PCP - part 2

 DAY 3

A glorious day of walking. Wonderful views. This is Swan Lake Bay. No swans or lakes.

The fabulous National Trust cafe at Stackpole Quay appeared right on time for lunch.

Walking into a head wind all day made it feel like our packs were a few kilos heavier, but the views were worth the effort.

Lattice Window ( or the Horny Devil Arch as S called it. Horny Devils are an Australian lizard)

Beautiful Barafundle Beach had a lovely feeling of peace as we walked from one end to the other.

On the next headland we walked very carefully, then sat down and then, due to strong gusty winds and updraughts, crawled to the cliff edge to sit and look down at waves surging into caves and guillemots nesting on ledges.

Bosherston Lily Ponds, just behind sand dunes, formed by damming a creek on a large estate. 

Another beautiful peaceful place, apart from the occasional disconcerting static of the rat-a-tat-tat of gunfire from the nearby military firing range.

Our pub for the night. St Govan's Inn.

DAY 4

This should have been another day of cliff views, rock arches and an ancient chapel built into a cliff but the army ruined it. We couldn't see any of that. This is one of many military firing ranges along the UK coast. They decided June was the time for a major live firing exercise. Today we heard the rumbling of tanks and saw many red flags as we walked an alternative inland route through fields. Boring.

The end of the day. Freshwater West. A long wild surf beach. The only buildings are a toilet block and a restored seaweed drying hut, once used by local women who collected seaweed to make laver bread, a strange Welsh delicacy that is nothing like bread.

We caught a bus to our accommodation in Angle, but because of the timing, the bus driver suggested dropping us at a cafe next to the pub in Bosherston which we had left in the morning, and he'd pick us up on his way back in the other direction. I really enjoyed my hot chocolate.

 Angle was an odd village. No shops, one pub where we had dinner and we stayed at The Globe Hotel which wasn't a hotel. It was run like a b&b but noone lives there and staff were only there at breakfast time, we were given a door code and we were the only guests. It was like rattling around in a large haunted house.

An eccentric garden in Angle.

DAY 5

A pub that kept the fire burning non-stop for 300 and was frequented by pirates.

A ferry from Ireland heading to Pembroke passes Thorn Island where a 19th century fort has been converted into a luxury hotel - yours for only 12,000 gbp a night

After a delicious stop at the only cafe in West Angle Bay, we spent the next 3 hours in gale force winds on cliff tops. Exhilarating but hard work on numerous steep sections and dangerous in places.

Too close to the edge, so we climbed through a fence to walk further away. At another spot, Sheryl was blown sideways into a barbed-wire fence and needed help to detach her pack cover which was caught and torn by the fence.

Sheep streaming down the slope and up the track, panicked when they saw us.

Freshwater West Beach again, from the other end this time. Wild, windy, 2 metre waves.

And a surprising number of people.

A flock of sanderling birds running in unison.

Welsh school kids are tough. Surf lessons in 15 degrees, gale force wind, 2 metre waves and a  beach known for strong rips.

The same bus driver returned us to The Globe Hotel in Angle, smiling as he said, 'Enjoy the refinery tomorrow.'

DAY 6

Oil and gas refinery, a power station and power lines, jetties and super-tankers.

But, also a picnic table for lunch at a wildlife reserve, no people, just birds and insects.

Plenty of woodland walks shielding the awful view, although we hear the humming, buzzing and throbbing most of the time.

A fabulous ancient oak tree. Probably around 500 years old with a trunk of maybe 6 metres thick.

The giant tap. The outflow for a dam that once produced electricity for Pembroke.

The day ended with a short urban walk and a bus ride to our hotel  in Pembroke Dock for the next 2 nights.

DAY 7

A semi-rest day. We walked for about an hour along the PCP to see Pembroke Castle, birthplace of Henry VII - Henry VIII's father) as well as other very significant history.

And so ends our first week on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path.

The First Long Wander begins

 After a long, looong trip of planes and airports and buses and way too much sitting we finally arrived in Tenby in south Wales. We stayed for four nights. Beautiful. Love the colours.

Fishermen's chapel down in the harbour.

The old stone walls of the original walled town still exist in the middle of the town up on the cliff top.

Our first day was a jetlag recovery day, so we took a local bus and a walk to Colby Gardens for a healthy delicious lunch.

Back in Tenby, we chanced upon a free evening performance of a community choir and chamber orchestra in the parish church of St Mary.

DAY 1

The Pembrokeshire Coast Path begins at Amroth, a short bus ride and a 12km walk back to Tenby. We began in a heavy  shower of Welsh rain. Only a few light showers for the rest of the day. This is me at the start sign.

There was a combination of road and esplanade walking through the small seaside towns of Amroth, Wisemans Bridge (a stop for hot chips outside the pub) and Saundersfoot (coffee and cake). Part of the walk was along a high sea wall at the base of a cliff once mined for coal, following the route of a tram-way through three tunnels.

The track became more serious as it rollercoasted through oak forests with sea views and crossed fields where we lost and found the trail. 

A welcome rest on a very long incline that oddly, was paved and had several small 'inspection' manholes for a pipe of some kind.

At Tenby we descended a very long steep flight of steps to walk along the beach at low tide.

DAY 2

A stroll along Tenby's other beach, followed by high headlands and cliffs with a stiff headwind and occasional showers. And a short detour for scones at Bubbleton Farm shop. 

Signs of past industry.

Looking out to Caldey Island and St Margarets Island.

There are a lot of these static caravan holiday  parks in the UK. This was one of the nicer ones and we had to walk through the middle of it.

Steps down to see Church Door. (There are twice as many steps when you go back up)

The Church Door.

More drama. More rain.

Kings Quoit. (Old burial chamber)

When in Wales, castles are inevitable. This one, Manorbrier Castle,  is over 1,000 years old and has royal connections back to Henry I.

One of the round rooms in the towers. Fit for a princess. I think I'll have this one.

Sea views, to see your ships come in, or your enemies.

Mind the steps! 

The chapel. A wedding venue. Beautiful.

Every castle must have a dungeon.

Last day in Tenby

We checked out of The Sleepy Puffin Guesthouse where Debbie had been cooking us the most amazing breakfasts.

Each day we had tried to take the very weather dependent ferry ride to Caldey Island, but it wasn't running, hence our walking and garden visits instead. Our patience was rewarded on our last day at Tenby.

A 20 minute small ferry ride from Tenby, Caldey is an island of sandy beaches, woodland, open fields, cliffs and a Cistercian monastry. 

Tourists are not permitted in the big building and we saw no monks, but apparently they make money from the ferry, a tea room and making chocolate and lavender products. We did visit three churches, all very different.

I found a horse to talk to when we walked to the lighthouse.

After our day on Caldey Island we caught a bus to Manorbier where we stayed overnight to continue our walk the next day. We had an excellent dinner in the pub across the road, the only pub in the village.