Walk 11 Stackpole Quay to Pembroke 26th-28th October, 2013

So in spite of the dire storm warnings, off we set on Saturday morning on the 3 hour journey to Stackpole. That was one reason why we decided on a 3 day event this time, another being that we wanted to get to Pembroke and as this was likely to be a cliffy up and down walk, we thought 3 days would give us less mileage each day. Not that much fun driving down in the dark - and this time no sunshine appeared at daybreak. We arrived at Little Neath Barn, Rhoscrowther - our chosen bed and breakfast, and what a gem it was! We had a cup of tea with Mavis before she kindly gave us a lift back to Stackpole Quay. We had really been quite concerned about this part of the walk around the Angle peninsula and how we would manage the transport as it is such a quiet part with very little habitation (which is great!) but we hadn't needed to worry as Mavis and John, so kindly took us to each start point and picked us up at the end of each day - just fantastic and over and above their call of duty!

Having had many showers, we arrived at Stackpole in the dry and agreed our pick up point at Castlemartin - the range is open most weekends so getting as far as is allowed over the range is no problem today - hooray. I was so excited to be going to see the Green Bridge of Wales!  Stackpole is an amazing place having been a huge estate in its former glory and latterly as the land belonging to the Earl of Cawdor. The mansion was demolished in 1963 as the family were unable to pay the death duties. It was the scene of many grand visits including royal ones. So off we set from the lovely setting of the Quay, up to Stackpole Head. What a sight to set us up for the weekend - stupendous cliffs and crashing waves, it was fair enough quite windy! We passed many blow holes and sink holes - just didn't know there would be so many - they are quite scarey! And also so many natural arches - just whetting the appetite for the Green Bridge! We soon arrived at the beautiful Barafundle Bay which we had all to ourselves.

 This had been a private beach for the Estate.

It really was a beautiful morning!

With more marvellous cliff views, we soon arrived at the end of the impressive Stackpole Head. Still with views back to Caldey Island and even to the Gower and Rhossili Downs. What's more Lundy Island was clear for much of this morning!

The path ahead led us now towards the next beach walk at Broad Haven where the Bosherston lakes come down to the beach.

But before we got there, we had so much to see - and most of it involved the sea, funnily enough! IT was simply boiling in the wind - the spume flying through the air and nowhere more magnificent today than at the headland of Mowingword!

Just a bit sad that the photos don't do true justice to how it really looked...We wandered on past huge dunes and past enormous sinkholes, not for the faint hearted, and soon arrived then at Broad Haven beach. Not to ourselves this time but certainly not busy although the surfers were there making the most of it!

The bay here is dominated by Church stack out at sea - today the waves were making themselves felt out there.

The bay here was artificially made as a dam was built above the dunes so it is quite sheltered - and very pretty.

And so we headed on towards St Govan's Head still with many sights to see...a sinkhole here...

...and a huge inlet there...New Quay ...

We mistakenly thought that the well-known St Govan's Chapel was at the end of St Govan's Head itself so walked out there...

but it was well worth it for the view! We headed on now towards Trevallen at the landward side of St Govan's head and where the range was declared open but before setting out across it, we went down to the Chapel built into the cliff with the raging sea beneath - a terrific sight. Was it Gawain who had spent some of his later life here?

Off then across the track on the range. Passing Stennis ford and Huntsmans Leap - amazing inlets, the power of the sea....apparently a huntsman did jump over here in the 18th century and was so shocked when he looked back at what he had jumped that he fell off his horse and died! Good story anyway!

Less and less flowers to admire - and try to name - but many mushrooms and toadstools - whether they were field or magic, I'm not sure. What a shame that's a heritage we have forgotten!

Soon we arrived at Bullslaughter Bay. We think so named because of its red sandstone perhaps...or is that a huge toad in there...certainly there were lots of natural arches and "windows" to marvel at.

And the next beach was Flimston Bay. Beautiful but almost totally inaccessible unless you have ropes I should think.

Just before we approached the end of the cliffs for today, we passed what would have been the gatehouse for another iron age fort (can't remember now how many of the 47 around the Pembrokeshire path we have passed already). The main part of the fort has long ago fallen into the sea, only a few earthworks remain.

Then we arrived at the well-known Stack Rocks - or Elegug Stacks which are loved by seabirds in the Spring I believe - there were a few around today and guano evidence of overcrowding maybe! And so on to the Green Bridge - it didn't let us down. a lovely sight if a little blowy by now. Luckily there is a viewing platform all enclosed with a fence so we didn't venture out of it! We wondered how much longer it will be there.

So we left the coast now as this is as far as is allowed. There is a lot more coast to go to the West but this West Range is all on MOD land with public entry only allowed once or twice a year in the summer on guided tours. So we headed inland through the range, passing Flimston chapel and a huge former farmstead there which had been compulsorily purchased for the war effort....towards Castlemartin. Just as we came to the village sign, the heavens opened and the wind blew manically! We headed for the bus stop, our pick-up point and Mavis took us back to Little Neath Barn! A lovely relax and clean up in the very comfortable room after our 11 miles and 6 hours' walking before heading off for refreshment at the Speculation Inn just down the road - very good it was too!

Day Two saw us dropped at the Pound in Castlemartin to resume. The Pound was used in the 15th and later in the 18th centuries to hold wandering cattle for the owners to come back to pay for their release!

As you may see, it was a windy morning and the forecast was a bit grim but it was also very sunny so we decided to give it a go. We were well stocked up with a lovely breakfast anyway! A little walk out of the village led us to Freshwater West - well we could hear it well before we could see it! Never heard or seen anything like it before - what an experience!

Just at the edge of the sea is a seaweed drying hut refurbished to show the local history. There were apparently 20 or so of these at this beach where the seaweed was collected and dried on the floor before being sent to bakeries in the south of Wales to make Laverbread. Some mad souls were attempting to go in the water and there were a few walkers and joggers on the beach - all of us marvelling I think at the spume forming and being blown like snow. The noise was just terrific!

Freshwater West has been the scene of much filming...the last Harry Potter was shot here where they built the Shell House, now demolished, and the Russell Crowe Robin Hood was also shot here. No doubt others will follow - it is such a beautiful and remote setting.

As we climbed out of the bay, the rain came on heavily and we believed that would be the pattern of the day as we trudged through Pembrokeshire pink mud where a new path is being formed to avoid a part where there has been a cliff fall. 

The waves below us were just astonishing - once the rain stopped, we then had a few soakings from the mist of the waves crashing beneath us!

The rain however couldn't continue with the wind blowing it away so we had soon dried off. It was very windy as we rounded the cliffs to Guttle Hole - another stunning natural arch with the waves battling though it!

We had views of Sheep Island and then Rat Island as we rounded the headland to come into West Angle Bay and saw an Irish Ferries boat heading down into the Haven. Next came the view of Thorn Island just off the West Angle Bay. There are talks apparently of making this island into a superior hotel but no-one seems to know when.

And we also passed the East Blockhouse built by Henry VIII as one of the defensive points of the Haven - we will have to look out for the Western one when we are at the other side of this massive harbour!

It was quite a relief to drop into the shelter of West Angle Bay even though Chris succumbed to a comedy fall......first aid was at the ready! After a brief lunch we climbed out of the bay. There is opportunity here to take a shortcut into Angle village by cutting across the end of the peninsula - but we don't do shortcuts! And glad we don't, we still had much to see. We passed Chapel Bay which was used to look out or listen for U boats in the War and soon saw the big 300 metre long big! gas ship disposing of its cargo. There is a Fort Boyard look alike in the Haven here too, another Napoleonic fort probably like the one on Thorn Island.

The Valero oil refinery at the other side of Angle Bay and near to Rhoscrowther was growing larger now, it had been on the horizon most of the day and we could see St Mary's church tower in Angle - our rendez-vous at 4 pm. First though we stopped at The Old Point House pub as we rounded into Angle Bay for a welcome coffee.

A lovely old pub where apparently the fire has never gone out - for a long time anyway - in the old type range. And lovely people there too. Ian and Richard had a chat with us about the lifeboat here - the station was just further up the path which we had just passed. and they very kindly donated to our fundraising - thank you very much! Off we went along the potholed track which on high tides in the Spring becomes submerged. Lovely little harbour here and the Tower dates back a long way - it is the equivalent of a peel tower - very rare in Wales.

It is a lovely, interesting village. John picked us up and back for a relax after our 6 hour walk - what a great day! And the Speculation Sunday dinner was most enjoyable!

Day Three - well the threatened storm appeared to have been yesterday afternoon for us. The news had managed to make sure not many people would go to work in the South East this morning. We had heavy rain in the night and so kind of expected to get wet today walking into Pembroke.....So after a hearty breakfast, John dropped us once more in Angle and off we set along the bay.

It was a beautiful, still, sunny morning as we headed around the bay.

We headed towards the oil refinery which had looked like a Christmas tree at night. Although it is maybe not a pretty sight, it is needed so we have to put up with it and today it wasn't too smelly until we went past it to the other side and even then it wasn't terrible. We passed lots of birds at the edge of the bay - oyster catchers, ducks of a sort I can't name, white egrets and even swans!

And we could see the Old Point House for a long time as we looked across the water. And on the horizon was Rocket House which we passed with John this morning. It was used before coastguards were invented as a warning that someone may be in trouble on the Haven - there was a look out who would send up a rocket (flare - not a space one!). It's the white house on the horizon here...now a holiday home..

We headed then away from the Bay and towards Fort Popton and then some up and downs along the road - quite a lot of ups and downs today surprisingly! We passed under the pipes (21 Chris said) taking the oil ashore to the refinery - Chris's favourite bit today (!)

And the views down the Haven (the Daugleddau estuary in truth) were amazing. But one has to wonder what the aim is when wind turbines (turned off today because the wind's too strong no doubt...), see them on the horizon there?, are sitting across and alongside all these oil and gas terminals...........

Wandering through woods alongside the estuary was quite pleasant and soon we passed through an old settlement, Pwllcrochan. Just a church and old school room - now a site of scientific interest with its bats and otters. From here we decided to stay on the tracks to avoid mud and so left the official path here and there. The hedgerows here didn't appear to have any hawthorn - mostly little ashes and bracken intertwined with ivy and bryony.

Soon we were entering Hundleton where we dispensed with waterproofs which were actually only muddy - no rain to speak of! Dropped down then to Quoits Mill Pill which joined the river Pembroke here and headed through Monkton and into Pembroke!! Walk complete and a lovely view of the castle....

....birthplace of the Welsh king of Great Britain, Henry VIIth. After lovely food at Williams, a new food place on the High Street - and very good it was too (much needed too after the 12 miles and 5 hours walk), we met with John again who returned us to the car for the journey home once more. Thank you again Mavis and John for a lovely stay and for your support and donation.

Hope that all wasn't too long and boring - not used to 3 days!! Still standing anyway - and already looking forward to the next one - can we fit one in next week? Perhaps......

Update...Hall of Fame

Some great publicity for the appeal is now on the Wales Coast Path website. Really pleased! Here is the link, and you can find out more about the path and other worthy causes too...and crazy people!

http://www.walescoastpath.gov.uk/about-the-path/hall-of-fame.aspx

Not sure at this moment in time if we'll get the last walk in before the end of the month as planned. Forecast not looking that good so hoping for a respite or failing that a good couple of days in November so we can achieve the third distance!

Thanks once again for all your support.

Walk 10 Pendine to Stackpole Quay 12th-13th October, 2013

This could well be the penultimate walk of the year as those dark nights are arriving and we're not getting any faster so finishing in the dark is not really what we want to do! Good news is that this weekend we had the company of my niece, Catherine and her husband Joe and my great niece(!) Olwyn who kindly joined us which made an enormous difference to travel arrangements for us. Olwyn is only 7 so she had a good seaside weekend with alternate parent present. It was indeed a dark drive down to Tenby where we met up at our overnight B and B, The Ivy Bank, and Joe drove us all to Pendine.

The tide was out once more revealing those miles of sand!

It was a clear morning with a bit of wind and a slight chill to start - but not for long! 

It was a pull up to Gilman Point but quite a view of the whole of the sands so we all enjoyed it. Olwyn made it to the top and beyond much quicker than the rest of us! We had great views of the Rhossili Downs and Worms Head still and Wharley Point where the Towy meets the Taf.

The sun was like a spotlight on the horizon for much of the morning, lighting up the gorse making its second blooming.

We made our way down to the next bay where we said goodbye to Joe and Olwyn and left them to play on the pebbly beach whilst we manfully made it up the next steep slope. I am afraid I have no pictures from here until we reached Amroth as the camera got muddled with the GPS and I did it wrong somehow. We passed Marros sands that we couldn't really see a lot of as we were still quite high and the tide was in too. There were quite a few ups and downs and at one we met a couple out picking sloes who we had a chat with and they donated into our collection tin - thank you! Another hard climb to Telpyn Point (seemed to be a lot of hard climbs today!) before we dropped down into Amroth - and the official start of the Pembrokeshire coast path at the New Inn! 

The Pembrokeshire Path is a long standing long distance trail - I think from about the 1970's so we are following the acorn signs now as well as the coastal path logo. This trail is 186 miles long and has its own certificate so Chris and I are hoping to claim ours from a pub in St Dogmael's at the end of this part! 

We re-met with Joe and Olwyn at the pub for lunch where it was so warm we ate in the garden - in October!. It was quite busy in Amroth, the pub was very well regaled with Hallowe'en decorations and its food was good. There were lots of fishermen in the bay (only 2 walks have been without fishermen) and also lots of monks who must have been from Caldey Island.

On we went through Amroth, past its castle and along more cliff walks to Wisemans Bridge which we liked very much. The view from its pub was lovely - and lots of people were enjoying it!

We had a pleasant walk along the seafront here enjoying the views in the sunshine - amazed already at how far we had come today.

The lovely path ended as it came to a tunnel - well 3 actually - which had been originally built for small railways, first using horse power in 1834, to carry coal and perhaps iron to Saundersfoot harbour for export. We passed through just 2 tunnels before we dropped down to the beach at Saundersfoot and looked back to Wisemans Bridge and further.

We enjoyed our beach walk and I became obsessed somewhat with looking for the old geology in the cliffs!

As well as looking back...we could also see Monkstone Point looming ahead...

It was an enjoyable walk through Saundersfoot and quite busy and we also met a friendly waiter who contributed to our funds generously - he himself was a keen fundraiser, so good luck with the beard! On up again and into Rhode Wood which was approached by an incline and had ups and downs within it. It was at least a little cooler. We soon had good views looking back to Saundersfoot...

...and it wasn't long before we had rounded Monkstone Point too!

It had its own little beach too - and not that accessible! We decided we wouldn't make it to Tenby on the beach so continued the up and down route and soon Tenby was in view!

Quite wearily then we headed for the North beach where there are 2 lifeboat stations - I understand the furthest is now a private residence having featured on Grand Designs. Tenby was a glorious sight in the evening sun!

We enjoyed a meal in the Hope and Anchor in a very busy Tenby - it is a lovely town. After the 7 hour walk, the good meal and a couple of drinks, we slept well!

Day 2 saw a new destination. We had originally planned to get to Bosherston but having reviewed the maps the previous evening we decided Stackpole Quay was far enough and so when Joe and Chris left to move the cars on the morning of the 13th so that ours was at the end should we be slow - and didn't get back for breakfast until 9.....I was a little alarmed! It was obvious we had made the right decision. My Ordnance Survey Getamap had let me down a bit, I felt! Anyway today Chris and I set off with Joe, leaving Olwyn and Catherine to shop! How sensible - I didn't find out if Catherine had treated herself......

Off we went at about 9.45 after a hearty breakfast which we felt we may need...well I did anyway! It was a beautiful morning as we set off along the South beach with lovely views of Caldey Island and amazing light on the sea...

...soon we were approaching the end of the beach and leaving Tenby and St Catherine's Island behind.

We went up to Giltar Point with stunning views all around from Tenby to Caldey and St Margaret's Island and ahead to Lydstep and beyond as far as Stackpole Head. Tenby looked lovely in the sun from up here..

and as the flags weren't flying on Sunday we could cross Penally range with no problem and enjoy the views ahead.

We soon approached Lydstep Bay and were amazed at the sizes and shapes of the cliffs 

..and at Lydstep, with its many caravans we could again walk on the beach, albeit a pebbly one.

With many coves and indents to pass we did have a lot of ups and downs again today but it was worth it! We even had a great, clear view of Lundy Island on the horizon and we were all so impressed by the blow holes and green bridge! The geology changed again around here as we approached Manorbier Camp. We had to detour a little away from the coast but had glimpses before we quite left the headland.....down to Shrinkle Haven beach - and its natural arch! There are steps down here - but we didn't fancy the coming back up bit!

It was lunchtime when we reached Manorbier (manna-beer) with its lovely Bay and magnificent castle ( as below) where Gerald of Wales was born. On the path down to the bay stands a dolmen - Kings Quoit, just sitting there! Joe had already been sampling the last of the blackberries en route.

A quick lunch was had as now the clouds had taken over and spots of rain began as we headed out of the Bay and up some fairly substantial climbs! We soon dropped over to view Swan Lake Bay - so pretty even in the damp - and only 1 family there.

I think maybe my pace picked up in the damp and I certainly didn't take as many pictures so we were able to believe we would make the rendez-vous with Catherine and Olwyn at the allotted time!

So the Bay was soon behind us and after further climbs and descents we came to the huge beach of Freshwater East where a beach walk was a must!

on the incline from here we passed a hardy bivouaccer in some trees (?) halfway up  - just before the Iron Age fort at Greenala which I found very impressive...see the earthworks below....apparently there are 47 Iron Age forts on the Pembrokeshire path.

Then Stackpole came into sight - and the rock changed again from the red sandstone into the limestone again - it was quarried in Stackpole which has its own lime kiln. Joe commented that we had in fact walked across a complete geological era!

Stackpole came into view where Catherine and Olwyn were walking to meet us. A shame the cafe was just closed! We were all 3 quite damp now so glad we weren't going on to Bosherston! That is for next time....And we all had a long journey home.
27 miles - 14 hours walking behind us!

Don't forget to visit www.justgiving.com/Pamela-Mallpress if you would like more information about how the fundraising is going..