We took advantage of the marginally cooler weather & I for one slept much better. We also had a lie-in & an inevitable subsequently slow start.
I ovened-up some Cumberland sausages, and made a butty for breakfast, while we tried to decide what to do & where to go. One thing that’s proving tricky is finding somewhere to eat. It’s not that there aren’t any, it’s that they’re all booked up for this evening!
Jane took Toby for an ablutory (made-up word) walk, whilst I had a quick shower. As Jane arrived back, she was on the phone to Betty, for Jane an almost lifelong friend, who’s family & hospitality are the reason we know this area so well.
For those not aware, Jane’s mum & dad, along with their neighbours Kath & Colin (who’s son is also my best mate) began holidaying each year at Betty & her husband David’s farmhouse B&B, in the very early 1970s. They all swiftly became more than guests & that friendship continues to this day, despite both Ian & Jane’s parents no longer being with us.
We’ve arranged to go & meet up with them at the farm tomorrow afternoon, and go out for some tea somewhere. It’s been way too long since we last saw them, so we’re really looking forward to catching up.
Back to today, though…
By 2pm, we’d moved no further that the patio (it’s not raining yet), and still undecided where to head. On that basis, we decided we’d do one of the walks that Jane fancied over at Marloes. Romeo was told of our plans, which included not coming home for tea, so his choice was:
- A) come with us and get a bought tea
- B) stay at home and cook his own tea
He came with us. And boy, I bet he regretted that, later on in the day!
We packed a bit of “day-van stuff”, (lightweight waterproofs, cameras, chargers, Tobys raw meat tea in the fridge, that sort of stuff), and set off the 15 minutes down the wiggly-windies to the National Trust car park at Marloes, briefly confused ourselves as to whether we were at the right car park (we were), paid the ticket & then set off.
It was a 5 mile cliff top walk around the wonderfully Silurian/Ordovician geologic coastline of this particular section of coast. Even Skokholm & the larger Skomer nearby islands throw in some red sandstone that gives a section of the walk a purple rock tinge.
We set off in a clockwise direction, from the carpark, crossing some fields before the overlook to Marloes Beach. An awkwardly accessed beach means it’s not for the lazy, making it a great place, if you can make it down (and back up!).
Hang a right and follow the cliff tops. And then realise that there’s no chance of it raining, and in fact, it’s still hot & sunny, and. It’s not a day to be wearing a black tee shirt (or even worse joggers, a tee & a Moncler jacket, as per Romeo).
Wow! More Chris Packham, than Chris Airey, and my Michaela nailed it with her spotting skills!
Tally was:
- Loads of dogs on leads
- Cattle & their associated pats
- At least 4 Choughs
- Loads of black back gulls
- Raptor feathers
- Loads of European Common Blue butterflies (poor sods will be on the next flight out)
- A cormorant or two
- Two ravens
- 15+ seals, of which 2 deffo kids, one young adult.
We’ve never seen so many seals! It was amazing! Some on rocks sunbathing, some asleep on the shoreline. We even heard a little one that was inside a big cave, calling to it’s parents! Fantastic to watch, especially when I’d remembered to take the Zeiss binoculars!
Then my knee caved in. Mainly because we were heading home and it was uphill. So we cut the walk short, missing the northern coastline, and trudged up the hill back to the car. Still, it’s miles under my knees, so that’s good.
Plan was to try the Lobster Pot (a local pub), where we’d had good food in the past until we saw their “Apologies. We are not serving food tonight” sign. So we headed back to Little Haven hoping to snag an outdoor table at the St Brides Inn.
We parked up at our cottage and walked down, only to find it was packed inside & out, so we had one last chance. “Let’s try the Castle”. Turning the corner, it looked hopeful. Spaces outside at least. Until we saw the “We no longer serve food on Mondays” sign! Aaaargh!
We turned around and started walking back, but I suggested we had a drink at the St Brides, and say waiting or see if a table came free, on the basis that if not after finishing the drinks, we went back to the cottage & made a cheese & ham toastie.
Thankfully a table became free, we ordered and got served super quickly. (Chicken curry & rice for me).
Turns out there are as couple of missed opportunities in Little Haven. The cafe is closed down & empty, and the pub on the harbour side, the Swan Inn has stopped serving food. I nipped in to suss it out. Not sure that decision is going well for them, as I was the only one there!
Once we were done we wandered back up the road, all of us shattered, and just crashed out. This fresh air and hilly walking is exhausting!
And that’s why I’m publishing this at 8:53am the following day!
Have a good one!
Chris!