Wales Coast Path (Part 4)

Bosherston – Porth Clais (St Davids), 5–10th September 2019

Introduction

This was our fourth year on the Wales Coast Path. It should have happened last year but a stress fracture had prevented Phil from venturing out. But all was well now; we were both fit and ready to go. Our great friend Dot had volunteered to take us over to Wilmslow Station to catch the 10.47 to Haverfordwest. This train duly arrived on time and we found that the station in Haverfordwest was not in the centre of the town. On walking into the centre, we were directed to the bus station from which we were reliably informed, by bus drivers no less, that the bus to Pembroke departed. It was only when this failed to appear that we approached a young lady who walked us around a shopping centre to show us the correct departure point. So, now an hour behind schedule, we took the bus to Pembroke and the flat that we had booked for the next three nights. This turned out to be a splendid apartment above Long Meadow Bakery on the main street. We had time for a meal in the Old Kings Arms, roast belly pork & garlic potatoes followed by apple & blackberry crumble & ice cream, washed down with Bowled Over (4.5 %) from Wadsworth’s, and then turned in after a long day.

Thursday 5^th September 2019          Bosherston – West Angle Bay

A Day on the Ranges

Our flat was perfectly situated. The bus stop for the coastal cruiser was opposite the town hall, no more than a two-minute walk down the street. But we had to be up and ready for the 08.42 morning service. This arrived spot on time. And lo and behold, the driver was Gordon, the guy who had picked us up two years ago from the end of our previous expedition. It was like meeting an old friend as conversation flowed between Gordon and his passengers. Before 9 o’clock, we were back at Bosherston and ready to walk. This time however we did not have heavy packs on. We could travel light for two days, with our kit left in our Pembroke apartment.

We set off towards Broad Haven and the point we had left the coast path in 2017. This time we walked through the lily ponds which looked magical in the morning sunshine. Crossing the beach, we soon gained the car park at Trefalen and our journey round the Welsh coast, after a two year gap, recommenced. We had a brief and wonderful cliff walk around to St Govan’s Chapel, a tiny ruin of a church clinging to the cliff-face, hidden from view down some steep uneven steps. We met a South African couple who were on holiday with their dogs. After climbing back up to the top of the cliffs we were met by a soldier, a red flag and a no entry sign. The Castlemartin ranges were firing and were closed to walkers. The diverted route involved a return by road to Bosherston and then a series of tracks and lanes around the edge of the firing range. The route was waymarked as the Castlemartin Range Trail, an off-road alternative along field paths and grass verges with the sound of gun fire in the distance.

At Merrion we were back on the road that ran as straight as a die passed the camp. At the main entrance were two old WW2 tanks, one a German tank presented by the departing German Panzer Division based here for 35 years. We stuck to the road as far as Castlemartin village where we stopped for a short rest. Then more field paths took us onto the road above Gupton Farm as the dramatic view of Freshwater West unfolded. We had a sumptuous beef burger, smothered in kelpchup, from a mobile kiosk, Café Mor. This gave us added energy to traverse a five-mile section of cliffs to West Angle Bay. We arrived with 15 minutes to spare to catch the bus, driven as always by Gordon, back to Pembroke.

Bosherston dep. 08.58, Trefalen 09.30, West Angle Bay arr. 15.55  

16.97 miles GPS in 6hr 16m 42s walking time plus 40 minutes at Freshwater West at Café Mor.

We ate in the Royal George, Pembroke. I had battered hake, chips & peas followed by jam & coconut sponge & ice cream. The beer was Wainwright (4.1%) from Thwaites.

Friday 6^th September 2019            West Angle Bay – Pembroke Dock

Block Houses and Power Stations

The same bus at the same time with the same driver took us back to West Angle Bay in the morning. A full commentary from Gordon added to the pleasure of the journey. We learnt more about the German Panzer Division based at Castlemartin and the National Trust farm at Gupton. During the night a wind had arisen and when some passengers tried to get off the bus at Freshwater West, they were blown back by the blast. At West Angle, the sand was driving across the car park making walking very unpleasant until we were onto the headland with the wind behind us. We had not expected any refreshments today but we had only been walking for half an hour when there in front of Chapel Bay fort was a ‘café open’ sign leading us into the fort and its museum. This provided us with a surprising and substantial breakfast.

Suitably reinvigorated, we were ready to tackle the long day ahead. The coast path continued around Angle Point before cutting back into Angle village via the Old Point House pub. It took an age to circumnavigate Angle Bay, the view being dominated by the oil refinery ahead. The field path emerged onto a tarmac road which led back to the coast at Popton Fort. From here the refinery was out of sight and hidden except for pipe lines running down to the jetty. The sky was darkening and there was a threat of rain as we turned inland to the delightful old church at Pwllcrochan. A wooded path skirted the power station which is one of the largest gas-fired stations in Europe. A shower of rain made us pause to don waterproofs but these were not worn for long. The village of Hundleton is by-passed by the footpath which loops back to the coast before emerging in Monkton. A mile of urban pavements brought us to the castle at Pembroke and the bridge across the river.

Rather cruelly we marched on passed a waterside café but the end on the day was in sight. A climb through some woods led to another suburb, Pennar, and a very steep road led up to a wonderful viewpoint over Pembroke Dock and its ferry port. A poorly signed section led us steeply down into the town and we walked passed the imposing walls of the fort and on to the Asda supermarket, the end of our day’s walk. A straight road back into the town centre took us to the train station and the adjoining bus stop. It was a ten minute bus ride back to Pembroke Town Hall and our home for the duration.  The weather had cleared and, after our showers, we walked back to the river under a cloudless sky. It was our last night in Pembroke.

West Angle Bay dep. 09.36, Pembroke Dock arr. 16.30

17.77 miles GPS in 6hr 04m 31s moving time plus a 40minute (10.20 –11.00) stop in the café at Chapel Bay Fort.

We ate at the Watermans Arms, Pembroke. Chicken, bacon and mushroom puff with chips, followed by syrup sponge & ice cream. The beer was Landlords (4.1%) from Timothy Taylor

Saturday 7^th September 2019           Pembroke Dock – Dale

Waiting for Low Tide

Our third and final early morning bus ride took us in the opposite direction. The bus back to Pembroke Dock went from in front of Pembroke Castle and soon dropped us at the station. We were in no hurry today because of the tides, so we had a leisurely breakfast in the Hasty Bite café. Then we retraced our steps of yesterday back to Asda and regained the line of the coast path. Just before the Cleddau Bridge, we past the burnt-out buildings that had until recently been a large hotel. Up on the bridge, the path shared the pavement with cyclists, some of which were serious and fast-moving. The sun was out now and it was getting really warm. We reached the north side of the viaduct and were able to slip down the side of the road and onto a narrow woodland path which eventually brought us out into Neyland. This looked as if it had seen better days and we were glad to get through the quiet streets and into Hazelbeach and the short climb passed Llanstadwell church.

A brief rehydration break was called outside the Ferry Inn, a pub in a lovely setting, but which was closed at this early hour. So on we pressed uphill and passed another oil refinery. The oil pipelines leading down to the sea were crossed on enclosed caged walkways. At the end of the industrialised section of coastline, the route turned inland back to the road at Venn Farm and then dropped down to Black Bridge and into Milford Haven. This was a more pleasant place than I had expected with grand houses on the seafront and a bustling town centre of shops, hotels and b&bs. We had lunch at the Bus Stop Cafe, pulled pork panini and cappuccino. Here we studied the tide tables at some length. We had two estuaries to cross this afternoon and could save ourselves long diversions by hitting a time window around low tide.

With high tide at 1pm, I planned to arrive at the first of these crossings at 4pm. It was such an easy walk around the clifftops that we actually arrived at Sandy Haven at 3.45pm, and sure enough the stepping stones and footbridge were underway. But the tide was receding fast and we were able to follow the retreating water’s edge out into the river where submerged structures were becoming visible. It was nearly 5pm before we splashed across through half an inch of water and up onto the western shore. We rang ahead to warn our landlady that we would be late arriving in Dale and we set out on a 5½ mile cliff top walk round to the second of the estuaries. This of course was completely water-free but the direct route took us across an ankle breaking stony beach which took its toll on Phil’s knees. A notice board had warned us that the boardwalks across the stream had been damaged in a storm but a couple on the beach told us that repairs had been affected. So we pressed on and crossed with dry feet to find ourselves a mile or so from Dale village. It was just 7pm as we entered the village and we were relieved to see the Allenbrook name on a gate. We walked up a shaded drive to a wonderful country house in beautiful gardens with peacocks and rare breed hens roaming around: an idyllic place to stay. Elizabeth enquired whether we had made a table reservation at the Griffin. We had not, so she rang through to make us a booking and we showered and changed in record speed time and by 8pm we were eating in a lovely but very busy pub.

Pembroke Dock dep. 09.52, Dale arr. 19.00

19.03miles in 6hrs 48m 02s walking time plus a 40 min lunch stop at the Bus Stop Café in Milford Haven and a 70 min wait for the tide at Sandy Haven (15.45 - 14.55).

We stayed at Allenbrook Country House at Dale and ate at the Griffin Inn. I had cod and chips with pints of Cwrw Haf (4.1%) from Evan Evans Brewery (Llandeilo) and Rev James Original (4.5%) from Brains.

Sunday 8^th September 2019             Dale – Broad Haven

The Cafeless Society

It was a magnificent morning: cool and clear with an almost cloudless sky. Our wonderful host, Elizabeth, cooked us a full Welsh breakfast which we supplemented with toast and coffee. There was to be no coffee shop or beach kiosk today. This was to be one of the longest and remotest sections of the entire week. It started easily enough with a ramble passed the pub and up the access road to the fort and Dale Point. This led to a lovely section of cliff path round headland after headland, West Blockhouse Point and St Anne’s Head. This was a turning point for us. After years of heading west, we would now be making progress northwards and homewards. After six miles we ended up close to our starting point: Dale village was just on our right. A steady climb up a long set of steps led us passed a wartime airfield then passed Marloes Sands and Gateholm Island and onward to the tiny harbour of Martin’s Haven. People were waiting on the jetty for boat trips to Skomer Island.

We were really heading north now, with the entire reach of St Brides Bay laid out before us. St Davids Head, some 30 miles away seemed within touching distance. We saw choughs and ravens throwing themselves around in the breeze. The sun blazed from a blue and cloudless sky and it was exhilarating. After seeing so few people it came as shock to turn round a headland and descent into St Brides, which consisted of little more than a car park and public conveniences. So there was nothing for it but to keep going. Another remote and empty section of cliffs was interrupted by a deep valley, ensuring that our climbing muscles were repeatedly tasked. Suddenly, there was Broad Haven ahead, little white houses brilliant in the sunshine. It looked so close but a man walking a dog (his control of the dog was exemplary) estimated it was at least 3 miles and a good hour away.

The final run in from Borough Head took an age, descending gradually through scrubby woodland. We decided that a mandatory rehydration break would be called at the next bench, so imagine our chagrin when, on pulling out onto a road and carpark, there was a couple ensconced on the only bench. So we descended further and almost reach Little Haven before finding a bench to rest on. All that remained was a set of steps down to the picturesque harbour, and a climb up a steep narrow and very busy lane over the next headland and into Broad Haven. The Anchor Guest House was in pole position on the esplanade. We were both exhausted after a long and demanding day.

Dale dep. 08.45, Broad Haven arr. 17.25

19.37 miles GPS walking time in 8hr 09m 51s walking time plus a couple of short breaks for mandatory hydration.

We stayed at the Anchor Guesthouse and ate at the Galleon just down the road.  I had fish and chips and mushy peas, then pancakes, maple syrup & ice cream. The beer was Brains Original so I switched to a large glass of rioja.

Monday 9^th September 2019            Broad Haven  – Solva

A Short Day of Rain

The forecast was poor. A weather front was coming through West Wales and was due to hang around for most of the day. It had rained heavily during the night but was easing off as we finished our cooked breakfast, chatted to Helen, the owner of the Anchor Guesthouse, and left Broad Haven via the cliff-top path. There were some big ups and downs as we made our way northwards across the edge of low cliffs. A party of ramblers from Herefordshire, mostly women, chattered their way towards us. A steep path took us down to a road and the hotel at Druidston Haven and then of course the inevitable climb took the path over a rollercoaster section to Nolton Haven. It was getting warm now and waterproofs had been shed. Another group from Hereford went past, part of the same party who wanted a longer day’s walk.

The walk over to Newgale was not so taxing and in no time the sands of Newgale were laid out before us. We slowly made our way down to a road which we followed to sea level. Like an oasis in a dessert, there was a café sign in front of us, and like an oasis in a dessert, it soon disappeared behind closed doors.  Onwards down a mile of road we found another café sign, this one pointing into a surfing shop. This was also closed. Two desperate men crawled across the bridge at the end of the beach; it had been two days since we had passed an open café. At last our prayers were answered. The Sands, a superb little coffee shop, was open for business and for Cornish pasties and cappuccinos.

The 5½ mile section to Solva involved two more monumental descents and climbs across narrow valleys, a meeting with a third party from Hereford and a chat with a lone girl who, although travelling with the other three groups, preferred to be alone. It all looked plain sailing as we approached Solva, the upper part of the village seeming enticing close. But there was a sting in the tail. A dramatic drop back to sea level, a crossing of a shingle beach and another steep climb lay between us and our destination. At last we were on a narrow ridge between two valleys, heading inland beside a fjord-like estuary. A gentle descent through the trees provided us with a view of the lovely harbour of Solva. There were three pubs and the second we came to was our accommodation for the night. We arrived early enough for quick showers and time for Phil to try some of the beers in the Ship and for me to find a tea-shop.

Broad Haven dep. 09.30, Solva arr.15.30

11.22 miles in 5hrs 00m 30s walking time plus a 30 min stop at the Sands Café at Newgale for Cornish pasties.

We stayed at the Ship in Solva. We had a quick pint of Gower Gold in the Cambrian before going back to the Harbour Inn for a lamb Rogan josh followed by apple & blackberry tart & ice cream. The beers were pretty undrinkable so I was early onto the wine, this time the pinotage.

Tuesday 10^th September 2019          Solva  - Porth Clais (St Davids)

Pilgrimage Completed

Breakfast was at 8.30am so we were a little late in getting away from Solva and onto the short section of cliffs to St Davids. We had a bus to catch so, on this beautiful morning, I kept us focussed on the matter in hand even during our short stop at St Non’s Bay to take final photographs and chat to a couple from Stockport. With the new chapel, the old ruined church and the statue to the Blessed Virgin, it felt very much like the end of a pilgrimage. But the true finish was yet to come. We pounded round the final headland at Porth Claise and dropped through shrub and gorse to the little beach and car park. We had made it with ten minutes to spare.

At 12.10pm exactly a little bus rolled down the road and disgorged its load of passengers. It then trundled down narrow lanes with grass growing up the middle over to St Justinians. There were so many people waiting to get on that we could have filled two buses so it was a relief when a second bus turned up. We continued up the road towards St Davids and dismounted at the lower entrance to the Cathedral and Bishops Palace. A glorious hour was spent in and around the two buildings which looked resplendent in the sunshine. It truly was a moment to contemplate our walk, nearly 100 miles in six days. It was a rare privilege to end a walk at such a special and magical place.

Solva dep. 09.25, Porth Clais arr.11.58

6.16 miles GPS in 2hrs 24m 14s.

Conclusion

The need to get home was now pressing so, after a quick cup of coffee, we leapt onto the T11 bus to Haverfordwest. We had just enough time for a snack in Costa’s before walking to the station to catch the 15.23 train to Wilmslow. Jill was back from her trip to Canada so was able to collect us from the train and take us home to Macclesfield. Another great adventure had come to an end with 92 miles walked on our 880 mile trip round the Welsh Coast. Only 530 miles to go.

Wales Coast Path (Part 3)

Llanelli - Bosherston, 18^th – 23^rd September 2017

Monday 18^th September 2017          Llanelli – Burry Port

Burrying Last Year’s Memories

Our drive to Wilmslow Station has become an annual pilgrimage. Jill drove us over yet again for the start of stage three of our walk along the Wales Coast Path. Last year we had finished at Llanelli so it was to there that we were returning on the 09.46 train. It was a splendid journey through the Welsh Marches and along the south coast. We arrived a few minutes early and were walking out of the station before 2pm. We had our photographs taken in front of last year’s finishing point. Unfortunately the lady who we asked to take the photograph, a photographer by hobby, failed to find the shutter button.

So, with our start unrecorded, we went into the Flanagan’s Café in the Discovery Centre on the waterfront and had coffee and carrot cake. It was easy walking along the millennium cycle route, tarmac all the way, into Burry Port with its lifeboat station and lovely harbour. The guesthouse was adjacent to the station, squeezed in between two pubs. Our landlady could not recommend either of these but sent us round the corner to what was deemed the best pub food in town.

Llanelli Station dep. 13.57, Burry Port arr. 16.20   5 miles in 1hr 53m walking time plus 30 minutes in Flanagan’s café (14.15.- 14.45).

We stayed in the Globe Guesthouse, Stepney Road, Burry Port. We ate in the Cornish Arms, steak & ale pie followed by spotted dick and custard. The beers were both from Swansea breweries, Boss Beatle Juice (4.8%) and Gower Gold (4.5%).

Tuesday 19^th September 2017          Burry Port - Carmarthen

Up the Estuary

It was a lovely bright morning with lots of blue sky and a gentle breeze. An early breakfast led to an early start and we were heading down to the harbour by 8.50am. An easy start on firm trails through the dunes took us into a country park that had obviously had an industrial heritage. Paths led through woodland passed a narrow-gauge railway and onto the beach. There was a two mile stretch along the firm wet sand closer to the sea. The route off the beach was indicated to us by a guy from the Llanelli Ramblers. We scrambled into the dunes and out onto a forest track and into a quiet part on Pembrey Forest. After emerging from the trees, the route crossed farmland that adjoined an old airfield. We could hear racing cars being test-driven around the motor track beyond.
 

The route took to the main road towards Kidwelly but, instead of heading for the town centre, went west on a huge loop that took in the now disused Kymer Canal to Kidwelly Quay. Then it was back across the railway line in search of a café for some lunch. This we fell across on the main street up to the bridge and I had scones and coffee to revive the flagging spirits.  Emerging from our rest stop, we were soon over the bridge and walking on the north bank of the river through a town park. This led us out onto a quiet lane and up a steep wet and rough track to the hill-top village of Llansaint. Then it was a roller-coaster of a section over hills, through woods and across steams before coming down a very steep set of steps into Ferryside. This is a very long village stretched out along the train track and giving maybe two miles of suburban walking. I began to notice that the mileages given in this section of the guidebook were very inaccurate. The planned 22-mile day was turning out to be significantly longer.

The next section did not follow the river estuary but turned inland to take to rarely walked field paths that wound through high ground to the east. The pace dropped, the miles ticked slowly by and we made slow progress across the wet and slippery farm land. By the time we expected to be arriving in Carmarthen, we were still two miles south of the town dropping down straight and featureless roads to the main school. Here we joined major roads at rush-hour and we had great problems in crossing the town by-pass and its various junctions and roundabouts. Eventually we emerged from a pedestrian tunnel to find ourselves outside our b&b. A most welcome sight.  We felt slightly betrayed by the guide book which, on what was to be our longest day, underestimated the distance by more than 2 miles. The mistake seems to have occurred in the Burry Port to Kidwelly section where 2 miles suddenly goes missing.

Burry Port dep. 08.47, Carmarthen arr. 17.20   GPS 23.86 miles in 8hr 07m 36s moving plus a 25 minute (12.25 – 12.50) stop in ‘Time for Tea’ café in Kidwelly.

We stayed at Tir Celyn, Emlyn Terrace, Carmarthen. We walked into town to Yr Hen Dderwen,  a Weatherspoon’s pub in King Street. I had a fish & chips and pancakes & ice cream. I started with Towy Gold (4.4%) from Castle Gate Brewery, Carmarthen and then went on to Ein Stein (5.0%) from Lymestone Brewery in Stone. We were so tired after this hard day that we took a taxi back to our b&b.

Wednesday 20^th September 2017     Carmarthen – St Clears

An Estuary Too Far

The forecast was not good so we got an early start in the hope of getting as far down the other side of the estuary before the rain arrived. On a cool cloudy morning we returned to the town centre and the river, this time crossing over a footbridge near the railway station. A riverside path took us under the rather unusual railway bridge. It looked as if it was designed to be able to lift to allow boats through. The encroaching vegetation showed that the lifting mechanism had not been used for many years. A long section on the rather busy road was broken up by being signed to run parallel to the road behind the hedges. These fields were wet and slippery and had steps and board walks in places so it was tempting to carry on down the road. Eventually though, a vital path down to the river was the one to follow as the road swung away. Our route emerged from the wood to cross farmland and estates, climbing as it went towards Llangain. Here was a lovely old church with a short stumpy spire. We bypassed the village and headed down a lane, losing all the height we had just gained. The next hill was climbed by a series of paths that were hard to navigate. Issues had obviously been had with landowners over this rather unsatisfactory section. After another descent and climb, the way forward was much more direct if a lot wetter. The final descent into Llansteffan was along a boggy, sunken greenway between two overgrown hedges. If this was not wet enough, it now began to rain and I was fighting to get the umbrella between all the brambles and thorns. We emerged into the upper part of the village and marched down to the seafront to get our overdue café stop. But we were to be disappointed.

The cafes in Llansteffan are subject to half-day closure on Wednesdays and, as sod’s law would have it, today was a Wednesday. All that was open was a kiosk and a wooden shelter in which to drink my take-away coffee. So it was not long before we were searching for the way out of town, which began with a straight climb between two fences and continued with a lovely contour beneath the castle in a wood dripping with rain water. A climb on grassy paths over the next headland led us back to a lane and a section on tarmac. The next few miles were a complex mix of road and field paths as the route wound its way up yet another estuary as the rain came down in increasingly heavier pulses. The last road section was two miles long and took us to the foot of a steady climb up fields passed a trig point and then down to a farm and a steep descent through a wood into increasing wetter fields. The very last stile at the bottom of these fields was in a bottomless mire. We were up to our knees in gluttonous sludge as we tried to scramble through. All that remained was a short walk down a concrete farm-track, over a bridge and passed some new house and, as we emerged onto the main road in the village of St Clears, there was our b&b in front of us. Soaked to the skin, we rang the doorbell expecting a warm welcome. Instead we got a dazed look and ‘I was expecting you tomorrow’. ‘But I booked for Wednesday’, I explained. ‘I thought it was Tuesday’ replied Bev, our landlady. ‘If you had been looking for a coffee shop in Llansteffan, you would have known it was a Wednesday’, were my thoughts. But she took us in, dried our clothes and looked after us very well. What a great shame the smoke alarms started ringing during the night.

Carmarthen dep. 08.51, St Clears arr. 16.20, GPS 19.86 miles in 7hrs 07m 42s walking time plus a short stop at Llanstaffan for a takeaway coffee drunk in a shelter.

We stayed in Manordaf b&b and ate at the Santa Clara Inn. I had a wonderful meal of pork belly pork and mash. The beer was Wadsworths 6X (4.1%) so I went onto red wine later on. The landlord, who originally told us that we could not watch the United match on Sky Sports, then found that we were ‘reds’, showed us his shrine to United upstairs (a lifetimes collection of memorabilia) and then turned the television on in the bar and watched the match with us.

Thursday 21^st September 2017        St Clears – Saundersfoot

Brown as Owls

It had rained all night and it was still overcast as we set off south along a busy road back towards the sea along the west side of the estuary. In an attempt to get walkers off the road, the official route kept diving into fields on either side, fields that were sodden with overnight rain and were featureless and inadequately signed. After trying a few of these pointless diversions, we headed back to the road and sanity. Just after the hamlet of Cross Inn (no inn), we took a turn to the left and re-joined the coast path near a caravan site. The route returned to the riverside, now a wide estuary, and took us along a lovely if rather wet wooded riverbank emerging at Dylan Thomas’s Boathouse, his family home in the post war years. The little work-shed next door was the highlight of my trip so far. The setting was a delight and you could hear the bird cries and see the heron priested shore, just as he described in his poetry.  The track dropped quickly into the streets of the beautiful town of Laugharne. We passed along the main street and round to the magnificent castle. Here a coach was disgorging its load of golden oldies and we felt back on the tourist route after a long spell in the wilderness of estuary country.

Another fabulous section of footpaths led over a shoulder of St John’s Hill following the route of Dylan Thomas’s birthday walk described in ‘Poem in October’. The seats and information boards contained quotations from the poem including the description of the castle beneath us, ‘brown as owls’. Eventually the route round the base of the hill ended in some quarry workings and we were forced back onto the main road. Here we were once again faced with the prospect of walking behind hedges in fields that were full of water, mud and cattle. We had learnt by now that life was too short to jump in puddles when a perfectly good alternative was available. So we spend half an hour marching along the road making good time in fast improving weather towards Pendine and its promised cafes. From Llanmiloe and its long line of military housing there was a footpath/cycleway for the last two miles into town and we were free of traffic worries. On the sea-front there were several cafes but we soon honed into a delightful little tea shop which boasted excellent chocolate cake. Sitting outside in the sunshine we were able to view the coast line that awaited us. The land of the estuaries and field paths was behind us. In front was what we had come for, raw coastal scenery.

But that coastal scenery came at a price. The next two hours involved three huge climbs over Gilman Point and Marros Beacon. In the afternoon sunshine it provided us with magnificent walking. Eventually we descended to a narrow footbridge over a small stream that demarcated the border with Pembrokeshire.  One last climb and we were on our way down to Amroth and the start of the Pembrokeshire Way. It had taken us three hard years of walking to finally get here. Before leaving Amroth, we fell into conversation with Martyn Baguley, an Edinburgh man who had just produced a book ‘Wildwood Legacy’ about his work in the Pentland Hills. The last couple of miles were over pleasant undulating coastal hills into Wiseman’s Bridge. Although Saundersfoot was laid out in front of us, there seemed no way of reaching it at high tide. But people were walking up the promenade towards a cliff wall so we followed. The lo and behold, there were a series of tunnels that took us under the headlands into the main street. A helpful shopkeeper pointed out our guesthouse and we were soon enjoyed our splendid accommodation.

St Clears dep. 08.53,  Saundersfoot arr. 17.00, GPS 19.37 miles in 7hr 31m 06s walking time plus a 25 min (12.35-13.00) break in Pendine at the ‘Tea by the Sea’ cafe.

We stayed at the superb Harbourlight Guesthouse and ate at the Salvage Bar just down the road. Here, steak and ale pie was washed down with some magnificent beers from Tenby Harbour Brewery, pale ale M.V. Enterprise (4.0%) and an IPA Caldey Lollipop at 4.5%. 

Friday 22^nd September 2017                        Saundersfoot – East Trewent

Blown Off-Course

It was another bad forecast, our second in three days. This corner of Wales was being battered by a series of storms coming in from the Atlantic.  So we had another early start to try to beat the weather. But by the time we had climbed over the wooded hills into Tenby, it was beginning to rain. And by the time we had toured round the town centre and broken out onto the south beach, the wind had picked up and the predicted gale had arrived. In this driving wind, a crossing of the beach was not appealing so we took the alternative route behind the dunes and alongside the railway line. The signed path crossed the railway and took to the roadside through the hamlet of Penally. It then returned to the coast over a shooting range that was not being used in these dreadful conditions. We then really got savaged by the wind, having our rain-covers ripped off our rucksacks. Phil had to rescue his Eurohike cover from a fence in a distant field. I lost a water bottle in the fight to stay upright. We had hoped desperately for a coffee shop in Lydstep Haven but, in all the holiday homes and hotels by the shore, there was only a takeaway machine in a small shop.

So we battled up onto the next headland and back into the raging storm. The official path circumnavigated a military installation before returning to the cliff edge. Again we hoped beyond hope for a shelter at Manorbier. We were soaked though and getting cold at the slower pace that we were struggling to maintain. The path was so wet and slippery that I was finding it a nightmare to keep my feet. As we rounded the last headland before Manorbier, the wind blew us towards the edge and I slipped and fell spectacularly down the path. Phil picked me up and ushered me across the deserted beach with no signs of any respite from the downpour. ‘This is getting dangerous’ he said, trying to talk some sense into me as I climbed out the other side. ‘Let’s find an inland alternative’. And we did. We followed the nearest lane to the sea for the remaining three miles into Freshwater East. It was better to arrive safely and live to fight another day. Our accommodation was a more than a mile further on, a farm complex in East Trewent.

Saundersfoot dep. 08.53, East Trewent arr.16.20, GPS 16.16 miles in 6hrs 14m 34s walking time. The owner took us back to the Freshwater Inn for a meal. I had braised duck and red cabbage pie and some Gwaun Valley beer from near Fishguard, King of the Road (4.5%) and Felinfoel from near Llanelli, Double Dragon (4.2%). A taxi came out from Pembroke to answer our needs for the return trip to the farm.

Saturday 23^rd September 2017         East Trewent - Bosherston

Bosherston or Bust

It was most disappointing to see that the promised better weather had not arrived. On opening the curtains in the morning, the drizzle was still blowing on the breeze and the clouds were down to sea level forming a mist driving in from the coast. We needed an early start and a good pace today to make the bus connection for our lunchtime train home. So we were breakfasted and packed before 9am and in our wet gear for retracing our steps from the farm back to Freshwater East. A short cut put us onto the coast path and up a wet and slippery climb to the first hilltop of the day. This however proved the only significant climb. We were soon on more level but undulating clifftop and making good progress at last.

As we began the descent into Stackpole Quay, the weather began to improve. The rain had stopped and bright skies were seen approaching. The Quay had a National Trust carpark and a café but this was no time for such frivolities. We had a bus to catch and time was moving on so we pushed the pace up a steep set of steps and out onto the cliffs leading to Barafundle Bay. As we approached the bay, it became obvious that the only viable route was down the steps onto the sand and then over the beach. The exit from this strand was up another steep path that led out onto the relatively flat grassland of Stackpole Point. We then began a route march across the grassy terrain that led us through a dune system and onto a sharp descent to Broad Haven. Time was now of the essence and we had little opportunity for optimal route finding as we scrabble down the beach over rugged layers of abrasive rock, wading a stream and striding across the soft sand not knowing where we could get out on the other side. We followed a couple of walkers through the sand dunes and almost fell into some concrete steps. In no time we were in the car park at Tefelin and on the road to Bosherston. We got to the bus stop just minutes before the bus. But as this had to make a 15 minute round of coastal pick-ups before returning to the village, we had a quick cup of coffee in the village café and caught the bus on its return. On what was now a sunny morning, our third year on the path was at an end and we were on our way home.
 

East Trewent dep. 08.51, Bosherston arr.11.15, GPS 6.90 miles in 2hrs 26m 35s walking time.

The bus driver was a treasure, giving us a history lesson of Pembroke and Pembroke Dock as he drove us to the station. We were in good time for the Swansea Train and had opportunities to change out of our damp walking gear. The two hour ride back to Swansea was a replay in reverse of this year’s walk, a delightful trip spoilt only by a set of young and rowdy football supporters off to watch a match. A 45-minute wait at Swansea gave us the opportunity of a sandwich in the station café before we joined the Manchester train for the long ride north. Inebriated groups was the order of the day: first a group of young people warming up for a night out in Cardiff, then just when it seemed quiet again, a set of very drunk football supporters boarding at Shrewsbury. But eventually the train rolled into Wilmslow Station and there was Jill, waiting to take us home to a meal, shower and a good long rest.

 

 

Wales Coast Path (Part 2)

Ogmore by Sea – Llanelli, 19^th – 23^rd September 2016

Monday 19^th September 2016          Ogmore by Sea - Porthcawl

Into the Sand

This was the second year of our twelve year project for walking around the coast of Wales. Last year we walked from Chepstow to Ogmore by Sea before taking a bus to Bridgend station. So, this time slightly later in the year, we were heading back to Bridgend and Ogmore to continue from where we left off. Phil was round early so he could park his car for the week and be ready for the lift to Wilmslow. My wife delivered us in good time for the 09.46 Arriva Wales train to South Wales. On a cloudy and damp morning, we travelled through the beautiful Welsh Marches and round the south coast to Bridgend. Arriving near 20 minutes late, we were tight for our bus connection and only had time to grab a take-away coffee and sausage rolls which we consumed on the short bus ride out to Ogmore by Sea. We got off at the exact bus stop that ended last year’s walk and dropped into the car park to take the mandatory photographs. The 2016 edition of the Wales Coast Path was underway.

We then retraced the bus route back up the river to Ogmore. Here there was a footbridge across the river that led to a delightful little hamlet of thatched cottages and old church in a sheltered woodland setting. A lane led to a castle. In the car park we crossed onto a sandy path whilst failing to set eyes of the castle itself. This sandy path got sandier and sandier as we cut back towards the river and we ended up skirting round a system of large dunes. Or we though they were large as we had no idea what was to come. So after 90 minutes of walking, and with 4.5 miles on our GPS, we ended up about 200 yards from where we had started, but on the opposite bank of the estuary. Oh for the courage to wade rivers!

Just as a shower of rain came in from the sea, the waymarked route led us onto a large stretch of exposed beach which, as it was low tide, made easy going until we came to a rock shelf that blocked further progress. The official path then continued behind the dunes until we could descend once more onto the beach and the final run in to a holiday park. At a lifeboat station, a lovely but deserted sandy beach opened up, Sandy Bay, and we crossed this to reach Porthcawl harbour and town centre. As the rain eased, we turned away from the sea to find our accommodation for the night and prepare ourselves for our first sally into the drinking dens of South Wales,

Ogmore by Sea dep. 13.55, Porthcawl arr. 16.52   GPS 8.38 miles in 2hr 56m 37s

We stayed in the Butterfly Guest house, Mary Street, Porthcawl. We were recommended the Lorelei Hotel as the best real ale in town, a superb Golden Arrow (4.5%) from Cottage Brewing in Somerset. We then moved on to the Royal Oak for a meal of belly pork followed by strawberry sponge and ice cream. I had to make do with Doom Bar (4.0%) and Ruddles County (4.7%).

 

Tuesday 20^th September 2016          Porthcawl - Swansea

TATA for Now

The weather was clear; the sky was blue as we made our way back to the sea front. The promenade looked lovely in the morning sunshine. As we approached the golf course, the view down the coast opened up. The dominant feature was the distant steel works and its periodic plumes of steam. But in the foreground was Sker House, a dark yellow colour, lit up by the low sun, And the smoke and steam seemed to be emanating from its chimneys!

Beyond Sker House, we broke out onto Kenfig Burrows, a huge area of grass-covered dunes, now a nature reserve. We knew that a footbridge had been missing last year and we certainly did not wish to take the inland option for this section of the coast path. So it was some relief to come to a brand new and very sturdy wooden structure that took us out of the burrows and up a sunken sandy path around a complex area of dunes. We started to encounter signs of industrial use as we passed through new growths of woodland on old railway sidings. Eventually the route brought us to actively-used sidings at the entrance to the steel works and then across the main line. The pleasant part of the day was over.

To get round the TATA steel works, we started alongside a busy dual carriageway, and then dived through a ginnel into a long stretch of suburban housing in Margam. After what seemed an age, we broke out of the housing estates and back onto the dual carriageway and continued passed several roundabouts. Eventually we crossed a river bridge and were able to turn back through Port Talbot towards the sea. What a relief it was to hit the promenade at Aberavon and walk by the sea once more. It was also a relief to see a coffee shop. We were in need of something to revive the spirits. A custard slice and cappuccino were just the thing and, after a 30 minute break, we donned our sacks and venture back onto the prom. Here we met a young man, Tom Davies, who was walking in ten weeks what we were proposed to do in twelve years. He was circumnavigating Wales in a single contiguous expedition, camping where he could and encouraging charitable donations for Alzheimer’s Research. I shall follow his progress with a passion.

The waymarked route took us onto the beach at the end of the promenade. It is always easier to see the signs onto the beach than off it again. In the absence of any indication of a route through the dunes, even though the map indicated one, we continued on easy wet sand to the mouth of the river and then inland up the estuary. We thus avoided any dunes but found ourselves in increasingly softer mud and running side streams. We aimed at a pipe line that came out of an industrial plant on a raised gantry. Passing under this pipeline we reached a track that was above high water so were able to make fast progress once again towards the two bridges across the river. The route passes under the motorway and up to the A-road and then across the bridge.

On the other side, we found ourselves alongside a very busy A-road and it seemed a long time before we were able to turn off this and head inland towards Jersey Marine. Here we picked up the tow path of an old canal, the Tennant Canal, This quickly became totally overgrown and impassable but the path swung away onto a cycle route that took us most of the way into Swansea. The main road was re-crossed on a bridge which is now a bus lane and which took us into new developments around the docklands. Here on the edge of a huge dock was our hotel for the night. It had been a long and sometimes depressing day.

Porthcawl dep. 08.50, Swansea arr. 16.20   GPS 22.52 miles in 7hr 01m 46s moving plus a 25 minute café stop on the promenade at Aberavon (13.00-13.25)..

We stayed at the Premier Inn on the Waterfront in Swansea. This was very handy for the city centre and in particular for Wind Street and its eating houses. We found a Weatherspoon’s, the Bank Statement, and I had a huge lamb shank to offset the rigours of the day. I so enjoyed this that I celebrated with pancakes and ice cream, all washed down with beer from a local Swansea brewery, Boss Brewing. I sampled Boss Blaze (4.5%) and Boss Brave (an IPA at 5.5% this helped me sleep).

Wednesday 21^st September 2016     Swansea – Port Eynon

Mumble in the Dunes

Being in a hotel, we took the opportunity of a very early breakfast and were standing on the dockside with sacks on backs before 8.30am. The city looked lovely in the bright morning sunshine with a clarity of light that was almost Mediterranean.  Even though some drizzle came in from the sea, this impression of a Riviera coast continued along the promenade and cycle path, passed the University and all the way to the Mumbles. Here, with its quiet harbour and coffee shops, looked the perfect place for a morning stop but it was far too early and, on reaching the pier and lifeboat station, we turned up a flight of steps and out onto a high headland. We entered a different world. The dramatic Gower coastline opened up in front of us, the wind was in our faces and an exhilarating feeling overtook us. The first part of the coast path was tarmac and it was easy going around the headlands and bays. We had set ourselves the challenge of walking ten miles before succumbing to the teas shops and Caswell Bay met these criteria perfectly as we dropped into the Surfside café for Victoria sponge and orange polenta.

We took the high tide route (no choice) out of the Caswell Bay along a road that was closed to cars due to some roadworks. We slipped between the diggers and  along a wild section of cliff path that climbed and fell through the overgrown undercliff. The first drop was into Brandy Cove where we met a couple of journalist taking photographs (‘a busman’s holiday’ one said). We struggle to find the route out of the cove and had to ask a resident of the beachside cottage. Then the journalists returned to show us where we had gone wrong and we were soon, after posing for a photo, scrambling up through the dense woodland. It was slow going to get over a high headland but then we speeded up again on a long grassy descent to the road which we followed to Southgate. Here we met a large party of Duke of Edinburgh contenders all looking relieved to be finishing in the village. We carried on across open grassland grazed by cattle of a breed I did not recognise. This led us to a descent into a huge dune system the like of which I had not seen since a holiday in Namibia. I ended up almost crag-bound high above a river estuary at Three Cliff Bay. Whilst I was working out a decent strategy, an adder crawled across the path in front of Phil. Eventually we were able to scree-run (sand run) the last few feet onto the estuary mud. We plodded across the wet estuary to reach a set of stepping stones. Here we had to wait for a large party of Russian children to cross before we could take our turn. The next section will stay long in our memory. The way-markings pointed to a sandy gully and we embarked on a massive climb up the dry sand to the top of the next headland. It went on and on, still more sand and still more climbing. It was a wonderful moment when we pulled out on a flat grass plateau and into the sunshine,

After this amazing climb, the route was a lot easier. A grassy cliff-top track led gradually down through some woodland and out into a most delightful nature reserve, Nicholaston Burrows, a flat and grassy area of sand, crawling with wildlife. We found truffles under an oak tree, some lovely cranesbills, probably the Bloody Cranesbill, and a bright red dragon fly. This section ended in a wooden footbridge which took us on to a vast beach. Easy walking on firm flat sand took us to Oxwich Bay and our second stop of the day (I must be getting soft). We sat at a beach-side kiosk and had freshly-made sandwiches and piping hot tea. This gave us the strength for the final pull of a long day.

A short walk at sea level through the woods brought us to a church entire hidden in the trees. St Illtyd’s Church was at the foot of some steps, well over 200, I believe, that led up wooded hillside. A short flat section then ended in a descent back to sea level down what I assume would be an equal number of steps (not so, says the guidebook). It was a sting in the tail at the end of a strenuous day. So we were glad of an easy finish along a grassy shelf between the cliffs and the sea. One diversion delayed us briefly but we were soon traipsing into Port Eynon where we had to ring our host for the evening to find our b&b. It was right opposite the pub. There is a God!

Swansea dep. 08.36, Port Eynon arr. 17.40, GPS 23.64 miles in 8hrs 26m 08s walking time plus a morning coffee stop at Caswell Bay (11.30-11.55) and a very late lunch break in Oxwich Bay (15.00-15.30).

We stayed in the Rickyard in Port Eynon and ate across the road at the Ship Inn. I could not resist the fish and chips and I then tucked away a stick toffee pudding. It was our first taste of Gower Gold (4.5%) from the Gower Brewery in Swansea. I finished with a swift half of Gower Power (5.5%) .

Thursday 22^nd September 2016       Port Eynon – Llanmadoc

The Worm has Turned

The scheduled mileage was not so great today so we could have a later and more leisurely breakfast and a more sedate start. It was another beautiful morning. We had been blessed with perfect weather for walking. The waymarked coast path led us briefly onto the beach. Then an easy climb on grassy slopes took us out to Port Eynon Point and back into dramatic coastal scenery. The first hour was over superb clifftop grassland and it was here that we had a most interesting encounter with a rare bird. Coming round a shallow depression, we were greeted by a chough feeding on the slope just 20 yards ahead. I have never seen a chough this close before and certainly never been able to watch one on the ground for several minutes. Then it was time to move on and disturb this bird, only to walk into a raven sitting on the next headland, honking and croaking at us.

Worms Head now came into view ahead of us and the last half mile dropped down into a dip and then climbed up and out onto a huge grassy headland which led us to the cliff edge and the tip of the Gower Peninsular. We stopped for photos and chats with passers-by and then walked over to the coast watch station and spent a few minutes talking to the two lady watch-keepers. They congratulated us on our bright shirts, ‘easier to see you’. We signed their visitors book and moved on up to Rhossili village and a coffee and cake stop. The café provided a splendid view of Rhossili beach and the afternoon ahead.

The afternoon session began with a scenic high-level path that contoured along the hillside parallel to the beach. Eventually we arrived at sea level and headed back into the dunes and  sand. We avoided some of this by taking to the beach but, at Spaniard Rocks, we had to clamber up onto the rocky foreshore and then steeply up more big dunes. A brief drop to cross behind Broughton Bay was just a prelude to the last climb of the day up yet another dune where the magnificent spectacle of Whiteford Burrows opened out. The descent to the burrows was through some woodland but this led us out onto a flat grassy nature reserve where we found what the interpretive board told us was an oil beetle. As usual the route took to the beach and we had a very long tramp, two miles or so, to Whiteford Point and its cast iron lighthouse. We rounded the point at the high water level and turned east and south east looking for a waymarked route back round the woods. In the end we just headed into the dunes and soon picked up a trod that led us to where we needed to be, a waymarked trod to the east of a long line of plantations. Eventually this came out onto a track which led us to a three way signpost with the coast path signed in all three directions. We took the long loop towards Llanmadoc church where we enquired of the whereabouts of our b&b. This turned out to be half a mile back towards the pub and could probably have been reached by a more direct route. However, one of the footpaths had been closed and diversion signs were taking us towards our overnight accommodation, attractively near the pub. Our host provided tea and cake and gave us a warm reception.

Port Eynon dep. 08.52, Llanmadoc arr. 16.40, GPS 19.07 miles in 7hr 21m 28s walking time plus a 30 min break at Worms Head and another 30 minutes in the café at Rhossili.

We overnighted at Tallizmand b&b in Llanmadoc and ate at the Britannia Inn just down the road.  Steak and Gower Ale Pie was followed by bread and butter pudding. The Gower Gold (4.5%) was like meeting an old friend. I also tasted the HPA (4.0%) from the Wye Valley Brewery in Stoke Lacy.

Friday 23^rd September 2016             Llanmadoc - Llanelli

Marshes and Estuary

We had a problem in persuading our host to provide an 8am breakfast. We had a train to catch and needed an earlier start than their normal breakfast time would provide, But he relented and with great humour cooked us a lovely fry-up and saw us on our way. It was raining as we ventured outside and waterproofs where worn for the first hour or so. The way-markers took us along the road into Cheriton and then back to the edge of the marshes. This seemed a long way round but, in view of the footpath closure and diversion, it seemed sensible to do as we were told.

The overnight rain had made the path along the marsh rather muddy and slippery. This was not improved by the fact that sheep also used this fringe path and had churned it up quite badly. The initial section was along vast salt marsh, the flatness of landscapes a contrast to our days in dunes and on cliff tops. After the village of Llandimore, the route left the marsh and took to fields and woodland. Then at Llanrhidian, we were on a narrow road, always with the marshland to our left. There was evidence that high tides can flood this road and the coast track that circles around Crofty village. Suddenly the marshes were finished and we were on a busy main road to Pen-clywdd, the only point of interest being the wide flowers planted in the verge. The village provide us with a coffee shop and a short rest.

The sun was now shining brightly and it was turning into a warm afternoon. The exit from Pen-clywdd was on pavement and then a pleasant cycle track that wandered below the busy road. We followed this to it conclusion which was well past the point on the map where the official route goes right over some farm land. We had seen no signs for this rather strange detour so we ignored it and continued down the road into Gowerton. We had always assumed the it was ‘de regueur’ for a coast path to follow the nearest suitable path to the sea. This formula would have established a definitive route as the signed North Gower Cycle Route and then taking in a path to the left which cut a corner off the road route. There would be no way of avoiding a dangerous short section of busy rat-runs that took us off the Gower and up to the railway and main road. A path beside the A484 took us through another area where the local council had planted wildflowers, a wonderful sight for sore eyes (or was it feet). Loughor Castle stood to our right on a very step mound. I could not resist shinning up it and slipping down the steep grass on the other side to the road bridge. Phil who had stayed on the path got lost in a housing estate and failed to appear for some time.

The signed route took us through a much larger housing estate on the other side of the river. This aimed at a car park and a walkway that crossed the main road via a footbridge. The last six miles or so were along a tarmac cycle path which wound its way round sewerage works, wetland centres and golf courses before pulling round a rather ghastly housing development which we had seen from the other side of the estuary. This had been built on reclaimed industrial land and the streets bore names like ‘Copperhouse Road’. There was a point on the Llanelli peripheral road where we were at the nearest point to the station, We took photos of our end point for the year and turned right to find the station and somewhere to eat. We found the station but little else. The town looked totally rundown with cafes and pubs closed and in some cases boarded up. I went back for some fish and chips and we sat overlooking some derelict land and changed our shoes ready for the trip home. The station was shut up and there were no toilets on the platform. I cannot recommend Llanelli as the perfect end to a long walk.

Llanmadoc dep. 08.50, Llanelli arr.16.00, Llanelli Station arr. 16.20, GPS 21.31 miles in 6hrs 54m 40s walking time with a stop in Café Cariad in Pen-clywdd (12.00 – 12.25). .

Aftermath

We caught the 17.26 Arriva Wales train back to Cheshire. This two coach unit stopped everywhere and seemed to take us on a tour round South Wales and through two years of our walking history. We feasted our eyes on the female flesh travelling into Cardiff for a Friday night out and then fell into conversation with a lady from Surrey who was travelling to Ludlow to spend the weekend with her mother. Eventually we came into Wilmslow and it seemed a long walk to reach my wife waiting in the station car park.

 

Thus ended the second part of our ten-year project to walk round the Welsh coast (twelve years if we manage Offa’s Dyke to complete the circumnavigation). The Gower is behind us and some it, especially Worms Head, will remain a wonderful memory. If we had one surprise, it was the sand dunes. We had not expected so much loose sand and such huge dunes to have to climb. Let’s hope we have emptied our shoes for the last time this year.

 
 
 

 
 

Wales Coast Path (Part 1)

Chepstow – Ogmore-by-Sea, 10^th – 14^th August 2015
 

Introduction

As I am only one year away from the completion of my end-to-end project of walking 100 miles a year from Lands’ End to John O’Groats, I was delighted when Phil suggested that he wanted to start married life with another long-term walking project. He loves walking in Wales so what better idea could we come up with than the Wales Coast Path. It was close to home with good rail connections around the Province and, with 870 miles of glorious coastal scenery, a 100 mile a year schedule would see out my walking days. So the only decision to be made was which end to start. I love the idea of walking home, so we went for a south-to- north plan and a start on the Welsh/English border at Chepstow. For the first year the obvious place to finish was at Ogmore where a diversion inland up the estuary brings the route close to a railway station with a direct train home.

 

Monday 10^th August 2015     Chepstow – Caldicot

Bridges and Tunnels

Phil and I met in Nero’s and then wandered down to the station for the Birmingham train. There was time for a coffee before the Cardiff train pulled in and we took this down to Chepstow. We did not have to look far for a café. The First Class Café is part of the station and here a friendly young lady provided us with bacon baps. The early morning rain had cleared away and it was tee-shirts and shorts from the very start. The walk to the old bridge took a good ten minutes and when we arrived at the river, the bridge was under wraps and scaffolding. But there was pedestrian access so we were able to walk over to the English bank and then turn, shake hands and begin our Welsh odyssey.

The route was marked by a symbol, a Welsh dragon in an egg. This appeared on signs and was even embedded into the pavement. We retraced our steps to the station and then up a steep hill into the suburbs of Chepstow. A wooded path eventually came out into some fields and we caught the occasional view of the River Wye below us. The first of the Severn crossings came into view, a towering structure carrying a motorway from England. The path went under this motorway and then turned alongside it through some industrial estates. There was a lovely old church in Mathern, St Tewdric’s, and we stopped for a peaceful peep inside. Then we crossed the very edge of St Pierre’s famous golf course before reaching the sea wall. Here the vista started to open up and we got views over the Severn Estuary towards Avonmouth.

We then came to a charming little hamlet of terraced houses and a large warehouse. This was Sudbrook and an information board gave us the history of the place. These were the cottages for the construction workers who had dug the Severn Railway Tunnel for Brunel. The industrial buildings include a pumping house that removes large ingresses of water from the tunnel. Out again on the sea-wall, we smelt the sea for the first time and the view was dominated by another huge bridge, the second Severn crossing, a beautiful construction of curved white concrete. Once more we passed underneath and then alongside it for half-a-mile before turning away from the coast and across a motorway footbridge. This led to the town of Caldicot and our accommodation for the night. We left the official route at the railway line and crossed into the town. Our b&b was five minute’s walk up the road.

Chepstow dep. 13.22, Caldicot arr. 16.55.   GPS 10.42 miles in 3hr 28m 51s including a 10 min stop at the church in Mathern.

We stayed at Brooklands Motel, Pill Row, Caldicot. We ate at the Haywain in Sandy Lane. The Castle Inn was closed on Monday’s. I had fish and chips and treacle pudding & custard. The beer was Brains SA (4.2%).

 

Tuesday 11^th August 2015       Caldicot – Newport

From Power to Nature

We breakfasted at 8am, a habit we maintained all week. So we were on our way before 9am, back down the road to the railway and the coast path. The weather looked fair and I had donned sun-block and a hat. The path followed the railway for some way, along tracks and lanes, before turning back towards the seawall. As we regained the coast we met with barriers across the route. Construction work was taking place ahead and we were being barred from continuing. However we had little choice. A glance at the map showed no feasible alternative but to climb round the barriers and continue through the workings. A contractor stopped us and explained that there was an official diversion. We had passed no diversion signs so we could only assume they were catering for walkers coming from the other direction only. We pressed on and were lucky to hit a tea break as no machines were manned and we scampered through without meeting anyone else. Getting out the other end was more of a problem and involved scrambling down to the foreshore and back up a concrete wall.

Then there was a long section of sea-wall, grassy and overgrown in places. Porton House, a pink-coloured property, could be seen ahead for an hour or so before we reached it. Soon after, the route left the sea wall and turned inland up a lane passed a café appropriately called Seawall Café. Here an enterprising couple had set up a coffee shop and information centre where we picked up pamphlets about Newport and its coastal features. We sat outside in the sunshine to have our refreshments. Then it was up the lane and over the fields to the village of Goldcliff.   

The route back to the coast was rough and complex, turning and twisting over fields and nature reserves. It was a relief to get back onto the seawall but this did not last for long because we then entered a wetland site that had been created from the old ash disposal beds of Uskmouth power station. I found the power lines were more interesting than the bird life, as the wetlands were hidden from the perimeter path by high reed beds. It was such a long way round that we kept passing the same people, some staggering along on walking sticks, before arriving back close to where we had started. So it was a blessing when we left all this behind and set off at last towards Newport. After the village of Nash, there was a most contrived section across pathless fields. This brought us into heavy industry and eventually out onto a site road busy with heavy vehicles. A friendly driver got out of his cab and directed us to the overgrown path towards the Transporter Bridge. We had done nearly 20 miles and Newport was only 200 yards away. Imagine our chagrin when we found the bridged was closed and we were faced with a most unwanted two extra miles of industrial estate and busy roads to get to the new bridge. Then it was a further mile of steep uphill passed the hospital to our digs on the top of Stow Hill.

Caldicot dep.09.03, Newport arr. 16.50, GPS 22.50 miles in 7hrs 17m 53s walking time plus a 30 minute lunch stop at the Seawall Café near Goldcliff.

We stayed at the Knoll Guesthouse, Stow Hill, Newport. We ate at the Pen and Wig at the lower end of Stow Hill. I had a pulled pork burger and chips. The beer was magnificent, the Otley 01 Original (4.0%), brewed in Pontypridd, getting my highest ever rating of more than 9 out of 10. Perhaps I was just thirsty. The bells were ringing from a practise session as we staggered slowly home past the cathedral, a lovely end to a long warm day.

Wednesday 12^th August 2015    Newport – Penarth

Crossing the Barrage

There was hardly a cloud in the sky as we left Stow Hill and headed back into Newport and onto the coast path. In all it was four miles of road and track before we finally came back to the sea wall at West Usk lighthouse. Then there was (or should have been) a delightfully long section of sea wall path for miles down the coast. But just after we passed a pub called the Lighthouse, we came to another ‘Path Closed’ sign and more uncrossable barriers. This time however, a diversion route had been well signed and maintained and we were quickly round all the diggers and machines and on our way again.

We could see the city of Cardiff in front of us, and the landscape began to be dominated by heavy industry. As we approached a huge landfill site we were turned inland on a good path through a beautifully maintained wetland. Eventually this deposited us onto a very busy road which we followed as best we could on contrived pathways to either side. Just before we left the roads, the route dived left through an area of travellers’ homes. This was a frightening and depressing section where the track was covered in black ash and metal from the burning of waste that seemed a local occupation. But we climbed round a little headland, passed a modern sewerage works and then out onto a busy modern road through light industry, passing office blocks and tennis centres.

A main road led over a bridge, from the top of which the skyline of central Cardiff opened up. Our route took us down Atlantic Wharf to County Hall, outside which cormorants decorated the line of posts in the water. The highlight of the day was turning the final corner to the Millennium Centre and its plaza which was full of sculptures, water features and kids play areas. We popped into Maria’s coffee shop for a well-earned snack. It was very hot now and the whiteness of the stone seemed to trap all the heat. It was the only time during the trip that we found crowds of people enjoying the coast and its facilities. Passed the Welsh Assembly Building, we walked along a promenade round Cardiff Bay, passing the Dr Who Experience, a boat exhibition and finally came out onto the Cardiff Barrage. This was a beautifully constructed dam, with sloping grass giving a sense of parkland leading down to the bay. The bay was freshwater kept tide-free by the closing of sluice gates. At the far side of the sluices, we arrived at Penarth, the centre of which is reached up a steep hill and over the crest of a high headland. We descended along the marked route until we were at the pier. Here we left the coast path and climbed back up to the station to find our guesthouse.

Newport dep. 08.48, Penarth arr. 16.00, GPS 20.60 miles in 6hr 59m 07s walking time plus a 10 minute halt to eat a flap-jack.

We stayed at Allandale Guesthouse, Plymouth Road, Penarth. Our host welcomed us, took our money, told us there was no breakfast, and disappeared. We never saw him again or anyone else in the guesthouse during our short stay. On our way into town we called at the Railway. We were put off from staying by a poor pint of Hereford Pale Ale (4.0%) from Wye Valley Brewery. So we moved onto the Bears Head, now a Weatherspoon’s pub and found a beer much more to our liking, Central Session Room IPA (4.0%), brewed at Banks Brewery by Ernesto Mora Romero. I ate dragon sausage and mash with a piece of garlic bread.

 

Thursday 13^th August 2015     Penarth – Limpert Bay

Power to the People

A b&b without breakfast was a novel experience but it gave us the freedom to get up early and slip out of the silent guesthouse as and when it suited us. So we were back up in town before 8am, waiting for Wetherspoon’s to open. A large fry-up put us right for the day and, just before 8.40am we were on our way. We descended back to the pier and along the deserted promenade. It was a lot cooler today and the forecast had threatened rain, possibly heavy rain.

 

After days of walking on flat shorelines, it was quite a shock to be faced with a big hill, a steep climb up steps and open grassland. Then it was into a section of narrow paths heading south between low coastal woodland with very few views of the sea far below. The islands of Steep Holm and Flat Holm dominated the seascape and would do so for most of the day. A corner was turned at Lavernock and we were heading west once more. We skirted a caravan site as the route passes between houses and the sea. This lovely section was soon to come to a most unpleasant end. A sudden turn inland led to a series of busy roads that led into Barry, not the most pleasing of the towns that we had walked through. Eventually we came out on the now deserted docks and passed a totally inactive steam railway. This was August and no one was here. A brief encounter with the café-less town centre ended at the railway station which had a café that closed at lunchtime! So on we went, desperate for a break, across the access road onto Barry Island. A steep hill took us through dreary streets and the island looked terribly disappointing until we pulled round a headland on the south side and there below us was spread the most fabulous looking beach, almost deserted. Whitmore Bay seafront was lined with cafes and we chose one with the best looking cakes and sat outside for a short rest.

The afternoon began with a lovely walk out to Friars Point before we left the island across the same access road and headed westward once more. Another climb took us over more clifftops and then dropped us steeply into Porthkerry and a magnificent train viaduct. Here we came across the only other people walking the coast path, a couple from Merseyside who had done the entire coast in

sections coming north to south. We climbed up through a wood and came out in a grassy field at the end of the runway of Cardiff Airport. As a jet screamed over our heads we passed into a caravan site where we had to ask, at the main office, for directions. We dropped into Rhoose which looked a large town away to our right. The coastal path went out over some old quarry workings. We were on limestone. Rhoose Head, we learnt from an information board, was the southernmost point of the Welsh mainland. One last caravan site was negotiated. Yet again it was so quiet. Was no one on holiday in Wales this year? One huge monstrosity stood in front of us. We dropped onto the foreshore and across an inlet with the chimney of Aberthaw Power Station rising hundreds of feet into the air. As we got closer, the other buildings came into view and we rounded the station on a perimeter walkway of concrete between the security fence and the seawall. As soon as we had completed this walkway, lo and behold, here was our guesthouse for the night.

Penarth (Wetherspoon’s) dep. 08.41, Limpert Bay arr. 16.00, GPS 21.16 miles in 6hrs 44m 13s walking time plus a 30 minute lunch halt in the K9 Plus 1 Café in Whitmore Bay.

We stayed at Limpert Bay Guesthouse, right on route but remote from any pubs. We got a taxi up to Llantwit Major to eat in the Old Swan Inn. I had duck breast and mash washed down with a large range of real ales: Oxfordshire Bitter (3.7%) from White Horse Brewery, Maid Marian (4.5%) from Springhead in Nottingham, Falling Star (4.2%) from Wickwar, and Celt Experience (4.7%) from Castell Coch in Caerphilly.

Friday 14^th August 2015     Limpert Bay – Ogmore-by-Sea

Into the Rain

The rain that had been promised all week finally arrived in the early hours and it was still pouring down as we had our early breakfast. It was quite warm so I was unsure what to wear as we set out. As it was, I chose nothing more than a short-sleeved top and an umbrella. There were only a few occasions when I regretted not wearing more, these being on the steep and slippery descends into the steep valleys that were a feature of this section of coast. Here I really could have done with a free arm for balance.

Out into the pouring rain, we started up a road inland towards Gileston Farm, slowly at first to allow our sore feet to bed in. The route back to the coast was not well marked and certainly did not look well walked. After crossing grass and stubble fields, a stile eventually led out onto a storm beach of huge smooth stones. It was not obvious where one was to leave the beach but after a difficult few minutes of ankle-breaking progress, a path up a wooded hill became apparent. Then we broke out of the trees and onto a glorious section of cliff top where the only danger was the cliff falling into the sea.

After a few more miles, the path dropped into a small bay and a car park, a lifeguard point and a beach café. Just time for a coffee and cake, then it was out again into the rain. This was easing now but the sky was still dark and threatening. A series of steep sided valleys were crossed, each with very slippery paths leading down and up the other side. In the wet conditions our trail shoes were not gripping and we each had falls as we slithered gingerly along. In between these clines there was easy walking in grassy fields along the clifftop. On a sunny day, this would have provided the best views of the trip. But it was not until we were in sight of our day’s objective that it finally stopped raining and allowed us to stow away umbrellas and waterproofs. In fact it was pleasant and warm as we rounded the coast under the village of Ogmore-by-Sea and continued to the cark park at the river estuary. Here we finished our first section of the coast path and shinned steeply up to the road to find a bus stop. The bus arrived spot on time and took us into Bridgend where we had time for a meal in the Wyndham Arms before shuffling up to the railway station for the train to Manchester. Getting off at Wilmslow, Jill was waiting in the car to take us home for a well-earned rest.

Limpert Bay dep. 08.34, Ogmore-by-Sea arr. 14.00, GPS 14.70 miles in 5hrs 12m 37s walking time plus a 15 minute coffee & cake stop at the Llantwit Beach Café.

 

Overview

We walked 90 miles during the five days. 87 miles of this were on-route. So we have another 783 miles to reach Chester perhaps 8 years into the future. We shall be back next year, we hope, to continue along the coast to Swansea, the Gower and beyond.