Aberaeron to New Quay 2 July 2014

Balancing stone, Cwm Clifforch Stenotus binotatus on shasta daisy Dolau Inn, New Quay

In Aberaeron we started on the south side of the harbour, passing many garden escapes, and walked through grassland which had a marsh-filled depression with southern marsh orchid among field horsetail and brooklime.  We continued to the shore, which is piled so high with large pebbles that it was not worth trying to get down to the minute patches of sand showing occasionally lower down, nor could we think of walking it, so we took the road and then track above the beach which is followed by the coast path.  We were soon climbing up moderately high cliffs with the type of acid vegetation we have seen for two days, although less diverse.  We did see some good patches of narrow-leaved everlasting-pea again, however, and more trailing and slender St. John’s-worts, and even one tiny patch of lousewort.  We passed through some narrow sections of woodland which sheltered abundant ferns, including hard-shield, soft-shield, scaly male and hart’s tongue.  Occasional hard fern grew on the open bracken-heath by the path.  Streams coming down the hillsides provided more interest – at Cwm Cilfforch, above a waterfall descending the cliff to the sea, was a pleasant level patch which included a marshy area with giant horsetail, common spotted orchid and variety alba of the latter.  Someone had set up an upright reddish rock on top of one of the usual white-lichened grey boulders, which from a distance looked just like a hawk, whose immobility as we approached cautiously gave its real character away.  We have encountered such constructions of standing rocks frequently this year around here, often precariously balanced on a narrow corner, and they seem to be a current natural-art fashion.  Birds and butterflies were fewer than previous days, the latter mostly browns and ringlets, but also many small tortoiseshell, a good few red admiral, but still no peacocks.  The main birds on the bracken-and-gorse slopes seemed to be linnet, stonechat and meadow pipit, but we heard chiffchaff in the more wooded parts.  The cliffs rose higher above Little Quay Bay and the coast path employs a few narrow lanes, which were pleasant to walk this year because subsidence had caused part of the road to collapse in a river, so that it was closed to traffic!  Eventually we came right down to the pebble shore again at the point preceding New Quay Bay and there was no option but to walk the beach, although the tide had receded just enough to leave some flatter pebble-dashed sand.  Shells were almost absent, with mere fragments of whelk and mussel.  We passed below a holiday park before we had to take a flight of metal steps to the top of the cliff once more, with another pleasant wood track eventually reaching the B4342 into New Quay, followed by more narrow pleasant lanes down to the front.  We found a tiny fragment of beach crowded with holidaymakers and a harbour packed with boats.  The front streets were also quite crowded, but we came across a quieter café for a drink and snack near the information centre. The centre provided helpful information about buses for the return journey.  Sitting outside on the sea-wall eating home-made Welsh ice-creams we were lucky enough to see a small pod of dolphins pass by.  New Quay was once the home of Dylan Thomas and there are several local buildings associated with him that have been memorialised, including his favourite pub the Black Lion and his wife Caitlin's favourite the Dolau, although their wooden house seems to have been taken down.  This day’s walk is a popular one and we passed many other walkers, both serious and local dog-walkers. Cwm Clifforch New Quay beach & harbour