrokeshire, in southwest Wales. A triangulation point shows {{convert|466|ft}} above sea level at Pen-y-fan. Although Dinas Head is the northernmost part of the promontory where the cliffs meet the sea, the name is sometimes loosely used to refer to this highest point.<ref>[http://www.visitpembrokeshire.com/content.asp?id=1984 Visit Pembrokeshire website]</ref> Dinas Island is contained within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and the headland is under the care of the National Trust.<ref>[http://www.britainexpress.com/countryside/coast/dinas.htm Britain Express – Dinas Head]</ref>
==Geography== The landward side of Dinas Island is bordered by a swampy valley cut by meltwater overflow from a glacial lake, melt water freed from reservoirs in the Preseli Hills by the dwindling ice.<ref>''Encyclopedia of the World's Coastal Landforms'', Volume 1, p.374, by Eric C. F. Bird</ref><ref>''The Geographical Magazine'', Volume 42, Michael Huxley, 1969</ref> This was the same Ice Age melt-water that formed the Gwaun Valley further down the coast.<ref name="bbc">[http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/nature/thingstodo/walks/allwalks/dinas_island.shtml BBC website – Dinas Island]{{dead link|date=September 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
==Wildlife== Plant cover on Dinas Island is typical of a windswept cliff environment, with gorse, bracken and bramble, scrubby trees of hawthorn, blackthorn and hazel, and small oak and ash where there is shelter from the wind. There are also coastal wildflowers such as ling, scabious, thyme, heather, thrift, pennywort, foxglove, and orchids. Bluebells bloom in spring on the eastern slopes.<ref name="bbc" /> Feral goats at one time inhabited the headland until they were destroyed in 1947.<ref>''Pembrokeshire Coast'',1973, by Dilwyn Miles</ref>
==Pembrokeshire Coast Path== thumb|The coastal path near Dinas Head The Pembrokeshire Coast Path, a {{convert|186|mi|km|adj=on}} national trail, runs for {{convert|3|mi}} around the peninsula, offering extensive views towards Strumble Head and across both Fishguard and Newport Bay. This section of the path can be accessed from Pwllgwaelod at its southwestern end, and from Cwm-yr-Eglwys at its southeastern end. Both these locations can be reached from Dinas Cross on the A487, and offer parking and public toilets. A path, suitable for wheelchair access, links the two.<ref>[http://www.visitpembrokeshire.com/content.asp?id=1984 Visit Pemprokeshire website]</ref><ref>[http://www.pembrokeshirecoast.org.uk/webSite/appaccess4all/pwllgwaelod_cwmyreglwys.pdf Description of walk]</ref>
==Transport== Pwllgwaelod is served by the "Poppit Rocket", a bus which follows the coastline from Fishguard to Cardigan, Ceredigion in the north.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/content.asp?nav=2%2C838%2C1629%2C839%2C1038 |title=Pembrokeshire County Council website |access-date=2013-04-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130429154730/http://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/content.asp?nav=2%2C838%2C1629%2C839%2C1038 |archive-date=2013-04-29 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Agriculture== Much of Dinas Island is given over to sheep pasture, and Dinas Island Farm – jointly owned and run by the National Trust and the Perkins family,<ref>{{cite web|title=Farm facts {{!}} DINAS ISLAND FARM, near Newport, Pembrokeshire |url=http://www.fwi.co.uk/landing-page/business/management-matters/dinas-island-farm/ |publisher=Farmers Weekly |accessdate=20 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202152330/http://www.fwi.co.uk/landing-page/business/management-matters/dinas-island-farm/ |archivedate=2 February 2014 }}</ref> and accessed from Pwllgwaelod – currently farms 1,600 Lleyn ewes plus 400 followers on 600 acres. In 2012 it won the Farmers Weekly Sheep Farmer of the Year Award and a National Grassland Management Award.<ref>[http://dinasisland.co.uk/dinas-island-farm.aspx Dinas Island farm]</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|2}}
== External links == {{Commons}} * [https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/strumble-head-to-cardigan Strumble Head to Cardigan information] at the National Trust
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Category:Tourist attractions in Pembrokeshire Category:Peninsulas of Wales Category:Coast of Pembrokeshire Category:Landforms of Pembrokeshire