Log No 227. Mon 27th Jan 2014 - Freshwater West to Lydstep, 22 miles (3465 miles walked)

Leaving the camper in the campsite I set off at 07.40, it was still a bit dark but I thought I might want to extend my planned 20 miles to make tomorrow easier so the earlier I could start the better.

I took an older pair of walking poles today since the metal end had gone on one that I had been using.

After 6 months of carrying the lightweight poles they had just felt like an extension of my arms but as soon as I picked up the old pair it was as though I was holding lead weights.

It took me just over an hour of road walking to get to the road leading to the car park on the cliff by the rock stacks. This road is also subject to closure when the MOD ranges are in use but access was allowed today.




All the rock in this area is limestone and it was easy flat walking on the cliff top.

It took me an hour to get to the next car park near St Govan's Head, a signpost pointed to a chapel but I couldn't see one until I realised it was down below the cliff.

I could see no information about it, the weather was cold, grey and damp with a strong wind so I sheltered in the chapel and had a sandwich.

Just on from the chapel I dropped down to the empty sandy bay of Broad Haven, this made a good change from walking along the edge of the firing ranges which for some reason made me feel a bit uncomfortable.

After crossing the river in the bay it was back up onto the flat topped cliffs to Stackpole Head.

All round this headland there were anchor points set in the ground near the edge, it is obviously a very popular spot for climbers.

I dropped down to another clean sandy beach, Barafundle Bay and then down again to Stackpole Quay.

From here the rocks changed back to the more familiar red sandstone with their roller-coaster footpath.

The next big bay was Freshwater East and 4 surfers were on the water. It was 13.00 and the weather had improved greatly with the sun coming out and the waves easing off, the surfers having to wait a long while for a wave.

All the gates and stiles in this area had new ID plates on them, alongside the copper number plate.

These new ID plates also gave each gate a name and had the OS grid reference on it.

The numbers were into the 500's now, that's a lot of gates to have gone through.

I had intended finishing today at Manorbier and then in the morning driving to Tenby to catch the 07.50 bus back there.

My early start and the easy walking had got me here for 14.00 so, as I'd hoped, I could keep going for another hour onto the next village of Lydstep.

Having now reduced tomorrow's walk by an hour I could have a more relaxed start in the morning and get the 08.50 bus instead.

The 22 miles, plus 1 to get back to the camper, left me feeling quite tired, my arms certainly noticed the difference with the walking poles and the constant buffeting of the wind taking it's toll on me too.