21st May

It rained most of the night, and was raining as I started packing.
What to do ? It was forecast to improve. Each day for the coming week heavy showers at times.
I couldn't afford to stay in hostels each night. It is cold with the wind chill, so I decided to abandon the path and return to start again when there is a settled period of weather.
When I return, it will be to start at St Dogmaels, and walk in the opposite direction.

20th May Trefin

I didn't set off from Whitesands Bay until nearly midday, bus connections meant another stopover in St Davids for 90 minutes.
The sky had cleared mid-morning so it was a good start to the days walk.
I am delighted with the PCP, and would walk it in the opposite direction another time, if a good spell of weather was forecast.
I was passing to seaward some impressive hills for the1st few miles.
Soon the clouds thickened, and with an extended period of rain forecast, I planned an overnight stay in a hostel or bunkhouse.
From Porthgain I followed footpaths inland to the Caerhafod.
I got a 5 bed room for £18. With a well equipped communal kitchen it was worth it to me.
The rain started  an hour after my arrival, not heavy but steady.
Glad of the shelter I had a dinner of cuppa soup thicked with potato powder. It sounds gross but was good enough.
During the evening 4 geologist's appeared, with wine and beer. A Brit, Dutch and 2 Swedes. It was interesting to hear about the area from a geological perspective.

19th May Whitehaven Sands

The clouds this morning were a sign of 'weather coming'. I met a guy who had set out at 6a.m. to try to get his days walk completed before the forecast rain arrived.
The rain arrived as I reached the headland opposite Ramsey Island.
It was a walk of meeting people day. A couple from Rhonnda I met 4 times altogether.
After a cup of tea with them at Whitesands Bay I went to the hostel up the road. Being only 1pm and a quiet farmhouse hostel , I decided to bus back to Broadhaven for the night.
Between buses in St Davids, I visited the cathedral, and met the Welsh couple, again.

18th May St Davids

The weather was better than forecast, and improved during the day.
Yuk, chlorinated tap water from the hostel was soon replaced by water from the stopcock on the 1st water trough I came to.
  There's a steady trickle of walkers, mainly day walkers. I stopped for a picnic lunch at Newgale and was invited for a pint by Robert an American guy I chatted with yesterday. He came from America just to walk the coast path.
St Brides bay is lovely and it amazed me looking back how far I've walked since yesterday morning.
Another break for a pot of tea by the harbour at Solva, where ships sailing to America departed from in the 1840's, passengers £4.
I stayed at the campsite at Caerfai, which is by the path and near St Davids

17th May Broadhaven

A cool breezy start at just after 6am, soon turned to warm sunshine along yet more of this everchanging coastline.
On the way to St Brides the only 'village' I passed, I saw a Gannet, Seal and 4 Choughs.
St Brides Bay is a large shelterd anchorage for ships awaiting to be escorted into Milford Haven, most of them were tankers.
The weather deteriorated from St Brides onward with drizzle and light rain.
I passed Little Haven and made for the youth hostel at Broadhaven.
Ah bliss a shower and somewhere to wash and dry clothes and shoes.
I was looking forward to cooking a proper meal. The local shop didn't have much, so it's pizza and mushy pea's ! Ah well.

16th May The Hookses, nr. Dale

I shared the night with a pair of Swallows in the church porch. It was a good start to my day watching them preparing for their day.
I had a delightful walk by the Bosherton 'Lily Ponds' for about 3 miles to the next village where I caught a bus to Pemroke Dock, the another on to Milford.
It was a good decision to bypass the oil refineries and shabby towns of Milford Haven. Once past Urbanization I pleasant walk to the village of Dale with it's sheltered anchorage.
From here it was back to rugged cliff top walking to St Annes Head and open sea. Skokholm and Skomer came into view to the north-west.
I found a relatively sheltered spot nr a group of cottages nestled in a dale called The Hookses.

15th May Bosherton

(The original post wouldn't publish, so this is a 2nd try)

A lovely day's walking. First I called in to the YHA hostel at Manorbier, for a tea, wash and phone charge.
From there it was great scenery to Freshwater Bay and a hot lunch.
Then more of the same to Stackpole Quay Little wonder that so much of this walk is through NT managed land.
I discovered here that the military firing ranges from St Govans Head would be closed. This would entail a long roadwalk to Milford Haven. So after a break at the cafe and checking the bus service for the walk, I decided to bypass this section.
After walking on to St Govans Head I went inland to Bosherton via huge grassy sand dunes to Bosherton.
I spent a pleasant couple of hours with some other walkers at the pub. I couldn't find anywhere suitable out of the wind and flat to pitch my tent, so spent a warm and pleasant night in the porch of the village church.

15th May

Test to see if it will publish !

15th May Bosherton

After a cold night, the sun was warming as I packed up and set off.
After only a mile I saw a sign for a youth hostel just off the coast path. So I went there and bought a tea, charged my phone, had a good wash.
The walking was even better today, more remote, yet being a sunny sunday plenty of day walkers.
There's a very good bus service all along the PCP (Pembrokshire Coast Path), so it is very easy to do sections and return to your starting point.
I met three Welsh guys who were walking a section each day, then getting the bus back to their car and returning to their campsite each evening, very civilised .
I treated myself to a meal at East Freshwater, before resuming my leisurely progress.
At Stackpole Quay, (it's again National Trust land, as so much of thos beautiful coastline is), I found out that the ranges ahead are closed and a timetable for the buses.
Tomorrow I shall get a bus to Pembroke Dock to get sum fuel for my stove.
More lovely walking then inland past huge sand dunes then lakes brought me to Bosherton.

The Pembrokeshire Coast Path, 14th May

I started this journey a mile or two after the official start/finish,  at Wiseman's Bridge. I liked the name ! and it was a pleasant walk on back roads from the train station.
A pleasant paved flat walk to Saunderfoot, was followed by a hilly mainly wooded walk toer Tenby.
I bought water and a ready meal in a supermarket and walked along the south beach. Tenby has large beaches.
The large Caldey Island off Tenby looks inviting with trees, valleys, houses and a monastery.
After climbing away from the beach I decided to have my meal.
Ah, no meths bottle !
At one point on the train journey my backpack fell out of the rack, the bottle must have fallen out of the side pocket unseen.
For a first day the PCP has been very impressive.
I camped up.on National Trust land at Lydstep Point, and had a twig fire to cook my dinner on.

Adventures new

gr7-2015 is now redundant, here os the next generation of my travels.

 Sign up for updates