Day 15 St.Justinian to Solva

Saturday 5th September

St. Justinian to Solva

Walk distance 16.8km

Cycle 0km

Height 553m est

6 hours

8km cycle to St Davids and back

Total coastal distance walked 16.8km

Total coastal distance cycled 0

Running coastal total distance 218.75km

Running height climbed  6876m

Once again I cycled to St David's.  This time Gianni’s ice cream parlour was only just open and their coffee was not ready.   The barista wasn’t happy to give me a poor coffee so I had to leave to wait for my bus.  As I got onto the bus he ran over and presented me with a free coffee to take with me.  I thoroughly recommend Gianni’s! The bus took me to St Justinians’ to where the new lifeboat station was being built.  Even on a Saturday builders were at work using a massive crane to move blocks.  Soon after starting I met a long haired man with binoculars who told me a little of what to expect and where to look for dolphins.  With a strong north wind, as well as a current, the water in the sound between the mainland and Ramsey was flowing so fast, with an enormous swell.  On the far side canoeists looked like they were being tossed around the Bitches. 

This is a series of very jagged rocks by Ramsey island.   Ramsey island is owned by the RSPB.  If it was the spring I would love to visit to see the nesting birds. On the headland a ruined Quakers house was evident. Apparently Quakers forced off their own land settled here, on the margins of Wales, before they left eventually for America.  Shortly after passing the ruins I had wonderful views of a seal close up.  The chap I had met said to follow the diving gannets to find dolphins. This I did ,and sure enough had a brief glimpse of one! Rounding the corner of the headland it was much more sheltered. 

Now I could see St Brides bay as well as other islands further south.  The walk was easy to start with.  At Porthclais, the natural harbour to St. David’s I suddenly came across many people.  There were many dozens of canoeists, walkers and climbers in groups. The next section all the way to Solva was up and down and also busy. This was the first part of the walk where I felt I had lost the feeling of remoteness since Aberwystwth. 

Luckily I found a nice sheltered bay and the sun finally came out.

 Today I experimented Nordic walking with my poles. I had once been on a training session to learn this technique and it took a while to remember how to do it.  The problem was finding a rhythm to match my foot pacing.   Once I remembered It was as simple as counting or marching one two, one two it was easy.  I didn’t quite resolve how to use the poles on the narrowest paths where they got caught in the heather.  I think they helped and I will use them again.  Dropping down along path to Solva I was struck by the revolting smell of decaying dog poo.  In the sheltered bay, with the full sun it smelled terrible.  It seemed strange that such a pretty village was spoilt and that presumably locals and visitors allowed dogs to crap on the paths leading and to and from the place. 

By the time I reached Solva I was tired and decided that I would stop at this point.  I had a very rank coffee on a terrace of a boat club.  Realising a bus was about to leave I gladly abandoned my coffee and raced to catch the bus. 

Unexpectedly I was back in St. David’s early so decided to walk around.  I walked around the outside of the cathedral and Bishops palace and wandered past the few shops. Without money I didn’t venture inside.   Many years ago I had visited the site.  St. David’s is the birthplace of St. David’s, a sixth century Christian missionary who influenced many people.  Over 100 churches and monasteries are dedicated to him and pilgrims travelled to Pembrokeshire to his home and to places he frequented such as Whitesands bay.   A chapel in St. Non’s bay, which I walked past, by Porthclais, marks his birth place.  Today tourists flock to the cathedral city, and it is very much a honey pot.   On the return I cycled back down to Whitesands bay to enjoy an ice cream on the beach.   Back at the hostel eating was easy as I reheated my chilli from the evening before.  

Making the most of the daylight I decided to walk up the rocky hill, Carn Llidi Brychan, behind the hostel to see the sun set. I am glad I did as the light on the heather clad hill was amazing. The views back across the St. David’s peninsula and across Ramsey island were great. Finally I settled down in the hostel to chat again.