And behind us we could see Garn Fawr, the hill fort of last week's visit..
After an easy start we came to the usual ups and down and soon arrived at the site of the last invasion of our country. By the French in 1797 and here is a memorial stone to commemorate it at Caregwastad Point
There is a tapestry in Fishguard - a bit like the one in Bayeux about that other French invasion, showing what happened. It is a very funny story really. The local people got the French drunk and poisoned and scared them off. There is a festival held every year in Fishguard to remember it where everyone dresses up as the characters who took part and saved the day. We dropped down through some very pretty woods, by now feeling warm in the lovely sunshine.
After more coves and ups and downs we came in sight of the inlet to Fishguard harbour where we watched the Irish ferry pulling round.
We were on the lookout for arches and dragons as usual...was this the first dragon of the day?
We soon rounded the headland dropping into Goodwick (Wdig) with views over the huge breakwater there.
Over fields and into Goodwick, we left Joanna and walked through the town, along the Parrog (Promenade) and down over the little beach - the only beach walk today.
Up the other side we followed the Marine Walk round into the original Fishguard (Abergwaun) Lower Town harbour which is really pretty.
As we dropped into the harbour, we passed a beautifully knitted fence post. We had seen the lady who had got all the town involved in knitting and dressed all the town up on TV a couple of years ago. It was good to see she had succeeded. This picture is for my friend who got me into knitting last year - very therapeutic and I still enjoy it.
This is the view from the harbour out to sea...
And in the harbour is a lovely statue to remember when there was a big herring fleet here - had to take it for our Herrings..
As we walked up out of the harbour we could see the fort on a little headland where we were headed. It was the 8 cannons here which had been fired at the French in 1797 and made them turn away from Fishguard to land at Carregwastad instead.
Today I could only practise with a ferry...!!
We still had a way to go and had some beautiful views both back to St David's Head and on to headlands ahead. Had a nice chat with John and Alan at some point. They are from Cardiff and Newport and have walked a lot of the coastal path - gave me a good tip, to write to Compeed for sponsorship...it's in hand! We did spot an arch in the end...at Aber Richard.
The sun was dropping, almost blindingly bright on the sea and the going was quite heavy and muddy in sheltered places as we dropped in and out of Aber Bach - a lovely little cove with children playing on the rocks after school. Lucky them!.After more steep ups and downs, we finally came in sight of Pwll Gwaelod, our end of the day, at the foot of Dinas Head. We dropped steeply down in sticky mud and were very pleased to see Joanna waiting for us in this pretty little bay
Day 2 - Pwll Gwaelod to Moylgrove
Wow..another beautiful morning so Joanna dropped us back at Pwll Gwaelod and off we set....our aim to walk back to the house today. Here we are setting off by 9.15..
As we climbed up the views of the beach with tide out were lovely...reflections on the wet beach..
The pull up to Dinas Head wasn't too bad - certainly not the hardest stretch of the day! We had the option of choosing a shorter route across Dinas Head but didn't want to shirk. There were still pockets of frost in the grass here and there. The views were tremendous although it was a bit more hazy today. We soon reached the trig point on the Head, the summit is named Pen-y-Fan..
....and dropped down the other side to Cwm yr Eglwys, an idyllic little hamlet with its now ruined church and the remains of its churchyard. The church, St Brynach's, was originally damaged in the great storm of 1859...and until this year its most recent reparations were in 1979.
It was a steep climb out of the cove and we were once more passing many little coves and bays. The first little bay we walked through didn't appear to have a name but it was there where we saw the first sunbathers of the year!
And at its head, these views were marvellous with Dinas Head in the distance. And soon we came to lovely Aber Rhigian with its stony breakwater, reeds and little stream..
More of the cliff walking soon brought us in view of Newport sands with Carn Ingli behind - wonderful!
We saw some evidence again of storm damage as we walked around the pretty harbour. It was a long walk around the Nevern estuary and there are some serious sand dunes here - the first since a few at Newgale and before then at Freshwater West. Earlier in the walk, we were always surrounded by dunes. As we approached the bridge to cross the river, we passed the site of the castle..our bit of historic buildings today in the absence of my favourite hill forts.
We then rounded Newport via its golf links - think that was the first golf course we've crossed so far..and the climbing got serious!! Can you see the steps up this next cliff? It was much harder than it may look!
But we did have great views back to Newport with the shimmering sea and Carn Ingli looming over...
It was amazing looking out to sea - see what I meant about being on the Med? Well, apart from the gorse...
The ups and downs were causing serious aching of old knees but then we saw a great arch at Bwn Bach so it made it worth it....
..that and the fact that we were approaching the Witch's Cauldron, Pwll y Wrach, which I had so looked forward to ...and here it was...
It's just a shame that the picture once more doesn't do it justice. It is such an awe inspiring place - a collapsed cave still with its bridge over which the path follows....maybe have a look at it on the internet...and certainly make it a place to visit.
We did miss a hill fort close to here but by now we were very tired and although I thought I saw traces...I couldn't be sure..
It was also close to here apparently that there were very recent smugglers in the 1980's who made their own cave to hide a huge amount of drugs.
We were rounding a headland now into Ceibwr Bay. The folded rocks from here to Cemaes Head are amongst the oldest in the UK and so spectacular....here is the view to Pen yr Afr which we will pass tomorrow...
We soon got to a road and made our weary way back to the house. The road had a huge heave which we passed - and was closed as a result. It looked more like damage from last year's frost than this year's wet! I was quite grumpy when we finally arrived at the house - uphill! But then we enjoyed a lovely meal at the Trewern Arms in Nevern, a pretty village with its castle and church. Thank you, Joanna. Just over 14 hard miles today!
Today we had once more listened to the chattering of skylarks, the calling of the gulls and I even saw a yellow wagtail in Ceibwr Bay. There had been bees and butterflies, dandelions, celandines, a few violets. The sea squill is beginning to burst and stinging nettles are just appearing - a good thing to walk at this time of year! Badger sets galore both this afternoon and yesterday afternoon.
Day 3 Moylgrove to Cardigan
Having suspected that we would be pretty tired after the walk to Moylgrove, I had determined on a shorter walk today, thank goodness!
We did look a bit grumpy as we set off - or was it just exhausted? Downhill today to start anyway, back to Ceibwr Bay. And what a pretty sight - here's Chris crossing the old clapper bridge..it was a lovely morning again but even more misty, making it hard to tell where the sea ended and the sky began.
It took a while to get out of the cove and beyond as we were too busy listening to the great sounds of the sea being blown out of the cliffs and watching the waves surge over the rocks..
It was a lovely walk as we headed over the cliffs around Pen yr Afr with its folded cliffs and its own booming sea noises..And it wasn't long before we heard another noise too...seals.
And there they were lying like torpedoes on the beach at Cemaes Head....should have had telephoto lens today...
I did get quite near the edge above them and so was a bit unpopular....we soon had views of Cardigan Island - only just through the haze...and it is a shame that we can't see it from the other side as the landowner there won't allow walkers so the coastal path makes a detour inland.
We dropped down from the cliffs and had views of Poppit Sands - happy memories of our earlier visits...
It was a bit of a trek along the road from Poppit into St Dogmael's but we had a prize once we got there....this was the end of the Pembroke path...as we headed up the Teifi estuary to Cardigan.
And at the Ferry Inn just past the path sign, we got our certificates for completing the Pembroke path...
We stopped for lunch by the side of the estuary where we saw this dolmen - minus its topping stone, which purports to be a Blessing Stone, reputedly where the abbot blessed the fishing fleet on its way out...
We walked down through St Dogmael's and visited the Abbey as we passed - quite a big one it was too..
And we couldn't leave St Dogmael's without a visit to its mill which we had heard of on a visit to Talgarth's mill.
And so we wended our way, following the path sign, now out above Cardigan and over fields before dropping into Cardigan over the bridge by the castle to meet Joanna...an easier 10 and a half miles today!
Day 4 - Cardigan to Aberporth
The day dawned...but only just..it was a very misty one! Quite like autumn but warmer! We had enjoyed a bubbly celebration last night to toast our completion of the Pembroke path and also the halfway mark!!! We left the car in Cardigan and off we set once more,,,
A new sign to follow now we've left the Pembroke Razorbill behind.. a bit sad! We followed the Teifi out again, along its misty banks..
We soon got to Gwbert, we love the Cliff Hotel there. This was where we had to leave the coast as I explained yesterday and headed on the road through Y Ferwig towards Mwnt - and it was quite a climb to start with.
It looked equally as pretty as we left it behind with its little church on its flank....
To begin with we had some fine views of the coast..with its inlets and clefts.....
..and fishing boat - throwing out its lobster pots...
Then we passed over some much higher cliffs and other than when we did drop down to coves we couldn't really see that much so we just walked on...We did see a fair amount of water still shooting down the little rivulets and waterfalls out into the sea...
As we turned inland away from the coast to head to Aberporth, we had a glimpse of the last little cove, Cwm Gwyrddon where there are apparently steps carved out of the steep cliff - a little hamlet used to exist here with a fishing community.
The headland beyond here belongs now to Qinetiq for arms testing and the ravine we passed heading inland was indeed very deep making the headland almost an island. We crossed through a wood and out over fields to then head along the streets into Aberporth - and it was very downhill and therefore a test of the old knees again!!! At last we made it to the seafront with its wooden dolphin and then enjoyed coffees at the cafe before rejoining the cars for the journey home!
Thank goodness I had a weekend at the Lake Spa hotel in Llangammarch to look forward to with my 3 fantastic daughters - a lovely present from them. I was ready for a good relax and massage!!
See you again soon I hope!
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