Walking in Pembrokeshire. Dennis Kelsall
for Irish and transatlantic shipping, whereby passengers, mail and cargo could reach London in the shortest possible time.
Under the engineering genius of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, new ports were built at Neyland and Goodwick. But even here the hoped-for prosperity was short-lived, an economic disappointment repeated during the latter part of the 20th century when the oil industry’s ambitions for the development of the Haven declined. Yet the people of Pembroke are nothing if not resilient; liquefied natural gas now rivals oil as the main import to the Haven terminals, surrounded by a new generation of developing light and high tech industries.
The national park
Remaining quiet and unhurried, Pembrokeshire is largely uncrowded by either residents or visitors, and has been spared much of the adverse consequence of the urban and industrial developments of recent decades. The unspoilt magnificence of its coastline, almost 200 miles (320km) of cliffs, bays, beaches and inlets, was recognised in its unique designation as a coastal national park in 1952. Only the industrial areas lining the Haven, and a short stretch abutting the Irish ferry terminal at Goodwick, were excepted. Many of Pembrokeshire’s other areas of outstanding beauty and important natural habitat were incorporated too: the Preseli Hills, the Gwaun Valley and the higher tidal reaches of the Daugleddau. But outside the park boundaries the countryside is not to be ignored either, for there is an abundance of natural woodland, hidden valleys and pleasant riverside to explore.
Forest covers the lower slopes of Foel Cwmcerwyn (Walk 20)
Pembrokeshire’s coast
For the rambler, Pembrokeshire is nothing short of pure delight. Long-distance walkers will already know it for its 180-mile (290km) Coastal Footpath, arguably one of the finest routes in Britain. But its ready accessibility and serpentine geography ideally suit it for those with more modest ambitions too, and many of the most beautiful and dramatic sections provide splendid part- or full-day excursions. From a gentle 1-mile stroll to a more challenging 12-mile hike, there is something for everyone in walks that follow the tops of precipitous cliffs or delve into secluded sandy coves. Examples of just about every type of coastal feature are explored, from cavernous blowholes to natural bridges, from solitary stacks to evidence of glacial erosion. Indeed, almost the whole geological history of the coast is revealed from the very earliest pre-Cambrian rocks exposed around St David’s to the sand dunes and shingle banks still in the process of creation today.
Stackpole Head (Walk 4)
For the most part undisturbed by large settlement, wildlife of one kind or another is an ever-present distraction. Wildflowers carpet the coastal fringe, and animals such as badgers, foxes and rabbits are commonplace. There are plenty of other small mammals too, while adders and lizards can occasionally be found sunning themselves on the rocks. These are food for the many predatory birds that patrol the cliffs; kestrels and buzzards hover and wheel in the sky, and the peregrine falcon is once again nesting at sites along the coast. Chough and raven are everywhere, as is the ubiquitous pigeon, but it is the seabirds that understandably command the greatest attention. In spring and early summer during the breeding and feeding season, inaccessible cliffs around the coast – as well as the offshore islands such as Ramsey, Skomer, Skokholm and Grassholm – attract countless birds. Umpteen species, both resident and visiting, can be seen, and include gannet, fulmar, Manx shearwater, storm petrel, shag, cormorant, kittiwake, tern, guillemot, puffin and, of course, the razorbill, which the national park has adopted as its emblem.
The cliffs are a superb vantage point for watching Atlantic grey seals, which appear at many places along Pembrokeshire’s coast throughout the year. They are most numerous during late spring and early autumn, when large numbers arrive to give birth to their pups. The rocky beaches of tiny isolated coves or the dark recesses of sea caves serve as nurseries, which echo to the melancholy cries of the white pups awaiting their mothers’ return. You might also see some of the coast’s less-common visitors such as porpoises or dolphins and, if you are really lucky, perhaps a minke or orca whale.
An unspoilt hinterland
Away from the coast the walking is equally fine and there is just as much to see. Bold in profile and totally unspoilt, the Preseli Hills impart a wonderful sense of remoteness. Yet they are easily reached and on a fine day offer relaxed walking that is hard to beat. The views extend from one end of Wales to the other, and the mountains of Ireland can be visible across the sea. Although lacking the rugged summits of Snowdonia or the English Lakeland hills, the tops are broken by enigmatic craggy outcrops, jumbled heaps of fractured rock that when half hidden by tendrils of swirling mist would not appear out of place in some alien planetary landscape. More mystery and conjecture is evoked by the numerous burial mounds, earthworks and cairns that litter the slopes, vestiges of civilisations that spanned 3000 years, from the time when the pyramids were built in Egypt until the Romans arrived in Britain in AD43.
Less well known – but equally fascinating – the tidal reaches of the Daugleddau have their own special magic. An abundance of birdlife is attracted by the rich mudflats exposed at low water, with many birds arriving to overwinter in the relative shelter of the estuary. Ancient oak woods cloak the valley slopes and harbour a lavish variety of flowers almost throughout the year. Largely deserted today, the woodland conceals clues to the industrial and social history of the settlements that sprang up along the river’s banks.
The waterway once teemed with barges and small boats, a trading route from the heart of the county to the open sea. But the area was busy in its own right too, for just below the surface are extensive coalfields that were exploited from as early as the 16th century. Many of the seams are of high-quality anthracite that was exported as far afield as Singapore, but although the industry persisted into the last century there is hardly any trace left today. Overgrown dells and abandoned trackways, or rotting piers backed by a handful of cottages are now almost the only visible evidence of a once thriving industry.
The Eastern Cleddau below Minwear Wood (Walk 26)
Above the tidal limit, Pembrokeshire’s rivers run fast and clear, often through narrow gorges where man’s only exploitation has been to manage the centuries-old woodland cloaking the steep slopes. With a wealth of native species such as birch, ash, holly, hazel and oak, their continuity has been preserved by coppicing, selective felling and natural regeneration. Relatively undisturbed by human activity and providing shelter and food, these are havens for all manner of wildlife. Blackbird, wren, chiffchaff, nuthatch, chaffinch, goldfinch, blue and great tits, and green and spotted woodpeckers are just some of the birds you might see. Squirrels and small rodents scurry about and foxes and badgers are fairly common, although you need to be there at dusk to catch sight of Mr Brock.
Ancient woodland is to be found elsewhere too, perhaps most notably in the north at Pentre Ifan and Ty Canol, areas noted for the ferns and lichens that grow in abundance among the hillside boulders and upon the trunks of the trees. Although rivers and streams are plentiful, there are no significant natural lakes in the county. However, since its opening in 1972, the Llys-y-frân Reservoir has established itself as a splendid substitute, attracting an ever growing diversity of wildlife as well as providing a fine recreational facility while also meeting the water supply needs of the area.
One of the great delights in wandering through Pembrokeshire is to savour its quiet, narrow lanes. The herbal splendour found along the cliff paths and in the woods is repeated here and the banks and hedges are packed with interest throughout the year. Bramble, gorse, heather, hazel, blackthorn and honeysuckle abound, and there is an almost continuous succession of flowers sprouting from the crevices and beneath the bushes. Violet, primrose, lesser celandine, bluebell, campion, wood anemone, herb robert, foxglove, tormentil, stitchwort and the ever-present parsleys; the list is almost endless.
Gorse