Coniston to Ambleside

Distance 12 miles
Ascent 550m
Weather overcast
Other takers for the open top bus 0
Fog, dogs (some with no legs)

Our plan had been to get buses from Bowness to Coniston and then walk through Grizedale Forest to catch the ferry across Windermere back to Bowness. However we found out, while on the bus, that the ferry service had been suspended due to lack of visibility. It was pretty foggy.

So a hasty change of plan required, we decided to walk back to Ambleside along the Cumbria Way. It was pretty quiet to begin with, just us and the herdies. Tarn Howes was quite busy and Skelwith Bridge was heaving. We sat on the rocks by the side of the river for lunch, a veritable yellow-sticker feast.

There were tiny patches of blue sky as we headed up over Loughrigg Pass (as it shall be known henceforth) and it looked like the mist might be clearing but it wasn't, we were just in clear air surrounded on all sides by clouds.

We caught the next bus from Ambleside to Windermere, and then walked along Longlands Road, arriving back at about 4.30pm.

Christmas Day Walk - Dalesway and School Knott

Distance 5.5 miles
Ascent 300m
Weather foggy

A damp and grey morning walk over Brant Fell and round to Matson Ground to join the Dales Way, via Cleabarrow and School Knott. There were Christmas robins, Christmas sheep, Christmas happy walkers, Christmas crappy dog owners, Christmas not-so-happy walkers.

Windermere Walk Part 4

Distance 13.5 miles
Ascent 700m
Weather clear and sunny
Buzzards, sparrowhawk, deer
Weird hunchback glowing people 2 (us)
People going the wrong way 2 (not us)

An early start, we caught the 7.05 bus from Bowness to Newby Bridge, in the dark. We walked up the lane through Great Wood to Canny Hill then got a bit lost in a caravan park before finding our way out to cross a field and the A590. On the other side of the road we entered another field and did some sheep wrangling. Sheep freed from barbed wire fence and minor injuries patched up, we walked up to field edge (where there was an open gateway between the fields that the stuck sheep could have simply walked through) before crossing a couple of fancy ironwork stiles into woodland.

The sky was getting light and at the top of the hill there was a spectacular inversion over the valley. The sun rose and the moon set as we walked along the forest track through Chapel House plantation, which has been chopped down. What would have been a nice forest path has been turned into bleak muddy desolation.

Heading up to Gummers How we saw a few other walkers and admired the view of the clouds over Windermere. Thankfully the man with the drone packed it up and left shortly after we'd arrived at the summit.

Leaving the top we entered Birch Fell and  Blakeholme plantations, where there are still plenty of trees, and also birds. We saw Chaffinches, blue, great and coal tits plus a treecreeper and some sort of warbler in the old oak trees. Also two roe deer.

We had tea and chocolate bars for half tenses sitting on a wall (with brambles) in the middle of the woods, before finding a bog disguised as leaves. Leaving the woodland we went through a farm as the farmer was putting out some hay  for his grateful sheep, who came running across the fields.

The road surfaces were quite Icy and slipsy and there was quite a commotion of unhappy pheasants, shortly followed by a loud gun shot.

At the Birkett House Allotment the pond was partly frozen and we saw a white chicken on the hill. There were a lot of small birds, mostly chaffinches, so we stopped here for lunch just off the path - perhaps not quite far off enough.

We passed a few more walkers during the afternoon and there were plenty at the top of Brant Fell, the frosty ground making it interesting for some who had just come up from town. We got back just before 3pm, had rest and a cuppa before heading to the Royal Oak for Christmas Eve drinks and a slap up dinner.

Windermere Walk Part 3

Distance 11 miles
Ascent 650m
Weather cloudy, some drizzle but drier than expected
Things on gates: slugs and mites

I have changed the name of this post to Windermere Walk rather than the Windermere Way, as we've not been following the actual route of the Way. This is our own version, it's very similar but is shorter and has fewer muddy bits.

We caught the first sailing of the day up to Ambleside, spotting goosanders at the landing in Bowness (the one we saw the other day was a female) and then an otter out in the lake not long after we had set off.

At Waterhead jetty the rain eased off, so we decoated and set off around Borrans Park into town. There were a couple of goldeneyes at the mouth of the Brathay.

We bought lunch at the co-op in Ambleside and then headed up along Stockghyl Force, which was in full flow. The rain had by now stopped but it was still very humid, and we made our way slowly but (sweatily) steadily up to Wansfell Pike. There were a lot of swaledale sheep, a distant horse on the skyline and ravens croaking overhead.

We descended the hill down Nanny Lane into Troutbeck, using a handy bridleway through the village that avoids the traffic and stopped for lunch on a bench near to Troutbeck Church. There was a brief patch of blue sky.

Walking along the road we saw a buzzard and a Vole. Work is underway on replacing the footbridge and much of the riverbank that washed away in 2015. It looks to be some serious construction work.

There was a buzzard being chased by crows,  fieldfares and flocks of starlings as we crossed Orrest Head, and of course people at the top. It was just dusk as came down into Windermere, and getting dark as we walked along Longlands Road back to Bowness.

Windermere Way Part 2

Distance 10 miles
Ascent 330m
Weather: cloudy, mostly dry

Swans and cormorants on the lake, buzzards, tufted ducks.
Pheasants: many
Jackdaws: more

We got the ferry again and walked up the path under Claife Heights to join the footpath alongside the Ash Landing nature reserve. There were a lot of great tits. We didn't go into the nature reserve as there's only one entrance. The shoreline was a little wet in places but not flooded and the going was relatively straightforward. There was only one major puddle that required a couple of fence crossings to avoid.

We also avoided being shot by people with guns. There were a lot of pheasants running about. Hopefully they were lucky today too.

We had bit of a sit down on a handy bench at Rawlinsons Nab and stopped for lunch at High Dam, saving the last of the tea (still hot!) to have at the quay at Lakeside as we waited for the last boat of the day back to Bowness.

Windermere Way Part 1

Distance 14 miles
Ascent 600m
Weather: cloudy, some drizzle

Happy people with cake 2
Happy cyclists 4

The heavy rain overnight had eased off by the time we'd bought sandwiches and walked to Ferry Nab. We only had a short wait before the ferry crossing, entertained by tales of otters and bad sailing.

We passed the viewing station at Claife Heights and up the hill into the woods, stopping at the top to remove several unnecessary layers of clothing.

The path north along the hill edge was very wet, with little streams down the rocky paths, and some funny looking fungus. It was especially mudsome at Belt Ash Coppice, complete with wobbly rocks and a just out-of-reach fence.

Back down on the lakeshore path we saw a goosander and a pair of mute swans and were embarrassed on behalf of a chap who wished us a very erroneous "morning" at 1.20pm which might be a record.

Wray Castle was closed today but the cafe was open so we called in for coffee and hot chocolate and cakes, with good timing as the  rain shower that had just started as we entered the castle grounds had cleared by the time we set off again. There wasn't enough time to do the official route over Loughrigg Fell so we took the lower path turning east before Loughrigg Tarn that leads under Ivy Crag. The clear track heads back over the lower hills to Miller Brow and into Ambleside. Walking along the road rather than taking the shore edge path meant we arrived just in time to catch the last launch of the day back to Bowness.

Pub Walk to The Wild Boar Inn

Distance 7.5 miles
Ascent 350m
Weather: cloudy, rain showers

Pub walks are a thing. There are many books about them on sale in outdoors shops. However it is not something we are accustomed to - our walks tend to be more cheese sarnies and flasky tea in the rain type affairs.

After a leisurely morning of bird watching and weasel spotting, we headed out of Bowness over Brant Fell. We walked over the fell to Lindeth Lane, stopping to put on waterproofs as the heavens opened. We passed a raven and a buzzard, and possibly a flock of goldfinches.

The going was wet, it has rained quite a lot lately,  and rained on and off all day, but there were no major puddles. The lane at Mitchelland was closed which was good for us as there was no traffic to worry about for most of the way.

We arrived at the pub and de-waterproofed, leaving our boots in the entrance porch. I don't know if they would have minded our boots, but I'd carried my daps so I was going to wear them. Lunch was very civilised, big comfy chairs, a log fire and good food and ale from their own brew house.

Eventually we had to leave as we had to get back before it got too dark to see. It rained a little but it was pleasant to walk back in the dusk over the moors along the Dales Way path with the birds roosting and the sheep grazing.

Around Rydal Water

Distance: 10.5 miles
Ascent:
Weather: overcast, heavy rain shower

We had planned to get the Windermere launch up to Ambleside and then follow the Windermere Way back to Bowness. However we ended up with return tickets for the ferry so decided to walk to Grasmere and back along the coffin route in time to catch the last return sailing.

On Windermere we saw oodles of coots and a mistlethrush as we walked around by the Roman Fort, which was surprisingly unflooded. Then we walked alongside the River Rothay to Rydal Water, where there were a lot of cormorants and a great crested grebe, along with a grey heron.

We had sit and a snack on one end of a bench overlooking the lake where somebody's ashes had been (not very effectively) scattered around it, or rather on it. Which is nice.

We stopped for lunch of sandwiches and tea from our swanky new thermos flask, bought yesterday from the hardware store in Ambleside after enthusiastic recommendations from a chap in a different shop. Our old flask had failed on us at the weekend, and although I would have said that it was quite new it was probaby at least a couple of years old, and possibly its quality had been indicated by its price tag. We'll see if Mr Thermos's flasks last any better than Mr Tesco's. We sat on a grassy bank at the lakeshore and had our tea huddled under a small umbrella.

Walking back along the riverside walk we saw a dipper and some mallards, making it back to the jetty at Waterhead just in time for a hot chocolate from the cafe before catching the ferry.

Sandstone Trail Day 3 - Kelsall to Frodsham

Distance: 14 miles
Ascent: 450m
Weather: overcast but warm
Blackthorn, elderberry, bramble, dogberry, hawthorn, rowan
Fieldfares, swallows, buzzards calling
Dirty bogs: 0
Close encounters: big dog, small cat, big hedge cutter, flies

The rain had stopped overnight and it was overcast as we set off from Kelsall and actually a bit warmer than expected, especially as the start of the walk was uphill.  We were accompanied part of the way by the vicar's cat who, while friendly, wasn't much help with finding the footpath.

Along the path through Nettleford Woods we spotted lots of trees coming into fruit, including blackthorn (sloe) and took a detour into Delamere Forest and the visitor centre - this started off as the Sandstone Trail Alternative Route but soon we took alternative alternative routes and made our own way back to the Trail along the side of Blakemere Moss. The lake had less water and more tree stumps in it than we'd expected but was definitely not a dirty bog. The signs were very clear on that.

Out of the forest, we stopped for tea and scones at a b&b on the edge of Manley Common then continued around the side of Simmonds Hill and Alvanley Cliffs. The wooded cliff edge was steep sided and rocky, with lots of steps up and down. We stayed high and emerged at the memorial and viewpoint, looking out over the Ellesmere Port and the Mersey estuary. The path zigzags down into Frodsham, we crossed a busy  road to visit the marker at the end of the Trail then headed to the railway station.

Sandstone Trail Day 2: Bickerton to Kelsall

Distance: 13.5 miles
Ascent: 400m
Weather: Rain, rain, drizzle, mist
Swallows, wet cows, wet goat-sheep

Day two started by heading back up uphill on to the Peckfordton Hills, it was already raining, a big bank of rain forecast to cross the entire country during the day.

We walked through the tall sweet chestnut trees over Bulkeley Hill then around under Peckfordton Point and Table Rock. From further along, we looked back to these hills to see Peckfordton Castle Hotel, flag flying, rising out of the trees.

Ahead of us was Beeston Castle on the next hilltop, we skirted it through the woods, then peered over the wall at the medieval reenacters sheltering under their tarpaulins in the grounds. We crossed the canal at Wharton's Lock then we were out into fields. The ground was deeply cracked from the long hot spell but today's rain had made it muddy and slippy underfoot. The route crossed many fields and narrow quiet lanes, the rain continued to fall all day. We had lunch at a partially sheltered bench under an oak tree on the edge of Willington Woods.

Primrosehill Woods' deciduous trees, ferns and fungi looked primordial in the mist. We walked along Urchin's Kitchen, a narrow gorge formed by glacial runoff with mosses and ferns, swampy ponds in the bottom. The hum of the racing at nearby Oulton Park audible in the peace of the woods.

A last stretch of rocky sandstone path ended the day on the trail, before leaving the path and heading into Kelsall where we are staying at the Royal Oak.

Sandstone Trail Day 1: Whitchurch to Bickerton

Distance 15.5 miles
Ascent 400m
Weather: sunny
Kestrel, buzzards, long tailed tits, Mr Squirrels, bunnies, donkey, jay
Hangovers from hell: 1

After a delayed start (due to me nearly being murdered by a glass of wine) we caught the train from Manchester to Whitchurch and by 12.45 were on our way on the Sandstone Trail. The walk first crosses town, which is very attractive little streets, through the edge of a park and out along the Llangollen Canal.

The sunshine was warmer than we'd dressed for, but quite welcome.

Things we saw floating in the canal:  pretty boats, logs, rabbit.
Things we saw that had recently been in the canal: small boy and his scooter.

Lunch was had at a bench by Grindley Brook Lock no 5 watching the narrow boats navigated the waterway.

We crossed fields of cows, fields of maize and fields for fancy racehorse training. There are lots of big farms and estates here, you could tell it was proper countryside because of the bonfire and pungent smells.

The last part of the day was up on Bickerton Hill, which is actually two Bickerton Hills, sandstone hills rising high above the Cheshire plains. There were lots of views, plus the fort of Maiden Castle, Mad Alan's Hole and a deep tree covered ravine at Muskets Hole. The woods were also covered in young pheasants, they were everywhere.

It was getting towards dusk and we were getting very hungry indeed, me especially as I had not made it to breakfast, as we dropped down off the hill to the welcome of the Bickerton Poacher.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Summary

Total walked distance: 208 miles

Total ascent: 7800m

13 days walking

Day 0 - 6 miles - to Amroth, Wiseman's Bridge Inn

Day 1 - 15 miles, 570m - to Manorbier Beach, Castlemead

Day 2 - 19 miles, 620m - to Warren, Corston House

Day 3 - 21.5 miles, 650m - to Hundleton, Highgate

Day 4 - 15 miles, 360m - to Millford Haven, Lord Nelson

Day 5 - 13 miles, 450m - to Dale Village, Lobster Pot

Day 6 - 16 miles, 430m - to Musselwick Sands, Lobster Pot

Day 7 - 10 miles, 300m - to Broad Haven, Anchor

Day 8 - 12 miles, 650m - to Solva, Cambrian

Day 9 - 12.5 miles, 570m - to Whitesand (via Skomer and Ramsey islands), Grove Hotel

Day 10 - 15 miles, 750m - to Trevine, Cranog

Day 11 - 19.5 miles, 950m - to Goodwick, Seaview

Day 12 - 15 miles, 670m - to Newport Sands, Castle Inn

Day 13 - 18 miles, 900m - to St Dogmaels, Cardigan Castle

Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Day 13

Distance 18 miles
Ascent 900m
Weather bit cooler, overcast, few spots of rain
Stonechat, meadow pipits, buzzard
Horses in gorses 7

We left Newport this morning under cloudy skies but dry, walking via the Spar out to the estuary, where there were oyster catchers, snoozy swans and canada geese amidst the gulls and labradors.

This last section is described as a long, remote and rugged day's walk, dominated by two big climbs, although the rest of the way was hardly flat. A long steep climb started us off up on to the cliffs, which seem darker and more solid looking than those south of here.

At Godwr Mawr we stopped at the top to watch the guillemots, razorbills and house martins nesting. I've been informed that apparently yesterday there were also razorbills on the cliffs. The path to was narrow and grassy, often overgrown, with bracken dotted with bluebells. There was an odd hawthorn tree here and there, stunted and mishapen into the direction of the winds.

We has a sit down with some cows at Gerddi-bâch, they were most interested in us to start with but then wandered away.

The path veers steeply down near Carag Bica, there were choughs squawking loudly. Lots of sea birds but no fins or seals today. The shore started looking more rugged, with caves and a natural arch, thought one of the caves might be an archway but there were voices so I think it was people inside with a torch. At Bwn Bach, a steep decent into a narrow inlet took us over an impressive rock arch carved out by the waves underneath. A kestrel was circling around worrying the other birds. I expect  this place appears on Instagram a lot.

We stopped for lunch at Ceibwr Bay and then headed back up. The cliffs at Traeth Godir-côch are very geological indeed, huge waves of rock curved around and folded up, caused by the movement of tectonic plates. It looked like more recently there'd been a fire. We saw a fox and fox cubs (or possibly three cubs) playing on a scrubby section below is, they scattered into the bushes when they saw us. Cemaes Head is a nature reserve, but we're not sure what for, as it didn't seem much different to anywhere else, and then we joined a lane and walked down into St Dogmaels, which is the end of the Pembrokeshire Coastal trail.

Our day's walk carried on into Ceredigion, we are staying in Cardigan, at the castle. I have learned that bopty means bakery.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Day 12

Distance 15 miles
Ascent 670m
Weather warm and sunny

From the hotel we walked around into Lower Fishguard Town around the Marine Walk, where it was laundry day in the car park.

A plaque at Goodwick harbour tells a grand (and possibly fictional) story of a heyday of transatlantic liners porting here before they moved to Southampton. Fishguard harbour is pretty but not touristy, there is no beach here. A path leads out to the remains of a small fort, armed with some cannons and a crow. These (apart from the crow) date from 1797 French invasion, the last successful invasion of Britain, despite being a bit crap and surrendering within two days.

From the harbour we climbed steadily upwards, then dropped down a bit then climbed upwards some more. Repeat.

We saw a red kite and guillemots on the nooks and crannies of the cliffs. The path wiggles its way around heads and coves, along the boundaries of fields and the cliff edge and along little hawthorn lined paths. There were plenty of butterflies, bees and songbirds. Also flies, but they are less romantic.

We had a sit down at the beach at Aber Bach, which was very peaceful, then walked around to Pwllgwaelod bay where we had lunch at the Old Sailors pub, sat out in the garden in the sunshine.

A sustained climb up onto Dinas Head brought us to the view point, topped with a trig point (142m) looks our to sea. We got grunted at by ravens and stonechats. On the way down, we followed the 'cliff edge path' sign down a steep grassy slope, leading to a narrow path clinging to the side of the cliff. We got a very good view of the gulimots and gulls on Needle Rock, but it was a bit vertigo inducing. A sit down and ice-cream at Cwm-yr-Eglwys was appreciated.

The way continued up a narrow lane and then through woodland, or possibly just a big hedge, ot was hard to tell through the trees. Not many views.

Crossing a pebble beach, there were loads of gulls having a paddle in a fresh water pool under the cliff at Cwm Rhigian. As we walked up on the cliff on the other side, we could see the flocks of birds waiting their turn on the ploughed field above.

The path crossed some high, jagged cliffs before gently descending down to Parrog, at the estuary, then follows the salt marsh into Newport, which is prettier than I'd expected. There have been tractors coming and going all evening, hopefully they'll stop soon as they are noisy.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Day 11

Distance 19.5 miles
Ascent 950m
Weather warm and sunny
Choughs, wheatear, grey heron,adder, seals, dolphins (or possibly porpoises)
Number of girls in canoe designed for one: 3

It was supposed to be cooler today, but already quite warm when we set off at eight thirty, without much of a breeze at all. By mid afternoon it was decidedly hot. Also someone has been round with a strimmer and the dead, dry grass now covering the path was very slippy.

We saw an early peregrine, looking out to sea from a rocky perch, and also a kestrel on a pointy rock. We tried to fix a broken gate into a sheep field, and out on the other side had some sheep-on-the-path related anxiety, thankfully the lamb jumped up to the wall on the right, not the cliffs to the left.

We went round a point marked in itallics on the map as Castell Coch but there was nothing much to see, which was rather disappointing. Other places we passed today were Pant y Dwr, Pwl Hêr, Pwl Bach and Aber Felin.

We had a sit down by the beach at Aber Fawr, where we overheard some chaps discussing where the fence used to be while pointing out to thin air and sea.

We stopped for lunch on a bench at Carn Ogof with amazing views over the bays of Pwll Deri and Porth Maynmellyn to Dinas Mawr and the islands. The bench was really uncomfortable. We continued on around the peninsula passing iron age fort and springs, feeling more like rocky mountain tops, even quite boggy in places, with heather, gorse and bracken. Towards the end of the walk there was even a proper cow-y bog. It's like they were expecting us.

As we walked through the hills we could see the Carreg Oneg bay lighthouse, complete with bridge over to the mainland. Second lunch was had on a rather sloped bench just before we reached the car park, where most people were ending their day's walk and waiting for the bus. We walked on.

An adder was sunning itself by the edge of a quiet path right next to the car park, it slithered away into the heather.

A great day for wildlife, there was one seal at Trwyn Llwyd, and at least three lazing on the rocks in the sunshine a bit later. A bunny tail darted across the path. We stood for ten minutes watching dolphins jumping far out in the waters at the top of Strumble Head, saw a very plush looking fox, a brief peregrine falcon, a kestrel in the distance, a buzzard circled overhead and lastly there were oystercatchers in the bay at Goodwick.

Things were rather rushed once we'd arrived at the hotel but we've got dinner, beers and a sit down so we are happy.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Day 10

Distance 15 miles
Ascent 750m
Weather sunny spells
Buzzard, chough, peregrine, grey seals, wheatear, stonechats, linnets, swifts, kestrel
People who can't speak Welsh 4 (including me)

After a slow start involving breakfast, buying lunch and getting the coastal bus to St Justinian, we were ready to go about quarter past ten. We had a bit of a chat with a chap from one of the boat companies who told us there'd been a tornado in Pembrokeshire yesterday, somewhere further south of us.

The path started fairly gently around too Whitesands and then headed up onto St David's Head. It was really rocky, more like mountain terrain than the cliffs we've been on. There's a burial chamber, marked by a propped up rock and lots of flowers, including orchids. At the rocky cairn at the top of St David's Head we reached the dizzy heights of 65m.

We saw a meadow pipit (it sounded like a meadow pipit and it had pink feet) and a wheatear. Lunch was had on some conveniently shaped rocks on Penlechwenn, and then we walked around the headland, the terrain more rugged and rocky. There was a cooler breeze, although when the sun came out it was warm.

Rob asked me about some of the pink flowers by the path, so I pointed out some of the things growing along the way, until he told me to stop. The last couple of days, perhaps because it's been so warm and dry, the flowers have been almost finished flowering but today they were in full bloom. Orchids, pink and white campion, ox eye daisies, cornflower, saxifrage, tormantil, hawkweed, bird's foot trefoil, kidney vetch (not to be confused with vetch which is purple), bluebells and even primroses.

While looking at the flowers we also saw at least three grey seals watching us from the water below. And coming around a particularly rocky section at Carn Penberry a peregrine falcon flew around a couple of times and landed on the cliffs just out of sight. The high point of the day was about 120m.

The coastline is really rugged with lots of geology (volcanic rock jutting out from the older Ordovician shale...) covered qith pretty flowers and little birds.

We saw a happy seal balancing on a rock and had very good ice creams while sitting on the beach at Abereiddy.

The last section pd today's walk was more grassy over flat headlands, with much evidence of bygone industrial activities.  Porthgain has a big brick works (dis) down by its tiny harbour, guarded on both sides by white stone pillars. There was some canoodling going on by one.

Coming into Trefin we added another twenty minutes on to today's walk to make tomorrow's a tiny bit shorter, as it going to be a long one.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Day 9

Distance 6+6.5 miles
Ascent 570m
Weather warm and sunny on land, chilly offshore

It waa clear blue skies and good visibility as we left Solva this morning. We stayed at the Cambrian Inn in the lower part of town) so had to walk up from the harbour on to the cliff tops. Walking around to St David's we saw choughs and linnets and solar powered yurts.

Leaving the coastal path we went into St David's to find out about possible boat trips to the islands. A trip was leaving shortly from St Justinians to Skomer so we booked tickets and Rhiannon very kindly took us down to meet the boat. We had a fantastic two hour trip out to Skomer and Ramsey Island, seeing grey seals, kittiwakes with young, guillemots, razorbills, lots of puffins, great black backed gulls (posted on high rocks) one shag, cormorants, indignant oystercatchers, caves and an oil tanker. On the way back from Ramsey Island we crossed the choppy waters of the Sound, getting quite up close and personal with the Bitches, the rocks that stick up from the waters here, which along with the strong current between has caused hundreds of shipwrecks. The boat pilot certainly knew what he was doing.

Back on dry land, we made a tactical error of getting pasties from the kiosk by the chapel, which led to serious indigestion. The walk back around the coastal path was a little uncomfortable - partly due to pastyitis, partly the boat motion and partly because the sea was on the right hand side and we'd become accustomed to leaning slightly the other way.

We saw a ragged looking buzzard and a gannet. After a bit of a sit down and taking things slowly for a while, we felt better.

The chapel of St Nun's, where we had left the path this morning, seemed quite near but there was the inlet of Porth Clais to walk down and around, with obligatory limekilns, which added quite a distance.

Back up on the clifftop, the path was rocky and pretty with flowers. Red Wall was pink with thift.  We has a look at St Non's Chapel (remains of) and Well. The bells of the cathedral ringing out at nine minutes to six.

Walking into the city we passed a cottage with the amazing name of Yr Hen Bopty. We are staying at the Grove hotel and there are a lot of noisy rooks roosting.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Day 8

Broad Haven to Solva
Distance 12 miles
Ascent 650m
Weather warm and sunny
Buzzards 2
Horses in gorse(s) 6
Sunbathing caterpillars 1

We had a relaxing night in Broad Haven, after a very good dinner we sat watching the sunset on our veranda with hot chocolate and hoped that the bats would eat the midges before they ate us.

The tide was in as we left, heading up onto the cliffs along a wide gravelly path that wound upwards. The day was already warm but the paths were quite gentle, following the undulations of the grassy clifftop. There were a lot of places named Haroldston (Cottages, Bridge, Hall, Glen, West and Chins) after the Harold Stone which is marked on the map in italics but we didn't actually notice. At Haroldston Chins I took a picture of the coastline from a little camera bracket they've put up and sent it off to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, for their #changingcoasts project where it will be used as part of a time-lapse film.

We tried to identify a diver that was out on the water with some herring gulls, but it was a bit too far away to see clearly. Closer to, there were a lot of small blue butterflies.

Druidston is a lovely spot, where someone has built a cool eco home underground with a glass front looking out over St Bride's Bay. The route got a bit more up and down-y here around areas of erosion. The paths becoming gritty and shiny black, with evidence of mines and pits nearby.

I got to practise my Barbara Woodhouse skills on an unruly dog, with impressive results if I say so myself.

We bought lunch from a cafe at Newgale Sands and sat on the pebble bank above the beach watching the surfers. We walked along the beach, got some ice-creams and then went up the cliffs. The afternoon's walk was harder going, the paths much steeper, but there was a breeze.

At Dinas Fawr the rocky coastline is beautiful, the caterpillar web infestation covering everything less so, we took care opening the gate lest we get trapped.

The place names are definitely more Welsh around here than earlier on the walk, we walked into Solva over Dinas Fach, Ogof y Cae, Carreg Dilys and St Elvis Rock.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Day 7

Marloes to Broad Haven
Distance 10 miles
Ascent 300m
Weather warm and sunny

Days like yesterday make you appreciate days like today. It was warm and the sky was blue with fluffy clouds. Within half an hour of starting out along the path at Musselwick Sands we'd seen gannets diving, a peregrine perched on an overhanging rock and a kestrel hunting.

There were choughs on the cliff faces and lots of small birds, including pipits (rock and meadow), stonechats and a dunnock. The grass along the paths had been strimmed short so our legs stayed dry, even so Rob managed to get mud on his and I had some streaks of pollen. The flowers were blooming, thrift, cornflower, campion, tormantil, foxgloves and ox eye daisies. The insects were out in force.

At St Brides Haven there were a lot of people diving, or at least standing around in car parks in wetsuits.

Some oystercatchers and curlew were posing on the rocks and a buzzard nonchalantly ignoring the pestering of some gulls. We met a chap who warned us to watch out for adders (we didn't see any) and then told us a story about a man who shot a couple walking on the coastal path and also murdered some locals before setting their house on fire. Jolly.

We had lunch with a bee on a bench in a sunny spot in a small wood, which seemed to have fewer midges than the shade of the trees. There were a lot of insects and I got molested by a butterfly.

Arriving early in Broad Haven we left our bags at the b&b and went down to the beach for ice-creams and a paddle in the sea. The sea was quite cold. We are now sitting on the veranda listening to the test match.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Day 6

Marloes to Marloes
Distance 16 miles
Ascent 430m
Weather Misty, drizzle alternating light and heavy
Tailgating incidents 1
Wet things: feet, legs, the sea, the sky
Sedge warbler, dunnock, stonechats, little toad, oystercatcher

After purchasing lunch from the village store in Marloes we walked along the lane down to Dale, rejoining the Coastal Path along the way. It had rained during the night, leaving us with light drizzle and a mist that didn't clear all day. There weren't many views.

The rain had also made the tall grasses wet and fall over the path, resulting in wet legs coated in grass seeds. I forgot to take my hayfever allergy tablet this morning and even though I was wearing long trousers my legs are now delightfully red and blotchy. As is our way, once our legs were nicely soaked through we decided to put our waterproof trousers on.  At least we didn't need to stop and wring our socks out, as we saw other people doing.

As mentioned, there weren't many views, we could hear the sea to our left and the paths were lined with flowers and went by entertainingly named places like The Vomit and Vomit Point. This was just before Frenchman's Bay. We also walked around Castlebeach Bay, Watwick Bay, Mill Bay, Welshman's Bay, Westdale Bay, Watery Bay (where the water was mostly in our shoes) and Deadman's Bay.

There was a sign commemorating where Henry the Seventh landed in Wales before he won the War of the Roses and started the Tudor Dynasty.

The mists cleared briefly around midday and I'd hoped that the afternoon would brighten up, the skylarks sang and a few bees emerged. Then it unbrightened up.   Red Cliff was indeed very red, and we didn't see any raggles on Raggle Rocks, which was very disappointing. But there was a cormorant.

We had a late lunch on a bench at Martin's Haven, just as one of the boats was returning from Skomer and we had puffin envy. We walked along the cliff tops back to Marloes, where we are staying a second night. Tomorrow we are going to Broad Haven via a place called Falling Cliff. Hopefully it won't.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Day 5

Distance 13 miles
Ascent 450m
Weather warm, cloudy in the morning, sunny later
Stonechats, warbler, shelducks
Buzzards 2
Rabbits 1 (deceased)

Leaving Milford Haven, we got a bit confused down by the docks but eventually did manage to find our way out of town and on to the coastal path. The path goes around an oil refinery and unauthorised deviation is not permitted. Also no fires or barbecues. There was a distinct smell of gas.

We wondered what sort of bridge we might get over the pipes, but there were just steps down on to the sand, under the pipes and back up onto the clifftops. From the higher ground (cliffs) we saw shelducks in the bays and stonechats in the gorse. There were patches of massive cobwebs covering the brambles and gorse bushes. We hope that they are ermine moth caterpillars, and not the toxic infestation that Google also suggested. Rob insisted that I took a photo.

We stopped to watch the ferries and and ships coming out of the harbour when an alarm went off at the refinery, setting up a buzzard that had been sitting on an outcrop. To cross one of the bays there is a low causeway, only passable at low tide, so we had timed our arrival so we didn't have to wait (and also got a lie-in.)

We had lunch on Little Castle Head, sitting on a grassy bank looking over the flowers across the bay to Stack Rock and Thorn Island. The sun came out and it was hot.

As we walked around the cliffs during the afternoon, it got hotter. We decided against taking the precipitous steps down to a deserted beach but continued on the flower edged path.

To get to Marloes where we are staying tonight, we took the high tide route of the Coastal Path which started along a smooth grassy field edge, then along a lumpy uneven field edge and on to a road. A new road and bridge have been built, so we had the old bridge over the salt marsh to ourselves, then followed a footpath and bridleway to Marloes. Thankfully the farmer turned off the water sprinkler.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Day 4

Hundleton to Milford Haven
Distance 15 miles
Ascent 360m
Weather overcast, drizzle in afternoon
Buzzards 2
Cow licks narrowly avoided 1
Blisters 2 (one of them is apparently very strange, however I've not looked)
Aching things: legs, feet, ankles, back
Pigs on a pedestals 2
Tall bridges 2
See-through bridges 2

A short walk along a lane took us back to the Coastal Path and then we were on woodland paths most of the way into Monkton Priory and then Pembroke. We didn't see much of the town itself, just walked around the castle's moat, and then through some new looking housing estates out into fields. We were accompanied by some friendly cows across their field, then we left quickly when they tried to lick us.

The day was warm and humid. The route was mostly flat but there was quite a lot of pavement walking through towns, along busy straight roads and over bridges. Cleddau Bridge is a toll bridge but free for pedestrians. A scenic picnic site overlooked the inlet but the road seemed too busy to cross easily so we went on and had lunch in Neyland.

The path goes along the side of the estuary in Lladstadwell passing an array of cottages on one side, some pretty but all different and interesting.

Further on, we skirted the edge of another oil refinery, this one more like we'd expected yesterday's to be, heathy scrubland and tall fences. Where we had to cross pipelines and roads they'd put in metal gantry style bridges. It had started drizzling by now and the tall grass (and nettles) had become wet, much to the disgust of a couple of walkers we passed coming the other way.

Wet trousers later, we emerged on to a busy road. The map had us going along the road a while but there were national trail acorn signs pointing along a farm track, ao we followed them. This kept us off the road but led us passed killer bees, muddy tidal gunk, overgrown wet plants and unfriendly signs. So much for eco escapes.

We rejoined our mapped route and crossed the bridge into Milford Haven and arrived at the Lord Nelson Hotel. It was quite early so we've given our socks a good soak.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Day 3

Corston to Hundleston
Distance 21.5 miles
Ascent 650m
Weather warm and sunny

After a very nice stay at Cawston House, we were off at about 9.20am, laden down with lunch and a light dusting of dog hairs. We retraced our steps down the bridleway but thankfully they we didn't need to use the footpath of doom again, as we turned off down a lane instead, as the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path follows roads for a while here. The lane was quiet except for some coaches and a tractor bedecked with spikes.

At Castlemartin we joined the Castlemartin Range permissive path, mostly grassy, where we obeyed the do not stray from the path or you may die signs. As warned, there were loud bangs heard on and off during the morning.

At Freshwater West we got sandy wet feet crossing the beach, and then we went up on to the clifftops. I think I need to find some other words for cliffs.

This section of the Coastal Path is described as strenuous. So what we thought we would do is to do this section along with some of tomorrow's too.

The path follows the coast mostly up on the cliffs but with steep ups and downs to coves along the way. Some of the decents were knee jarringly steep and the climbs hard work but with less fear of slipping. We went down and up about 6 or 7 times, including Black Cave, East Pickard Bay, West Pickard Bay, Guttle Hole, where we disturbed a buzzard and then saw a Peregrine having a sit.

Sheep Island was bereft of sheep but there were a couple of grey seals on the rocks between the island and the mainland. We heard them grunting before we saw them.

At East Blockhouse there are quite a few look out posts on the rock faces, including one that allegedly dates from Henry the Eighth's time. It is now inhabited by horses, which was unexpected. The lookout looks out over Rat Island, we didn't see any rats either but they are harder to spot than sheep. Maybe they had gone for a swim.

Further around the coast into West Angle Bay is Thorn Island, with a big imposing building on it that is actually a hotel. It made me think of Chateau d'If from the Count of Monte Cristo.

We stopped for refreshments at the pub in Angle and then followed the path along a driveway then along the edge of fields at the side of the estuary. On the rocky shoreline there were some curlew and some swans swimming in the sea, which I'm not sure I knew they did.

We walked around Angle Bay, under the oil refinery along a lane. This was flat but quite tiring on the feet. We stopped at Popton Fort (built in the 1860s to defend the town of Milford Haven, there's a matching one on the other side) for a short break so Rob could put some tape on his foot. There were ants. Again.

The Oil refinery and power station looks bad on the map but in reality it is a lovely shady woodland path with tall chestnut trees and ferns. We left the wood briefly to pass under load of pipes that lead out over the water, and then we were back into the woods and fields. A cow meet and greet ensued. The last part of the day's walk was nice, wooded paths and quiet lanes but it was getting late so we had to rush.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Day 2

Manorbier to Corston
Distance 19 miles
Ascent 620m
Weather: warm and sunny
Dunnock,  linnets, pippets, chough, house martins, osprey, guillemots.
Shiny gold bee

It was already quite warm indeed as we set off back to Manorbier beach, and there was a steady stream of people heading for the sands. We turned off up on to the undulating clifftop path, very warm, lined with spring flowers, with warblers, pippets and skylarks singing.

During the morning a sea mist came in, which obscured the distant views and maybe brought the temperature down fractionally.

The paths were lined with flowers, including scarlet pimpernel, cornflower, buttercups and ox eye daisies, forget me nots and white campion.

The going was dry and dusty, we hadn't drunk anywhere near enough water yesterday so were trying
to be good and have regular stops and drink plenty of water today.

Lunch was had in the shade at the NT boathouse at Stackpole, with well deserved ice-cream. From the cove we walked along the packed beach and up onto Stackpole Head. This is an impressive outcrop, with guillemot nesting on the cliffs, and rabbit holes eroding the tops. The walk from here was flat and grassy, although marred by Amber the dog giving everyone a heart attack by running away towards the cliff edge.

The path drops down at Broad Haven, and we had to cross to the other side of a tidal stream. Rob scrambled over the rocks, while I took off my shoes and socks off and paddled up. This was very pleasant, right up to the moment when I thought I had dropped one of my socks and had to go back and look for it. More paddling required. Turned out sock was there along.

Up on the Travellan Downs (rather more up than down) we called in at St Govens Chapel, a tiny chapel built into the cliffside with many stone steps down to it, and even more than coming back up.

The artillery range was open today as it is a bank holiday and we were able to walk through the open lands. There were other walkers and many climbers on the cliffs. On a fence post in the distance we saw an osprey, also a kestrel and buzzard. Just before left the edge of the cliffs for the day, we stopped to look at the Eligug stacks completely covered in guillemot and the natural arch the Green Bridge of Wales which is truly amazing. Especially from the viewing platform rather than peering over the edge.

The last couple of miles were on lanes, and then we turned off the PCP to get to our accommodation. We thought we would shorten the route along the wiggly road by using the footpaths across fields and up a bridleway. The bridleway was ok, a little muddy but the footpath across one field ended in a overgrown verge that involved scrambling down a slope through nettles and brambles. Eventually we made it on to the lane and into Corston and the comfort of Corston House.

Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Day 1

Wiseman's Bridge to Manorbier
Distance 15 miles
Ascent 570m
Weather wet start, warm and sunny later
Chough doubt
Chough confirmation
Also llama

The heavy rain and thunderstorms passed over during the night. As we were setting off in the morning there was light drizzly rain. The coastal path winds its way around the side of the shore along an old miner's track which has tunnels through the headlands. We'd put on our waterproofs, but took them off fairly soon as magically it wasn't raining on the other side of the tunnel.

From Saundersfoot we walked along the beach, admiring the geology and caves. A pretty but steep wooded path led up through Rhodes Wood, with gnarly oaktreed, ferns and bluebells.

On the clifftop we emerged into a buttercup meadow, which we walked through a short way before the path headed back into woods, back down the cliff around back up the other side. Repeat.

One of the clifftops had a little viewpoint with carved wooden birds, but not actually much of view. Then we headed down into Tenby.

Tenby was heaving, as one might expect on a bank holiday Sunday lunchtime. We managed to get some sandwiches, which we ate on the esplanade, under the watch watchful eye of gulls and jackdaws.

The tide was out so we walked along the sands of South Beach, then up onto the cliffs and out to Giltar Point. The clifftops were carpeted with thrift, clover, bird's foot trefoil and kidney vetch, along with spring squill (a new one on me, it looks like a tall pretty harebell.) There were skylarks and possibly linnet, and claims of a chough, although this waa unverified as I had been looking the other way at a giddy cow. For miles after that we scrutinised every crow, rook and jackdaw. There were a lot of them, but no chuffing choughs.

We took a bit of a detour around Lydstep Point, stopping for tea and a biscuit and some more jackdaw perusal.

There were some very impressive cliffs, some steep and rocky, some steep and grassy, and some almost hidden and quite vertigo inducing. We admired the arches of the Church Doors, and then walked around the headland to Coombe and Rook's Cave where there were choughs! The path the leads around Parsons Piece (above his nose) and into Manorbier. We are staying at Castlemead, and have had a lovely dinner and tried a couple of beers from the Tenby Brewey.