One More Grain Of Sand

Well. Progress made I have to say. Since the last post, suddenly the season has changed from Winter to Spring. The lambs are jumping and the bees are buzzing.

I’ve been making the most of the good weather and single-mindedly researching what must be one of the most beautiful and varied coastlines in the world. Until a couple of weeks ago I had never been to North Wales before – and wow – what an incredible place. The Snowdonia mountains literally drop into the Irish Sea where they meet. Incredible.

Tomorrow I will be moving to a holiday-let on Anglesey and will be starting my research of that northwest corner of Wales and then hopefully before Easter, I will finish off the research side of my trip on the North coast. And then I can look forward to a less hectic re-visit of all the beaches I have decided to feature to get better photography – hopefully the spring flowers will be out and the the trees looking more green for that.

So apologies for no postings on the blog recently – or any tweeting – I’ve been so busy researching all day and then sorting through photos, notes and emails at night, I simply have had no time. Something’s got to give I guess.

I’ll probably post a couple of back dated entries because there are some stunning beaches I want you all to get a sneak preview of.

I also want to say thanks to a lot of people – I have found the Welsh so friendly and helpful – and open to the idea of the book. Everyone I have spoken to is extremely excited about the opening of the Wales Coast Path – it will be an incredible resource for the whole of Wales – and an incredible achievement by the coast path teams around the country.

Until I find time to get those posts up, you’ll have to make do with a sneak preview of the book itself. It’s very much a work in progress so please forgive any glaring mistakes or design flaws – they will, of course, be corrected for the final draft!

Thanks to Becky for all her hard work so far backing up, reviewing and editing my haphazard research and thanks also to Max and Artemis for the excellent maps in the preview.

Oh. One last thing. I’ve started a photo competition for anyone who wants to win generous prizes  and see their photography in print in the Secret Beaches: Wales book. Have a look here… http://www.secretbeaches.co.uk/wales-secret-beach-photo-comp.html

I will publish a full post about the competition once all the directions and instructions of how to find the beaches are loaded up onto the website – only have about two thirds of them up as yet. People will then be able to find the beaches near where they live and visit to take photos. It should be a pretty exciting project and raise awareness, both for the coast path and the book.

Here’s that preview. Enjoy!

Probably my best find so far is Presipe – known locally as Precept Beach. The large craggy bay is plastered with tonnes of sand at any time except high tide and has nooks, crannies, caves and stacks galore. Reportedly a nudist beach, this is testament to its seclusion and beauty. You’ll find Presipe beach here.

The other is the wonderfully named Skrinkle Haven with an access route that will be great for the book. Clamber through the small slit in the cliff from Church Doors near Lydstep Haven between mid and low tide and you’ll be rewarded with a deep sandy bay, most probably all to yourself. If you visit, be careful not to get cut off. Keep your eye on the tide. Skrinkle Haven is here.

Just had to mention the Stackpole Inn first. What a lunch! Sunday roast at its best, served in a friendly country pub. Hi to Rebecca and Gary the owners – thanks loads. I met Mike and Sue, on the walk and then ran into them again at the pub afterwards. Many thanks for the hot tips on those beaches near Cardiff – will be sure to check them out. They look great.

And what a walk it was. Over the headland from Stackpole Quay to Barafundle Bay ( here ). Then on along the craggy cliffs that front the Stackpole Nature Reserve – lovingly taken care of by NT Wales. (Loads more info here… http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/stackpole/ )

Access to Sandy Pit ( here ) will be a memorable experience for me. The rope, normally secured to the rocks by an iron rod (which helps you down the final five metres or so) was missing. Best to just say it was easier coming back up than going down. Here’s a photo to prove my effort was worth it.

Thought I’d finish off this post with a first draft review of The Stackpole Inn.

The beautiful foliage clad Hansel & Gretel style exterior of the Stackpole Inn serves as a wonderful foil for what lies within.  Whilst losing none of its charming higgledy-piggledy country feel, the interior has been thoughtfully restored to encompass a relaxed, yet modern bar and restaurant – testament to the owners’ taste and vision.  Taking over only five years ago, Rebecca and Gary have turned what was already a popular country pub into a gastronomic haven within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Once you’ve sipped some wine and tucked into some food, it’s easy to see why they were voted ‘Best Gastropub in Wales’ in 2011.  To quench a thirst, they stock three local ales and a delicious Welsh wine.  To stay an appetite, expect the finest that Wales has to offer, from home cured fish and local sausages to cawl (a traditional Welsh lamb broth). There are tempting specials such as sea bream with Sicilian salad and on Sundays, the chef shows off his flair with one of the best Sunday lunches you’re ever likely to sample – unless you’re a relative of Jamie Oliver that is. Don’t miss the roasted Welsh sirloin with Yorkshire puddings and crisp roast potatoes and why not finish things off with a refreshing rhubarb jelly.  If you should need any more encouragement to visit, surely the ‘Walker’s Lunch’ with its selection of Welsh cheeses and Gwaun Valley ham has to be hard to resist.

http://www.stackpoleinn.co.uk/home.html

Since arriving and my first research post about the walk from Porthgain to Abereiddi, I’ve made good progress all the way down to Linney Head, just south of Freshwater West. I have explored some fantastic beaches along the way, but the best moment so far has to be back up near St. David’s. It’s actually the walk I remember the most. It starts off at Porth Mawr (Whitesands Bay) and runs along the coastal path to St. David’s Head, passing the lesser known strip of sand, Porthmelgan ( here ), and on up to the dizzy heights of Carn Llidi Bychan. Click on the image below to see the view from here slightly larger. St David’s, Ramsey Island and much more visible.

But that’s just one highlight. There have been many, including lunch at Cwtch in St. David’s ( http://cwtchrestaurant.co.uk/ ), a delicious evening meal in The Cambrian Inn just next to the bridge in Solva, and of course, more walks and beaches.

Thanks to Sian and Simon for a delicious meal yesterday evening. I missed lunch so was ravenous and able to polish off all three healthy, hearty and generous courses! I wanted to upload a review… just a first draft mind.

It’s a cosy refuge in winter with stoves and open fires. It’s a sunny waterside location just a pebble’s throw from the beach in summer. The Griffin Inn’s location offers something for all seasons and so does its menu. The owners, Sian and Simon, are incredibly welcoming hosts who pride themselves on their home-grown and locally sourced ingredients which they fuse together to form a stimulating pub menu.  Their commitment to making the most of Pembrokeshire’s finest resources even stretches to the cask ales, with plenty of velvety local brews to wash down their hearty homemade meals. The wine list aims to please plenty of palates and a glass of the crisp house Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect compliment for a supremely light goat’s cheese tart.  The pub’s own patés, baguette sandwiches and baked potatoes will suit anyone wanting a quick lunch on the run whilst those with a more leisurely lunch or evening meal in mind will find plenty of the pub classics are covered here; homemade burgers and beer battered fish, 10oz rib eye steaks.  Choices from the daily specials board include fresh sea bass and scallop linguine or winter warmers such as prawn and mango curry.

http://www.griffininndale.co.uk/