Yorkshire Walks

Looking east back to Newport Sands from the seat on the headland

This week my wife and I are staying in a holiday cottage on the Pembrokeshire Coast a couple of kilometers east of Fishguard. After a wet day yesterday when we visited Cardigan the weather forecast for today predicts a fine bright day. Yesterday afternoon we called at the tourist information office and got details of the bus, route number 412, from Fishguard along the coast. I suggest that you park at the view point car park, map ref, SM962375. This is off the coast road, A487, up the hill about 500m from the harbour at Fishguard Lower Town (not the main Fishguard Harbour at Goodwick). This morning we caught the bus from the roadside near our holiday cottage about 1.5km east of the view point car park. (the buses stop anywhere along the coast road by request, just stick your arm out!).

Setting off from the sea front car park at Newport

Coast path at Perrog, Newport

Path to the cliff top on Careg Germain

The Pembrokeshire Coast Path is a National Trail and like all the National Trails it is marked on the OS Explorer series of maps by green diamonds at about 1cm intervals on the map. For the first 600m the path followed the edge of the shore at the same level as the shore, but then the path began to climb up a rocky headland with a seat looking out over Newport bay and Newport Sands. It was low water and the sunlight glistening on the wet sands and the headland on the far side of the bay all looked absolutely beautiful.

We traveled to Newport (Trefdraeth) by bus, a journey of only about 15mins. From the bus stop we walked back along the road for about 100m and then turned right to follow a minor road down to the car park at the beach, map ref. SM051396. We stopped and just looked at the scenery of the bay for a few minutes and then we set off along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path back towards Fishguard.

Coast path at Perrog, Newport

A seat to enjoy the view across Newport Sands

Common toadflax by the path

Careg Germain from the coast path

Heading for Aber Rhigian along the Coast Path

The beach at the inlet called Aber Rhigian

Rocky coast approaching Aber Rhigian

Here the path dropped down from the cliff tops to beach level to pass the head of the inlet.

We continued along the coast path for a little over a kilometer from the seat to a deep rocky inlet called Aber Rhigian.

Rocky coast approaching Aber Rhigian

The inlet at Aber Rhigian and the rocky coast beyond

Heading along the cliff top to Aber Fforest

Path down to the beach at Aber Fforest

Here again we dropped down to beach level to pass the head of the inlet and then climbed up the steep path to the top of the headland.

Then the path climbed back to the cliff top and continued around the rocky headlands for another 800m to the next deep inlet called Aber Fforest.

Looking down to the beach at Aber Fforest

Start of the climb up from Aber Fforest

Looking back across the inlet at Aber Fforest

Path to the road into Cwm-yr-Eglwys

At the road we turned right still following the route of the coast path down the hill to the sea front again.

The path then followed the cliff tops for almost 1km to a minor road at map ref. SM017398.

Heading towards Dinas Island on the Coast Path

Path through a caravan site leaving Cwm-yr-Eglwys

The ruined church at Cwm-yr-Eglwys

The plaques on the site explain that the church was destroyed in the great storms of autumn 1859 in which the ship the Royal Carter was lost along with many of the coastal trading brigs in use at that time.

At the sea front in the hamlet of Cwm-yr-Eglwys there are the remains of a ruined church. Only the gable end with the bell mount remains with the gravestones in the churchyard.

Model of a coastal trading brig at the time of the storms

Wheelchair friendly path by-passing Dinas Island

Then we walked a circuit of Dinas Island, route No 485, as our introductory walk when we arrived at our holiday cottage at the weekend. We followed the road past the pub, The 'Old Sailors' said to date from the end of the 1500's.

From the ruined church we a short cut across the neck of Dinas Head along the wheelchair friendly path for about 1km the beach at Pwllgwaelod which means 'The Bottom Cove' in English. We had already parked here on Sunday 9 September 2012.

Road past The Old Sailors Inn at Pwllgwaelod

Path up to the cliff top from Pwllgwaelod

Coast Path along the cliff top

Looking back along the rocky coast to Pwllgwaelod

For the most part the path is high up above the sea on the cliff tops with views up and down to coast to the rocky headlands and coves. I have run out of superlatives to describe it all.

Just past the pub the path turns off the road and climbs up to the cliff tops again. All the way along this walk the coastal scenery is amazing.

The inlet at Pwllgwaelod from the Coast Path

Coast Path along the cliff top

Scenery from the Coast Path heading for Aber Bach

Another rocky cove seen from the Coast Path heading for Aber Bach

Crossing one of the many gullies that cut through the cliffs

View from the Coast Path near Aber Bach

Path down to the beach at Aber Bach

Yes you've guessed it! The path drops down to beach level around the head of the inlet.

From Pwllgwaelod the path follows the cliff tops for almost 2km to a long inlet called Aber Bach.

Climbing out of the gully

Crossing another gully

The beach at Aber Bach

The beach at Aber Bach

Speckled Wood butterfly by the path

We climbed up the road for about 100m and took the coast path off to the right back to the cliff top.

From the inlet this time the path heads inland for about 100m to a hairpin bend on a minor road at map ref. SM996384.

Harts tongue ferns as we climbed up to the road

Joining the road and a steep climb round a bend

Views from the path heading for Penrhyn

Coast Path heading for Penrhyn

Cliff top path to the caravan site

Crossing the caravan site on the Coast Path

The coast path crosses the caravan site and leaves by a narrow path down the side of one of the static caravans.

We continued along the cliff tops for another 2km to a large caravan site at Penrhyn. This is the Fishguard Bay Caravan & Camping Park.

Views from the path heading for Penrhyn

Buildings on the cliff top at the caravan site

Entering the caravan site on the Coast Path

Leaving the caravan site on the Coast Path

Heading to Fishguard from the caravan site

Looking back to the caravan site at Penrhyn

Coast Path heading for Fishguard

After about 1km we turned off the coast path on a footpath that led directly back to our holiday cottage. (Brilliant, no car all day) To complete the walk you need to continue along the coast path for another 1.5km back to the view point car park where I suggested you could get the bus this morning.

We continued along the coast path and we could see the large white ferry from Rosyth heading towards Fishguard Bay. As we walked the ferry progressed steadily towards the harbour and tied up alongside the quay.

Part of the coast is owned by the National Trust

Coast Path heading for Fishguard

We turned off the Coast Path here to our cottage

Coast Path heading for Fishguard
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