Boarding the Poppit Rocket outside the Castle Hotel in Newport at 10:30am the weather was blustery but sunny. The journey to the start of the walk took over half an hour along the narrow Pembrokeshire country lanes via Moylegrove.
After departing the 'Rocket' in the large car park at Poppit Sands on the mouth of the River Teifi, the costal path starts to climb almost immediately following a minor road past the Youth Hostel to Allt-Y-Goed Farm, where it becomes a footpath.
This takes you to Cemaes Head which is now a nature reserve owned by the Wildlife Trust, where guillemots, cormorants, fulmars and razorbills nest in the cliffs in Spring and early Summer, but not today!
The geology of this section of the coastline is spectacular. The cliffs at Pwll Granant in places are 600 feet high and consist of layers of sandstone and mudstone.
Arriving at Ceibwr Bay after a few hours walk the weather had remained kind. The steep valley down which the Nant Ceibwr flows was deepened by glacial meltwater in the Ice Age. Lunch was taken overlooking a group of school children coasteering along the rocky outcrops in the bay below.
Less than a mile further along the coastal path is the Witches Cauldron (Pwll-Y-Wrach) which is a natrually formed blow-hole caused by the collapse of a cave roof.
Soon after this point the weather deteriorated and it started to rain and the conditions were made difficult by the prevailing head-wind. This particular section of the coastal path is remote and extremely challenging, rising and falling quite dramatically in places. After the downhill trundle you know that a trudge upwards is always inevitable!
Before turning the headland a shoal of porpoises were clearly visible in the sea below.
After five hours the welcome sight of Newport Sands and the Nevern Estuary finally came into view, although there was still a few miles to walk to reach the Golf Club.
Over half of the 15 mile walk had been completed in driving rain and strong head-winds!
Photographs taken on this walk can be viewed here. Select 'slide-show' for automated viewing.
No comments:
Post a Comment