We left Gower this morning under gathering skies as heralded
by the weather forecast.
It should have been fine today and rainy tomorrow, but the
bad weather arrived early and so Pembrokeshire was looking damp
as we reached Druidston.
Look on the bright side . . . the sooner it
arrives, the sooner it passes over and the sooner the weather
can have chance to improve.
It was raining as we headed through Haverfordwest
and met the coast at Druidston on St Brides Bay.
The Druidston Hotel, The Dru to friends, is
a stately old mansion overlooking the bay of the same name.
It has been described as Shabby-Sheik, but I
prefer to think of it as staying at the long-time home of a
favourite old aunt.
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Despite
the weather, the dogs need a walk so I head down to
the beach. |
Over supper in the Dining
Room, the weather clears as hoped. |
The evening is yet young and we have time to
enjoy an walk to appreciate the views Druidston offer.
Here we're looking west to St Davids Head, on
the north side of St Brides Bay, viewed over the iconic garden
wall of the hotel.
May and the bluebells are out but being further
south, they are now past their best.
Looking down on the mansion and walled garden.
The old servants quarters are now available
as additional accommodation for guests.
The Pembrokeshire Coast path climbs steeply
up from the hotel
and we are soon looking down over geologically-fractured
landscape at the sea far below.
Standing where Dougal was standing, one can
appreciate the height we've climbed as we look down over the
cliff edge.
The coast path heads inland slightly and looking
back we catch the last rays of the sun . . . for today at least.
If everything goes okay it will appear somewhere
behind us tomorrow.
We circle around and head back down to the hotel
for a nightcap.
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Time passes . . . and it's morning again.
The sun has re-appeared as predicted
courtesy of the rotation of the earth
and the dogs are up and waiting
for me to take them out
for a morning walk before breakfast.
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Time to return to the beach now the weather
has improved.
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Walking
down to the beach we pass scabious and cowslips . .
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. . . and great bunches
of pink thrift and yellow gorse. |
The tide is out so the shingle beach is well
above the surf.
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The dogs and I walk across the beach
and down to the water's edge.
In the distance is the iconic triangular shape
of the sea stack at Rickets Head, this side of Newgale
Beach.
The far side of the beach offers interesting rocky
outcrops
where I can place my clothes as I go for a swim.
Just for the record, the sea temperature in May
was as cold as I've ever known it
and the swim was just a dip before my feet went numb
!
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A brisk stroll across the beach to warm up once again before
breakfast.
Dylan and Dougal pause for a photo-call in the sunshine.
As we walk along, the gulls fly up, circle round and settle
once more ahead of us.
Towards the left hand side of the bay is a rocky outcrop
in view of the hotel high above us on the cliff.
Time to head back for something to eat, to pack our bags
and head out to introduce Loes to more of Pembrokeshire.
Sadly our stay was only one night and after breakfast we
pack our bags and start our drive north.
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The coast road takes us first to Nolton Haven.
The village at the head of the bay has a pub and toilets
and provides nice swimming in the summer.
It was once an busy coal port for coastal steamers that could
dry out on the sands and be loaded with coal.
Like so many places in attractive National Parks, there's
too many second homes to allow the village to thrive.
The coal wa a big surprise until I recalled my school geography
lessons
when I remember drawing the South Wales Coal geological maps,
with an western outcrop of coal measures here on the coast.
Between Nolton Haven and Newgale there's even an old industrial
chimney, which was indicative of an old coal mine in need
of power.
The farm houses on the roadside would have first hand knowledge
of the area's industrial past.
The beach at Newgale is nowadays more famous for recreation
than industry.
As we headed down to Newgale we stopped to watch a land yacht
skimming along the sands.
As we reached the shingle bank close to the main road
the motive power for the next sand yacht had changed from
sails to an paraglider rigg.
We passed the villages of Newgale and Solva and stopped when
we reached Britain's smallest city
and the Cathedral of St Davids, hidden away from the weather
and marauding eyes of invaders in the valley below the village.
The ancient ecclesiastical building is dedicated to St David
and dates back to the 13th century,
but no doubt it has been expanded and improved subsequent
to that date.
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With the dogs in tow
Loes and I took turns to view the cathedral,
though at one point they sat patiently
in the entrance porch
whilst we could view the Cathedral together.
I'm not sure of the significance of this carved head
but it was one of many decorative embellishments
on the outside of the building.
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Inside the beautiful Knave of the
church. |
The High Organ and the Choir Stalls. |
There's a small museum within the crypt of the
church, where old artifacts and this ancient book were on display.
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There were also old photos
and paintings of the Cathedral . . . |
. . . which explained the origins
of the present day structure. |
Such a large ecclesiastical building would have involved many
religious personnel and secular workers who needed accommodation.
Behind the Church is the Bishop's Palace, with the river flowing
between them, which would have served this purpose.
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Moving on, Loes and I drove a short distance west to the hamlet
of St Justinian's.
The area hosts an old ruined chapel dedicated to the ancient
Monk, but is more famous for it's Lifeboat Station.
Here three incarnations of the service are seen, with the old
boathouse immediately below which held an early rowing/sailing
boat.
The red roofed and elevated building housed the Tyne Class
lifeboat I knew from numerous caravan holidays in the village
and the new boat house and launch facility for the latest all-weather
Taymar
class boat, the Norah Wortley.
The classic view from the cliff path as we walk out towards
the headland.
It's May and a classic time for the flowers that adorn the
sea cliffs.
From the Ox-eye daisies to the Sea Pinks or Thrift.
The Lifeboat station is sited in the protective waters of Ramsey
Sound.
Offshore is the island of the same name and the waters are
home to a number of local fishing and pleasure boats.
The white wake is from a fast inflatable offering pleasure
trips in the sound and round the local islands.
If you ever get chance, then do book a trip on one of these
adrenaline-filled excursions.
A short walk out along the coast path was ejoyed, but it was
time to retrace our steps
as I have more delightful places to show my first-time visitor
to the area.
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A short distance up the coast is the old industrial port Porthgain
which gave us another chance to sample a short section of the
coast path . . .
. . . as we walked out to the white cairn on the headland.
This and another on the opposite cliff, marked the entrance
to the once busy harbour that served a massive local stone quarry.
We walked on till we had views of the rugged Pembrokeshire
cliffs and the distant Strumble Head.
Time was calling and if we wanted some lunch then we'd better
get back to the pub before they called last orders for food.
Here you can see the intricacies of the old harbour and the
stone silos that stored the valuable cargo prior to shipment
to the rest of Britain.
The pub in question is The Sloop
Inn just up from the harbour, dating back to 1743.
It has been the social centre of the village for most of the
industrial and now post-industrial time.
It is packed full of memorabilia to do with both the mining
and the seafaring history of the area.
I notice they still sell the blue "Sloop Inn" t-shirts.
I found mine which I bought in the last century, when I returned
home after a holiday here.
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"Soup
of the day" . . . we'd better get thinking about
lunch . . . |
. . . and enjoy a pint
of Llanelli's Felinfoel Bitter while we decide. |
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One last stop on our way north up the Cardigan
Bay coast.
This is Abercastle a few miles north, where
Ann and I had a delightful stay in a holiday cottage.
It is another classic Pembrokeshire harbour
protected from the worst of the weather by a deep inlet.
The relatively modern harbour wall was currently
being used to store hard core for road works and harbour protection.
The area behind the "pier" is now
rather silted up and overgrown, but that is not a problem for
the limited commercial fishing today.
They can still land on the beach or the slip-way.
The cottage we stayed in back in 2016
can be seen out on the headland and is still available to let
if you wish.
The bay is also famous, or should I say hardly
known, for a rather remarkable event some 140 years ago.
It was the landing spot of the first ever trans-Atlantic
single-handed sailor
who set out from Newfoundland in 1876 to commemorate
the centenary of the founding of America.
Okay, he was aiming for Liverpool, got drawn
south of Ireland instead of north, missed Porthgain harbour
and ended up her in a rather poor state.
The locals however welcomed him ashore, cared
for him and then sent him north for Liverpool
where he was recognised for the true adventurer
that he was.
Time to be clocking off the miles to our accommodation
tonight, we've still got a way to go,
but the road passes close to Old Fishguard Village
so we divert once again.
This is the old town, little changed over the
years
whilst its neighbour (upper) Fishguard and Goodwick
have grown to include a ferry terminal for the daily service
to Ireland.
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It was briefly famous as the mythical
village of LLaregyb
in the film version (with Anthony Hopkins)
of Dylan Thomas Under Milk Wood radio
play.
Today a sculpture on the harbour side
commemorates the days of the herring fleets
that used to sail from the harbour.
The herring are swimming south,
but we must make our way north to our next destination
near the north Wales town of Dinas Mawddwy.
See you there soon.
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