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.