Seedhead studies

As you will know, if you are a regular visitor to my blog, I love seedheads and the scruffy, rambling nature of autumnal vegetation. This particular section of the Pembrokeshire coastal footpath, between Abereiddi and Porthgain was excellent!

Wild Carrot and close ups below....

Grey Seals at Abereiddi

It was good to see that the viewing platform for the Blue Lagoon was cordoned off because of the seal pups, but there weren't any present anyway. However, there were some in a secluded bay just along the coast....I just wonder though, how many RIBs come into the Blue Lagoon - maybe a line of buoys across the entrance should demarcate a no go zone? Lovely to see them...

Abereiddi to Porthgain

 A very pleasant walk along the coast and then a damp walk back through the fields...Good to hear plenty of Choughs and see large flocks of House Sparrows. Grey Seals were on the beach at Porth Egr, with pups. The seed heads on the sea-side of the coastal footpath were stunning ...obviously that will be another blog! 

The Blue Lagoon - a flooded old slate quarry.

Carn Llidi. 

Looking north...

Lovely seedheads.

Chough and below: zooming in..... 

This Chough spent a lot of time on this one area of crag - presumably feeding on spiders? 

Seals below...and below...

Porthgain as it began to rain.

Back to Abereiddi...

...and a quick Graptolite hunt....

St Non's Chapel

 Just round the corner from Caerfai lies St Non's Chapel. St Non it is thought, to have been a nun and daughter of  local prince, Cynir. She gave birth to St David after being raped by Sant, a prince of Ceredigion. Just off the coastal footpath,there is a ruined chapel where St Non is believed to have given birth to St David, as well as a newer chapel that is also dedicated to St Non.  Beisde the ruined chapel, there is a holy well which is said to have sprung up at the time of David's birth. (https://www.stdavidscathedral.org.uk/discover/history/St-Non).

The ruined chapel - 6th Century.

The newer chapel - 1934.

Rocky partaking in the holy water is believed to heal ailments.

The front of the alter - clearly made up of bits from other ecclesiastical buildings. 

The stained-glass windows. 

Rocks

Given the weather forecast for the week, I thought it might be a good idea to photograph some rocks to sketch at a later date! 

  

Caerfai Bay

After a relatively good, if not long, journey down to Caerfai - just outside St. Davids in Pembrokeshire (8 hours including a stop for breakfast at the Red Kite Cafe outside Aberystwyth), a brief walk along the coast. A familiar coastline after many childhood holidays - lovely to be back - warm and sunny too. 

Nice spiders - not easy to photograph in a breeze!