Day 16 Solva to Newgale

Day 16

Sunday 6^th September

Solva to Newgale

Walk distance 7km

Cycle 0km

Height 220m est

2.5 hours

Bus back to Solva

Total coastal distance walked 7km

Total coastal distance cycled 0

Running coastal total distance 225.75km

Running height climbed 7096m

To walk to Newgale meant I had to start early if I was to catch the bus back mid morning.  Whilst the early start was an effort the walk was rewarded by seeing no one except a dog walker by Solva and a group of people at the very end point.  I started out from Upper Solva at 8a.m. The first bay was magnificent with a stream flowing through a reed bed and into a pebble beach.   The cliffs along this section are sedimentary rock.  Dinas Fach and Dinas Fawr are too long ridges of harder rock that protrude into the bay. The coastal path skips these and I didn’t have to time to walk onto them.  

Soon after starting the call of a peregrine alerted me and then I saw one sat on a smaller cliff ridge.  After sometime I realised a second was perched further along.   Content with seeing them, I walked up the path to a point where I was so close to one, and yet it didn’t fly off. With my binoculars I could see the detail of their markings, including how the wind was moving their breast feathers.    

Further on I took some pictures of cows and choughs. A group of 11 choughs.  As a rare bird they seem to be thriving here.  Nearing the end I halted suddenly when I saw a slowworm on the path.  Basking, I was able to take several photos before it moved off into the heather.  

   

Hemlock agrimony

Orpine

Goldenrod

This was a good time of year to walk as all the path is colourful wit heathers and other plants. Finally I dropped down to Whitesands and walked along the beach to the lifeguard hut to find out where to catch the bus.  I noticed the traffic noise, but it was only when I was on the road I realised there was an old car rally.  During the twenty minutes or so I was waiting on the bus at least 1000 cars passed me.

The bus dropped me off in Upper Solva and I picked up my car then returned to Newgale, parking by a café where I took coffee. I spoke to lifeguards about swimming.  With the sun out it seemed possible.  The air temperature and sea temperature were both 14 degrees, much colder than the 21 to 23 degrees I prefer in the Droitwich lido – and even then I rarely go in if the air temperature is below 18.   No one else was in the water.  I rolled up my trousers and took my shoes off and paced up and down in ankle numbing water.  Then I went back to the pebble shore, changed and went in quickly! It was so cold. I swam briefly but when my head was under the water it took my breath away. I was out pretty quick! At least, for the first time this year I had been in the sea.

After the swim and change I headed home, this time taking the more leisurely attractive route via Brecon.  Within thirty miles of Pembrokeshire the temperature was up to 21 degrees and it was blue sky all the time. Where had this weather been all weekend? Also I had achieved the 225 km mark and climbed over 7000meter in just 16 days! Leaving Cardigan bay felt like I really I am making progress in my journey around Britain. I have even moved off the north Pembrokeshire map and am now onto the south Pembrokeshire map.  More important than the distance is the new places I have seen, amazing scenery, the wildlife and really nice people I have met. I have also learned a lot about the history of this part of Wales.