Pembrokeshire Coast Path Day 2: Newport to Goodwick – 8/4/19
– 15.4 Miles, 4000 ft gain
[If this reads like a diary entry full of personal
details – you’re right! It’s my story. Some info may be helpful for your trip
planning, there’s an abundance of photos because everything was so beautiful,
and I believe food and drink and human connections are the secret sauce of
traveling. As they say, “Take what you need and leave the rest.” Enjoy!]
The newness of our adventure was undaunted by our 18-mile
start, and on Day 2 Danny and I were eager to get back on the P’shire. Big Lesson
#2: breakfast is not early in UK’s B&B’s. Add this to the list of
negotiations upon arrival (if not before). We’d set a routine of 7:00 a.m.
breakfast and getting out the door at 7:30, and all of the B&B’s made it
work in some fashion. A few simply set
out cereal, toast, tea and coffee, a few more threw in some fruit and cheese,
and some went all the way with a hot cooked meal and conversation.
After a shuttle ride back to the Iron Bridge, we picked up
where we left off yesterday on a greenway path along the edge of Newport, then
on to the tiny village of Parrog. At low
tide the path runs along the beach. A resident out for her morning walk helped
us to follow the route.
Our guidebook described the trail today as “more intimate”
which I interpreted as occasionally an enclosed path with hedges higher than
our heads and wooded spaces out of sight of the ocean altogether. All true, but most of the walk was out in the
open, cliffs a bit lower. I noted “sea quarries” where slate slabs have been
cut.
Early morning rain, light at first, then steady enough for
rain jackets and pack covers. I worried about my phone/camera but couldn’t
bring myself to stow it in my pack. I wrapped it in my bandanna inside my
jacket pocket, good enough for now.
Perfect weather for some creatures, so delicate yet hardy.
This is Snail #8,439,622 that we saw on our P’shire adventure, a fraction of
what lives in Wales.
Looking down at Aberfforest Beach
Crossing a cottage lawn towards the beach
How to identify this flower? At least 2 feet tall including the stalk
Walking on narrow lanes approaching villages
Danny and I are hiking southbound, so from right to left on this page. Pictured is Dinas Island (not really an island) aka Dinas Head – I think it looks like a tortoise’s head
As a local man passed by, Danny asked him if there was a
place nearby to get a cup of coffee, but he said no. A few minutes later, as we were shouldering
our packs to continue on, the man returned and invited us to walk with him to
the coffee shop over in Pwllgwaelod via the one-mile valley path (across the tortoise’s “neck”). Welsh hospitality in abundance that we
would encounter every day.
We thanked the gentleman but declined, as we wanted to walk
the long route around the perimeter of Dinas Head. The P'shire ascends along the
cliff edge (we saw kayakers down below) then cuts slightly inland up to reach the summit.
Pen-y-Fan, for all the
“hill baggers” out there
A few dozen yards further to the viewpoint of Dinas
Head, time for first lunch lounging on the rocks. Yes, this was as relaxing and
surreal as it appears. I didn't realize it at the time, but we're looking straight at the Fishguard Pier.
From the summit, the yarrow-lined path descended past
expansive sheep pastures. Along this bit we passed families hiking up from
Pwllgwaelod, the children running uphill followed by plodding, panting parents. No
judgment, no photos. It was steep!
At the Old Sailor’s Pub & Café we found coffee.
Danny is a “flat white” fan, with a side of ice cream today. As we
settled in at our picnic table, the rain began again and we moved inside.
Title: Contemplating Solitude and the Sea With Beer
Goodbye Pwllgwaelod, the P’shire beckons. Someday I
will learn how to pronounce you.
A developing theme: Portals To Pathways
Winds can be harsh atop the cliffs (we will learn this
for ourselves on Day 7)
On an unnamed beach, a round stack of flat rocks – is there some significance or is this like random cairns alongside creeks back in the U.S.? Controversy of whether to let them stand or knock them over to adhere to leave-no-trace. I was a visitor in Wales, so I left this alone.
Set back at the edge of the same beach was a little
garden with benches. Not pictured are fresh flowers and a memorial stone to a
serviceman who died in 2011 at age 22, with an inscription
“Blue Skies Forever.”
Through the woods to get back up to the
cliffs
Remember to look back from time to time to see where
we’ve been:
Dinas Head on the horizon, top left corner
Believe it or not, we passed by numerous beaches and
viewpoints with just a quick glance, but the massive gnarly tree in this
secluded cove drew my interest. It appeared that people had placed smooth
stones on the weathered trunk (I resisted the temptation). The algae-covered
stones at the water’s edge glistened in the sun.
This beach was my favorite part of Day 2
Getting closer to Fishguard/Goodwick, passing through forests, bracken-covered hillsides, and four-legged critters out walking their humans.
Now a caravan park with a fantastic view, Penrhyn was once a First World War coastal defense installation with a fantastic view
Coastal defense from an even earlier era: the ruins of Fishguard Fort, built at Castle
Point in 1781 to defend from privateers.
Fishguard is actually three communities in one, which
confounded our interpretation of Contour Holiday’s written instructions to find
our B&B. Again, a local woman offered to show us the way, and we followed
hesitantly until we saw for ourselves the acorn symbols that we trusted. We were still 2 miles away! At last Fishguard
Pier loomed into view with flags flying.
Low tide at Lower Town
Fern Villa, our Victorian home for two nights, was a
15-minute walk from the pier into the community of Goodwick. We found the B&B a bit
stodgy and our room was a very tight fit for two, but just a short walk up
the street to the Rose & Crown for dinner, a cider and Wifi.
[Since we were staying here for two nights, we washed all
our clothes and hung them from every conceivable knob. I swear we didn’t see
the little sign that said, “Please don’t wash clothes in the sink.”]
A splurge for dessert
“Harry Sparrow” Aspall Cyder – cheers!
“A fig for partridges and quails,
ye dainties I know nothing
of ye;
But on the highest mount of Wales
But on the highest mount of Wales
would choose in peace to drink my coffee.”
~Jonathan Swift
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