St Ann's Head

A good forecast, so off to explore a new area of coast. We parked in Dale, at the entrance to Milford Haven and went in a clockwise direction around the headland. A varied walk, starting off through deep lanes with lush vegetation, then coves, clifftop and beaches. The highlight was the geology though! ..See the photos below...we also had a couple of late summer butterflies, plenty of acrobatic Choughs, a white wagtail and a Devil's Coach Horse Beetle. There was also a lovely rusty piece of ship - but that will be another blog. 

Dale.

Looking back at Dale Fort. 

The lanes full of Hart's Tongue Fern.

Milford Haven oil refinery.

West Blockhouse Point.

One of the small bays.

Lovely to find Greater Knapweed - not something we get much of at home. 

En route to Pembroke Dock.

St Ann's lighthouse. 

Cobbler's Hole - wow! What superb folding! 

A very obvious syncline further along the coast.

Common Blue and Small Copper butterflies. 

The distant white of the Grassholme gannetry. 

Strumble Head round walk

Not a brilliant forecast, but any dry and warm day is good as autumn arrives... well it was warm and it was almost dry! 

Strumble Head lighthouse flashing away as the visibility wasn't great. 

Looking down the coast. 

Pillow lavas ...The photo shows a random heap of lava pillows. These were fromed by the extrusion of magma under a shallow sea and are associated with the closing of the Iapetus Ocean during the Ordovician, when northwestern and southeastern parts of the UK fused together. (www.geograph.org.uk) 

Pillow lavas - just next to the footpath.

Looking towards Carn Ogaf - we walked to the end of the ridge before having lunch and returning over Garn Fawr.

A secluded bay, with Grey Seals. Apparently it has been a good pupping year so far. 

..and zooming in from the cliff top. 

These steps at Porth Maenmelyn are not to be recommended and I can't really find anything out about them. They are well hidden ....but why build them? 

Looking down past Carn Ogof.

There would have been more photographs of luxurious lichen growth (left) if it hadn't been raining ...and columnar jointing (right) 

As we returned  to the carpark, the waves had got better as the wind had picked up ....

Caerfai Anemones

In the afternoon, with rain still forecast and a certain mugginess to the air, we popped down onto the beach - lots of lovely Beadlet Anemones.

A spectacular Strawberry Anemone.

Snakelocks Anemone.

Zoomed in - and these are two Gem Anemones. 

Grey Topshells.

Topshell tracks.

And a very happy Rocky.

St David's Cathedral and Bishop's Palace

The cathedral and palace are spectacular ....

The Cathedral and Bishop's Place.

The Bishop's Palace...and below....

..and the Cathedral....

The wires keeping pigeons off clearly work then! 

Looking down on the Cathedral. 

 

Caerfai to Porthlysgi Bay and back via St David's

 With a yellow warning for rainfall we decided to make the most of a potentially dryish morning, by walking from the static caravan along the coast. It did infact stay dry until 5pm when it banged it down - with the St David's peninsular staying dry longer than much of Wales. More spectacular coast! 

Looking across to 'Red Wall' a classic 'Severe' rock climb ...many moons ago!

A characteristic Pembrokeshire cottage at Porth Clais.

Porth Clais harbour.

The entrance to Porth Clais.

First views of Ramsey Island.

Spectacular lichens...

..and plenty of blackberries.