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Pembrokeshire Coast Path: Amroth to Cardigan
by: Jim Manthorpe
UPDATES
Updated information
Thank you to readers who sent in updated information including Mrs Susan Milner, Brian Andrews, Max Page, Holger Laufer, Phil Badcock, Paul Drinkwater.
The information has not yet been checked by Trailblazer but it will be for the next edition.
June 2011
page 182, Trefin, The Ship Inn. Mrs Milner and her son ate here and report the food was superb, the portion sizes were just right, and the whole meal was a pleasant experience in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
New coastal footpath
A 4½ mile coastal footpath has been opened (July 2010) from Pendine to Amroth. Being in Carmarthenshire it is not part of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path but it links to it. It is now possible to walk along the Welsh coast from Ynyslas (Ceredigion) to Pendine (Carmarthenshire) by way of Ceredigion Coast Path, Pembrokeshire Coast Path and the new 4½ mile coast path from Amroth to Pendine. A coastal path around the whole of Wales is hoped to be in place by 2013.
June 2011
Map 50 (p.161): the Post Office in Solva is not as shown; it is on the north side of the main through road on the junction of the side road to the northwest of the position indicated.
Little Haven (p152): Services “For…a post office you will need to carry on to Broad Haven…”. Where to stay “Down in the centre of the village, near the post office…”. These two statements are plainly contradictory; I believe the first one is correct.
2. Suggested Places to Stay
a) Abercastle: I stayed at Garn Isaf (Anne Hirst 01348 831898 www.garnisaf.com), which offers b&b (and an evening meal in the summer months), self catering and camping. I was there on a b&b basis, where, for £40.00 I had a large room with en suite facilities, an excellent breakfast, a lift to and from the pub at Mathry for my evening meal and a sandwich to take on my way the next day – excellent value! It also is offers a tremendous advantage to the medium pace walker over the suggested stopping point of Trefin, in that it evens out the two days from Whitesands Bay to Fishguard to distances of 14.5 and 17 miles, as opposed to your suggested 11.5 and 20 miles. Personally speaking, I found the stretch between Goodwick and Abercastle extremely taxing and I would not have welcomed a further three miles.
b) Dale: I stayed at Broadside (Cath Gandee 01646 636492 www.broadsidedale.co.uk) where I had a large room with en suite facilities and a good breakfast for £35.00.
Comments on the walk
a) Difficulty: “This is not a technically difficult walk and most reasonably fit people should be able to tackle it without any problems.” (p.9). I really think this understates what the northern section, in particular, is like. I regularly walk 15 – 20 miles in the South Downs, not big hills admittedly but quite steep on the northern escarpment in Sussex, so I am not unused to ascents and descents but this was much more arduous. Some of the rises in Pembrokeshire seemed more akin to rock-climbing than walking to me, whilst I often found problems with where to put my feet on some of the steep drops (and I am a six foot man). I had a 15kg pack on my back and, even in the fine weather that I was lucky enough to experience, found the ups and downs near the cliff edge quite scary; had it been wet and windy I am not sure I would have cared to carry on.
b) Direction: Whilst I take the point that walking south to north allows one to build up for the more arduous terrain in the north, I was pleased to be going in the other direction and having the psychological cushion that tomorrow was likely to be a little easier than today; I really would not have liked it the other way round.
22 August 2011
p. 104: "The Old Smithy" doesn't do camping anymore. This is crucial to know, as - according to guide - there are NO alternatives for camping around whatsoever! Owner told me to go wild camping at Freshwater West Beach, which seemed feasible to me, however as I had run out of supplies I had to go to Angle by Coastal Cruiser Bus. It's worth noticing that there's a water tap on the right just behind the small gate of St. Mary's Church in Warren.
p. 99, map, p. 101: There is a big camping field in Bosherston, which is not in your guide. Coming up from the coast (firing range closed) you pass the small shop and then Bosherston Church on your right. Then, no more than some 100 m behind "Cornerstones B&B" on your left, there are two adjoining fields and a sign "camping". There were a handful of tents and portable toilets on the far end of the field, but no reception. Seemed free of charge or "honesty box-based".
p. 211 map, p. 212: There's a campsite (tents & campervans only) in a field opposite the RNLI-lifeboat station in Poppit Sands next to "seasonal café" and car park which should be added to the guide, as it's a most convenient place to stay the last night if departing by bus to Cardigan. "Facilities" are, I suppose, the public toilets right next to the lifeboat station.
p. 84, Box, Boat trips cost £11/6 GBP.
p. 110: Castle Farm Campsite charges £4.00 GBP per person
p. 148: Foxdale camping charges £6.00 GBP per person.
p. 194: Fishguard Bay Caravan & Camping Park: Price is £10.50 GBP for one person in a tent. Campers have access to a nice common room with TV and hot beverages from a machine. This was the only opportunity in two weeks for me to watch the television weather forecast.
24 August 2011
page 153, Broad Haven, There is a temporary campsite at Trefalyn Farm, nr Bosherton.
page 104, Merrion. There is NO camping anymore – however, you can camp at Castlemartin - it's a CCC (Camping & Caravanning Club) site on the right as you leave the village – cold water only (public toilet in village) - £4 pp.
page 127, Neyland and Hakin. There are public toilets on the route at both – the frequency of public toilets along the route (excepting the stretch from Newport Sands to Poppit Sands) meant that I was able to limit the amount of water carried to 1.5 ltrs – a great weight saving.
page 142, Dale. There is a CCC camping site.
page 147, Martin’s Haven. West Hook Farm, there are two access points for the farm from the trail itself – both on the northern side.
page 165, Caerfai Bay. The pub has now closed completely, though it's a short walk in to St David’s where the Farmers Arms provided a huge meal – I requested some vegetables (extra to the listed meal) and offered to pay more – they very kindly provided a pie dish heaped with peas, at no extra cost.
page 191, Goodwick. No 10 Cafe has now closed; however, there is a good cafe next to Tesco’s on the promenade.
page 200, Parrog. Morawelon Coffee Shop also offers camping and the site is now well established with excellent showers (50p); £6 pp.
12 September 2011
page 104, Merrion,The Old Smithy does not take campers in their garden any more. I went a little further to Castlemartin where a farm called Croft Farm Barn accepts campers for a fiver. One toilet and shower room. On map 15 it is just past the church road (2nd church that is noted) and post office, past the last buildings on the right on the main road as you leave Castlemartin towards the beach.
