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Logs from the drowned forest Aber Mawr
Corn marigolds
Abercastle harbour
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We caught the 9.39am bus
from Porthgain (Strumble Shuttle) to Trefasser Cross and walked back to the
coast path where we left it the day before.
The cliffs were initially quite high, though the path remained above
the coves and relatively flat, but as we turned the corner from the headland
there were more descents and ascents over rocky terrain. The usual heath species were present,
including orpine, and fritillaries were flying (dark green certainly, perhaps
high brown as well) along with graylings.
We encountered one of our largest flies, Tachina grossa, an inhabitant of heathland, where it parasitises
certain moths. Many of the cliffs
accommodated nesting fulmars.
Descending streams made for harder walking but increased the range of
species, including royal fern, hard fern and brookweed. We reached the long sandy beach of Aber Mawr
about noon and had lunch there, beside sand martins flying to and fro from
their nest-holes at the top of the higher sandy banks. The beach had what appeared to be large
driftwood logs buried in the sand and shingle, part of the remains of a
forest drowned at the end of the Ice Age 8000 years ago. Behind the beach was a large reed-marsh
from which water poured down continuously in a wide swathe through the high
pebble bank at the top of the beach (created by a storm in 1859, but altered
again by last winter's storms) and covered the whole middle half or more of
the sands in a shallow sheet of water, only the end sands being dry. There were no shells at all! At the southern end above the beach beside
the path was a strange tunnel of brick walls that went underground for about
ten yards before it ended with spots of sunlight from above indicating that
there must be a hidden hole underneath the bracken above the track. This may have been remains from the
short-lived attempt to build a port here in 1848, employing IK Brunel. The rocks are Cambrian with rhyolitic
volcanic intrusions. At the beach and
on the next section of the path the vegetation was particularly limited in
variety, although we eventually came to a short path side section that was
packed with a dense colony of seeding spotted orchids, accompanied by the
seeds of spring squill – perhaps indicating a volcanic dolerite or gabbro
intrusion. Castell Coch, a headland
made of rhyolitic tuffs, and Pwllstrodur provided excellent sea-rock
scenery. We came to a series of arable
fields where masses of corn marigold nestled among golden barley – a joyful
sight. These fields also gave us
several other arable annuals and the whole field margins were colourful with
plants such as tufted vetch. On the
cliffs approaching Abercastle was a large colony of Russian vine, far from
habitations. The next significant bay
was the long rectangular one of Abercastle, where there was a small island
just off the coast and many boats harboured.
Despite there being many houses around there was no ice-cream outlet
that would have been welcome at this stage on a hot sunny day, so we
continued quickly after using the loos and checking the small stony beach
(yielding 3 species of shell, but mostly common limpet). The scenery was magnificent the whole way,
with many sea-stacks and rocky islets and several large bays had to be
negotiated before the large one at the bottom of the road from Trefin, which
came to the edge of the cliff-top for a short way. It was some relief when the path from here
to Porthgain was almost wholly level above the cliffs, making for quick
progress. The last arable field before
the village again had corn marigold. Porthgain
has large incongruous brick walls massed on the western side of the cove, the
remains of a large works for making road metalling from crushed slate, which
was then shipped from the harbour and sent all over Britain. There was also an old lime-kiln where
limestone quarried elsewhere in Pembrokeshire was converted into lime for
fertilising fields. It is a pleasant
little village with art-galleries, a few holiday cottages and large open
space for a recreational grass area and a car-park just above the harbour,
still used by fishing boats. Plants
here included common evening primrose.
We were happy by then (it was 5pm) to be able to get refreshing drinks
at The Sloop Inn before we went to The Shed restaurant at
5.30pm for dinner of their famous fish meals, which made a splendid end to a
long but rewarding day.
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The harbour
The workshop
Common evening-primrose
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PORTHGAIN
Information board
Remains of slate-crushing works
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The Sloop
The Shed, the Shed dog and Val
The Anchor
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