Report on the January Meeting of the Resolven History Society
This is a Report on the January Meeting of Resolven History Society
Despite the cold, new-year weather, some sixteen members attended this month’s meeting. They were not to be disappointed, since the speaker this month was Mr John Richards who was to speak on the death of Richard the Third in 1485. The Chair , Mr David Woosnam, said that this was Mr Richards’s seventh occasion in speaking to the Society and that he had spoken on an eclectic range of topic ranging from the theatre of Shakespeare to the derivation of surnames.
Mr Richards began his talk by stating that because of the notoriety of the Princes in the Tower, Richard the Third was well known despite only being monarch for a mere two years, before his defeat by the Welshman Henry the Seventh at the Battle of Bosworth. Shakespeare had labelled him as a hunchback and a rather dark character, and there is little doubt he was complicit in the death of the princes who threatened his claim to the throne. Following a detailed explanation of the rivalries between the York and the Lancastrians in the thirty year period known as the Wars of the Roses, Mr Richards turned his attention to Bosworth.
Henry landed near his Pembrokeshire birthplace near Dale, and proceeded to march through Wales. A nominally Lancastrian army led by Rhys ap Thomas, initially shadowed him, and then switched side to the Tudors. At Bosworth, in Leicestershire, Richard fought bravely but was eventually killed in the battle, and his soldiers appeared to lack vim and vigour, despite having superiority in numbers. Importantly, his body was lost. In August, 2012 at a car park in Leicester, under the regal letter “R”, a body was found and subsequently identified as that of Richard.
Mr Richards then elaborated with the use of medieval weapons and a skull what the consequent post mortem of the body would show about. The numerous wounds indicated that he had indeed fought bravely and had succumbed to the long pointed sword and dagger which would prize open the chain mail, in addition he had been stabbed in the groin and in the eye. An examination of his backbone indicated that he suffered from scoliosis, rather than him being a hunchback. He lacked any feet, which may have been due to a plough on site, and Mr Richards added wryly that he had indeed been “de-feeted”, much to the mirth of some audience members.
Mr David Woosnam thanked Mr Richards for a wonderful talk, and hoped he would return in future to address the Society. Next month’s the speaker will be Mr David Michael of Neath Antiquarians, who will speak on the fascinating topic of ”Pubs and Friendly Societies”.
Trefor Jones
Jack_Walkaholic in South Pembrokeshire
Part 2
We Continue with the next instalment (around South Pembrokeshire) from Jack_Walkaholic as he resumes his journey to complete the wonderfully scenic walk around the Coast Path of Wales.
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I look at the map of Wales and don’t realise how big Pembrokeshire is; it’s the same distance around as from Chepstow to Kidwelly. You can see the story so far on previous posts on Resolven District News, or if you want to see the whole story you can find me on Instagram @jack_walkaholic.
Starting at Pembroke Castle, I go around the moat and into a woodland, heading towards Pembroke Dock. The path weaves its way through the streets of Pembroke Dock, and ends up overlooking the estuary and Neyland Bridge. I hear on the radio that Neyland Bridge is closed due to high winds and as I look at it, I can see why it would be a problem for high-sided vehicles. This is the crossing point that I’m heading for as the path takes a blustery step across the bridge.
Neyland is one of those places that I’ve never been to. I’m impressed by the bridge viewpoint and the Brunel Park. Out of Neyland and around another oil refinery. Before I know it, I’m in Milford Haven. The name Milford Haven conjures up a picture of the oil refinery and docks in my head. I’m surprised to see a Georgian promenade and a bustling town centre. It doesn’t have a sandy beach, and I think that’s what holds it back from being a big tourist town.
Goodbye Milford Haven, hello another oil refinery. This is the most industrialised part of the path. It takes you through caged bridges and under pipelines. All of a sudden the path turns and you’re facing away from the waterway. It’s a different world. I didn’t realise how tense it had felt walking around this metal monument, with no people, just machines and ships constantly buzzing and moving things. You turn and it drifts away, all that tension is gone.
Just when you think it couldn’t get any better, a nice sandy beach. This one is called Sandy Haven and is a well-kept secret. The road to this beach is overgrown and has a small car park, so the locals want to keep its location secret. This is my endpoint for the day, so I sit and watch the tide for a while.
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There’s a set of stepping stones at Sandy Haven. They’re only available for three hours either side of low tide. If you don’t time it right, there’s an extra four-mile walk around the estuary. Luckily, I timed it right (only just).
This was a beautiful day. The sun was beating down and a lot of the next few miles were on clifftops and open fields. The next village has a river crossing. This is a wooden gangway. The gangway is broken, but as the tide was low, and encouraged by a local fisherman, I decided to jump from one side to the other. I got wet! Here I found my first ever piece of sea glass in Dale.
Apparently, there’s a lot of it here. Along the road and into Dale. Dale is a water sports hotspot. Any type of water sport you can think of goes on here. The place is busy with people preparing to take to the water.
I quickly leave, back to the fields, cliffs and cows. I’m plodding towards Saint Ann’s Head. The geology is what makes Pembrokeshire Coast a National Park. There are so many textbook faults, folds, and fractures along the way. Not too far from the lighthouse at Saint Ann’s is a lovely formation.
Onward. Did you know Dale has a second beach? This one is called West Dale Bay and has big waves coming straight off the Atlantic onto its golden sand and red rock. A little further along, past the remains of an airfield, I see the view that I’ve seen on many Wales calendars: Marloes Sands. This is a postcard beach, with a beautiful long, light golden sand, huge waves, some unique geological features, and a blue sky.
With a tear in my eye, I have to leave. Around the Raggle Rocks, I pass by Gateholm Island and Rainy Rocks. My destination for this day is Martin’s Haven, most famous for being the place to get a boat to Skomer Island to see the puffins. The two days I was in the area, the sun was out and it was a hot day, but the boats weren’t running.
Another day dawns and I just have one bay to walk around: Saint Brides Bay. Starting at Martin’s Haven, I head north up the coast. The geology in this part is diverse. For a while, I’ve noticed the rock colour. It’s a red colour that I associate with Pembrokeshire, but at Musselwick Sands, it changes to a black rock. I continue to St Brides Haven, a small haven with a big house that is now a luxury hotel. It looks fantastic. Before I know it, I’m in Little Haven. From Little Haven to Broad Haven, I stay on the beach and admire the caves in the rock face.
From Broad Haven, Druidston Haven is a short skip away. This is an impressive beach with steep cliffs all around and just one access point. Caves in the rocks make me think that pirates were active in this area, with plenty of places to hide their loot.
Norton Haven is the next stop. There are a lot of havens around here. It’s a sweet, quiet place sandwiched between the two larger and better known tourist spots of Broad Haven and Newgale.
Newgale is a camper’s dream. In the summer, the campsite is crammed with tents, caravans, and mobile homes. The campsite is on one side of the road and the beach on the other. It’s a good long beach, with big waves, popular with surfers and anyone who loves the water or sand.
As it has a good car park, I finish my day at Newgale and return a week later to continue. On both days, the tide was in, the sun was out, and the beach looked amazing. There are a few small coves and rocks along the way, but the next main place is Solva. This beautiful harbour is sheltered from the sea by a headland that curves in, so it doesn’t receive the full force of the open sea. It’s a popular tourist hotspot. Many people come to see the harbour and there’s a cafe on the quay that I have to fight my way through the crowds to pass.
Pushing on, I come to Saint Non’s chapel. This chapel was built on the place where Saint David was born. On that day, there was a great storm everywhere, except here where the sun beamed through the clouds. The pain of giving birth was so bad that Non squeezed a stone tightly and left the marks of her fingers in the stone. This stone is now concealed in the base of the altar.
Moving on, Porthclais is next. A sleepy harbour not too far from St David’s. In recent years, places like this have found new life as more people take up kayaking and other water activities.
The path goes on, so do I. It’s been just over 350 miles so far, with 520 miles to go. The path weaves its way around the coast, eventually facing Ramsey Island. Ramsey is the fourth largest Welsh island and this is the point on mainland Wales that is the furthest west.
I continue north and east, past St Justinian’s and its lifeboat station, around a headland, and I’m faced with Whitesands Bay. A glorious strip of golden sand and blue water, the gentle hush of the waves as they slip up the beach.
It’s time for an ice cream and a few days off, but I’ll be back to finish Pembrokeshire.
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Help with Cost of Living
Spotted a Robin for Christmas
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Ruth Davies, (Mike’s daughter) ,spotted this robin and sent us this super photo
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Jack_Walkaholic in South Pembrokeshire
Part 1
While Carmarthenshire boasts the flattest part of the Wales Coast Path, Pembrokeshire is happy to be the hilliest and the most beautiful. When I look at the map of Wales, I don’t realise how big Pembrokeshire is; it’s the same distance around as from Chepstow to Kidwelly. You can see the story so far on previous posts on Resolven District News, or if you want to see the whole story you can find me on Instagram @jack_walkaholic.
I start at Amroth and walk the 300 km round to St Dogmaels, Cardigan. There are 35,000 feet of elevation to climb during this section, which is about 10 times the height of Snowdon, so I’d better get started.
Entering Amroth, it’s a late sunny Sunday afternoon. There are people everywhere. I walk down the main road, dodging the tourists, and back to the safety of the coast, the other end of the village. Up some pretty steep steps and onto a tarmac path. If the whole of Pembrokeshire is like this, I’ll be done in no time. Down into Wisemans Bridge where I finish for the day.
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Illness meant I lost a few weeks of walking, but I returned to the path a few weeks later. From Wisemans Bridge, there is a tunnel system that goes through to Saundersfoot. Saundersfoot in the early morning is a calm and peaceful place to be. Up the road past the St Brides Hotel, down a lane and into the woods.
It had been raining for weeks and the path through the woods was nothing more than a mud bath. Climbing a slope of mud isn’t the easiest thing to do, taking a step and sliding back a little, every step you take adds more mud to your boot and weight. Along the path, this would be a lovely section if it was dry.
Through a field, over the brow of a hill and as if by magic through the mist is the iconic view of Tenby Harbour. There are a few miles to go before I get there, but the sight of this familiar landscape makes the miles melt away.
The Coast Path skips around the edge of the town, it misses the Castle, the Tudor Merchants House, the ice cream parlour and it only overlooks the North Beach.
At the end of the Promenade, the path takes the route onto the South Beach and I have a mile walk to Giltar Point, another great view of Tenby and Caldey Island.
The rain and hail start battering me, I’d hoped to be further along before it started, there was lightning forecast and I didn’t want to be on a cliff when that started.
Along to Lydstep, a Haven Resort with a gentle sheltered bay. Up onto Lydstep Point, still no lightning, a walk to one of my favourite places, Church Doors Cove. There’s a steep set of steps down and back up to the path and it’s not part of the route, but since I’m here it would be rude not to go down. The next beach is Shrinkle Haven, a beach with limited access, as the path down to it has been eroded. Around the military base and there’s a small but perfectly formed beach called Presipe. This is a beach the locals use as it’s not as well known as the others in the area. Around the coast I go past a burial chamber called Kings Quoit and onto Manobier beach, a great bucket and spade beach.
Moving along, the next beach is Swanlake Bay, there’s no easy access to this beach other than the Coast Path, so I have the place to myself and try to dry off from the earlier rain. While looking at the map beforehand, the name intrigued me, this was one of the beaches I was most looking forward to.
Slightly dryer, I make my way to Freshwater East, the day’s final destination, a tiny village with a beautiful big beach. It’s slightly off the beaten track, and good parking facilities make this a great location for a day trip.
The next day is from Freshwater East to Freshwater West. Leaving Freshwater East, there’s a set of steps that take you up to a nice viewpoint.
The path gently rises and falls from here and stays very close to the cliff edge at times. Pembrokeshire Coast isn’t a National Park because of its beauty, it’s a national park because of the geological formations that run through it. The main colour in the rock faces at the moment is red, but you can see some banding that has been layered through the ages.
Stackpole Quay is the next place of interest. There is a geological fault here that can be seen by the quay side. Up some steps and over a field, I come to Barafundale Bay, this is one of the most beautiful beaches in Wales and has been used in films. I have the beach to myself, the tide crashes, its clear green-blue water, no other footprints. Just me, the sand, the sea and grey morning sky, highlights of gold where the sun lights the edge of the clouds. I leave, dragging myself along the path, up to a headland, the wind blowing my cobwebs away, some seagulls squawk as I look down at them flying below me.
Broad Haven appears, and time for a detour. Bosherston Lakes are here and it’s rude not to have a quick look round whilst I’m here. There are wild birds that will feed from your hand and an otter family, but usually that’s an early morning trip as I see neither this time.
This is where it starts getting tricky, the Coast Path crosses into Castlemartin MOD firing range. Sections are closed off and you have to plan which way you go depending on what’s open on the day you go. Add to it a very poor public transport area, this becomes a source of misery for weeks to a coast path walker. The good news is, I could walk the first section to St Goven’s Chapel, a tiny chapel built into the cliff. The legend here is that if you count the steps down, you’ll never count the same number going back up…. and I didn’t. From here the MOD has closed the range so I have to take an inland route. It goes along the road for a while and into Bosherston, across some fields and alongside the MOD site. Gunfire and all sorts of noise, loud booms and engines growl, the sheep and cows seem unfazed by it all. The worst part of doing this route is, I know what I’m missing on the other Coast Path, Huntsmans Leap, Stack Rocks and the Green Bridge of Wales are all in the 3 mile stretch. Considered to be one of the highlights of the walk, and there’s an army between me and it….. The army wins.
There’s a viewpoint before Castlemartin, you can watch what’s going on, take some binoculars and ear plugs as you’ll need them. On to Castlemartin and my goal for the day, Freshwater West. I remember this beach having quicksand signs on it when I was young, now it’s a beautiful big wave beach that’s popular with surfers.
Another day, a thin layer of mist hugs the coast, Freshwater West is a lot longer than I thought, I enjoy watching the dog walkers throw balls for their dogs to chase.
The only sound is the sea, the salty spray refreshing my face as I walk along. Up again, onto a cliff, this is the most remote part I’ve been so far, it’s also one of the nicest parts, I skip along and end up in West Angle Bay before I know it. This is the start of the Milford Haven Waterway, a large natural harbour, formed by a drowned valley from the last ice age.
Around to Angle Bay, there’s a lifeboat station, a pub and a tarmac path that goes all the way to the oil refinery. After being out in the sticks for so long, it seems strange to be in such an industrial environment, jetties dominate the Waterway and big chimneys protrude into the sky. However, there’s a lot of green space around, with thick lichen on the trees.
Next to the oil refinery is a power plant, surrounded by green areas. A short walk on a country lane leads to a farmer’s field. How do you feel about cows? My first day on this walk, I almost gave up because of a muddy field and about 20 cows. This time, there are about 50 of them, dairy cows with full udders, bumping against each other, climbing over each other, and blocking the gate. I try to shout and moooove (sorry for the pun) them away, but they don’t budge. My only choice is to return to the road and take a detour. I walk back through the field and I don’t realise there are more cows and a bull in this field. They see me and come running towards me. I look for somewhere to run to, but the mud is too deep and there is nowhere but the gate I came through earlier. I don’t like the look of the bull, but luckily a cow stays between him and me. He pushes her towards me, but she pushes back. Soon I’m at the gate and safe. I backtrack and walk on the road into Pembroke, relieved to be in one piece. That’s where I end my day.
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End of Part 1 – ‘Jack_Walkaholic in South Pembrokeshire‘
To be continued in Part 2 of ‘Jack_Walkaholic in South Pembrokeshire’ soon
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Captured at Sunset by Ruth Davies
IMAGES BY RUTH DAVIES (Mike’s daughter)