Thursday 17th
January 2019
Amroth to Pendine
Walk distance 7km
Cycle 0 km
Height 300est
2.5 hours
Total coastal distance walked 7km
Total coastal distance cycled 0km
Running coastal total distance 378.35km
Running height climbed 11914m
Quick journey down to Pendine, via Abergavenny
and Brecon. Passing through Laugharne (pronounced Lorn)I spotted the B and B
which was great as it might be hard to find after dark. Arriving at Pendine at
1230 I had time to explore before the bus was due at 2pm. The beach looks
magnificent. A red flag was up and a soldier was patrolling so access was
restricted to the western end. I asked when the main beach would be open.
Turned out to be Saturday which would help me plan my routes. The sun was
shining but it was cold. Inland the village has an air of desolation with all
the seaside shops cafes and bars closed. A few people were dog walking and
several guys fixing said closed places. Numerous caravans give the place the
appearance of chav ville. I imagine it to be heaving in summer. By the car park
is the museum of speed. The beach is where land speed records were set. The
short bus ride through narrow lanes took me to Amroth. I alighted the bus at
the end of the Pembrokeshire path stone marker where Ann and I had reached
maybe 2 years before. I was conscious it would be dark soon so after a few
photos commenced following the lane up hill and then picked up the cliff path
to Telpyn point. The coastline behind, in sun, looked great. Caldey and Tenby
silhouetted against a low sun.
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| Start at Amroth |
The climbs were steeper than I imagined and
dropped to small coves. At the top of one, lots of rubbish had been gathered by
visitors. Sad so much gets washed up. Perhaps some is from Worcestershire,
washed down the river and out into the Bristol channel. I saw dark ducks
bobbing in whats known as Camarthan bay. These are wintering birds, made scarce
by oil spills. Thankfully there numbers are recovering. A highlight was walking
through the lower part of an ancient wooded valley - Teague's wood, reputably
Wales last wolf lived here until shot.
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| Lichen growing among limestone rocks and heather |
The tide was in so no sand was visible even
along the lengthy Marros sands. There was no possibility of walking the low
tide beach route. Much of the cliff side is covered with quite young trees, a
sign that these were once all grazed flower meadows. Ironically although nature
is reclaiming this marginal agricultural land it is to the loss of the flowers
associated with traditional grazing. In land all is intensively farmed. Closer
to Pendine there are more rocks, limestone. Heather and even purple moor grass
grows here on Ragwen and Gilman point. But even here, with little management it
is fast disappearing under a sea of bracken, bramble, gorse and scrub. In one
area even the gorse reached 20 foot growing up through young oak. Surprisingly
along the grass edged path there were brambles and red campion in flower. In
places numerous midges danced over the path. Sometimes the sea was obscured by
scrub and the path climbed well away from the shore. Although the bay was calm
the crashing of waves against boulders made me aware of its presence. As the
afternoon wore on it started to cloud over and the temperature dropped as it
became dusk. Twice I stopped for a very short coffee break and snack, but the
concern of a cliff path at night made me press on. At the last bay, Morfa
Brychan, signs announced the presence of the NT as landowner. A huge concrete
block suggested ww2 defences. In fact, these were used for d day training which
apparently Churchill watched. There are also remnants of hill forts and burial
chambers on the high ground of this short walk. I descended the last slope just
as it was getting hard to see. Drove to Hills B and B and was greeted with
mulled wine.
Most of the restaurants
were closed and pubs not serving meals. I ate in the only open restaurant, a
very strange looking one, far too many mirrors and glittery decor. But a nice
meal of local gammon. In the depths of mid-winter there were only 3 customers.
In the evening watched back to back Torchwood.
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Pendine sands at dusk
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Sunday 10th February 2019
I was amazed that there was another ruined
castle. The landscape changed here. Although the estuary with marshes
was similar, the landward high ground, with this castle upon it, was limestone.
Lots of exposed rock makes it more dramatic. The path dropped down to the
edge of the hill and follows the top edge of the marsh. Probably dry much
of the time the strandline was beyond the path, suggesting the winter tide had
been very high. In places the path was muddy and it felt like my boots
would be pulled off with the suction. Towards the village are stepping
stones crossing a stream. But the heavy rain meant these were covered up
(even though the tide was out) 
