Day 3 of our Pembrokeshire Holiday.

Date : Tuesday May 12th 2009.

Places visited : The Druidstone Hotel, St Justinians, Porthselau Beach and St David's.

Walk details : Pembrokeshire coast path round the Pencarnan Peninsular.

Distance travelled : 2.75 miles, 500 ft of ascent.

Weather : Another day of blue skies and sunny weather with a warm easterly breeze.

St Justinian's is the headland next to Ramsey Island

Today our son Gareth joined us for the day

and after exploring the local sea cliffs we would venture across to St David's again.

After breakfast we walked from the hotel to see the Haroldston Chins, the high sea cliffs at the back of St Brides Bay.

This view is looking back at our hotel and it's steeply sloping walled garden. The marquee is for the wedding of Eddie Butler (the sports commentator)

this coming weekend. Several of the secondary houses at the back have been converted into holiday cottages.

Don't venture too close to the cliff edge . . . was he pushed or did he fall ?

Hold your cursor over the picture to see if I survived !

Haroldston Chins is the area of high cliffs, notable for the rock strata and the friable nature of the rock.

A small pinnacle rock stands clear of the cliff face.	Ann and Gareth stand clear of the steep drops on either side.

Several rock slabs have been dislodged due to subsidence over the centuries.

The rough slate is a very interesting colour.

So are the large, daisy like Sea Mayweed . . .

. . . and the pink Thrift.

The artist at work, camouflaged so as not to disturb the flowers.

- - - o o o o - - -

After our post breakfast walk we drove over to St David's.	The landmark pink folly at St Justinian's.

The old roofless building in the grounds of the twentieth century bungalow is the old church of St Justinian.

Ramsey Island and the pleasure boat booking office.	The boathouse and slipway below.

The RNLI Lifeboat Station St Justinian's.

Whilst staying on the caravan site some years ago we had the pleasure of watching the launch of the lifeboat on one of their training days.

Today we started to walk the coast path just as one of the fast inflatables returned from an island adventure.

Thousand Islands . . . Venture Jet . . . Ramsey Island Boat Tours . . . Aquaphobia . . . all come Hiley recommended !

Walking on round the superb sea cliffs which are all covered in early summer flowers.

The path ventures close to the edge at times.	An old field wall is covered in flowers.

One of the Hemlock or perhaps the Hedge Parsley group of flowers

Note the mass of black flies on the flower heads.

Gareth and I continuing along the cliff top path.

Rock Strata . . . with attitude.

Not a good place to contemplate a shipwreck !

Scary sight . . . the cliff is quite steep too !

Ramsey Sound.

Sparkling is the mid afternoon sunshine.

Bethan and Harry sitting amongst large patches of yellow Birds Foot Trefoil on this part of the cliff top.

A large Bumble Bee on a clump of Thrift.

Across Whitesands Bay is the high ground of Carn Llidi that we climbed yesterday.

The coast path takes us round the headland to Porthselau Beach.

Gareth, myself and the dogs down on the beach.

A low tide sea scape.

Gareth contemplating the water.

After returning from Porthselau we complete the circle back to the car,

but not before climbing up the small hill alongside Rhosson Gannol Farm.

To the west, the Sound of Ramsey with the rock formation known as the Bitches in mid sound.

This is the caravan site that we spent many years visiting with the family.

To the east, the Cathedral and City of St David's.

With it's village atmosphere, it must be one of the smallest cities in the UK.

Driving back we pass the Bishop's Palace.

The Cathedral is located in the valley just below the village.

Once through the arched gatehouse the full majesty of the buildings are revealed.

- - - o o o - - -

Back to Druidston now and time for a walk on the beach for Gareth, ourselves and the dogs.

After all . . . there's no dinner preparation for us to do . . . we're on holiday.

Gareth enjoys a little aquatic engineering . . .	. . . whilst Ann prefers the quiet life.

Harry has found a rope toy and wants it thrown for him to chase.

The Druidstone Stream reaches the sea across the tide washed sands.

Back up at the hotel now, it's time to change for dinner . . .	. . . and watch the sun go down.

A vegetarian barbecue prepared by the hotel chef.

[ The third plate is Ann's by the way ]

Sunset over the Druidstone Wall and the distant Ramsey Island.

The red glow intensifies . . .	. . . as the sun sets behind the headland.

Till it finally disappears . . .	. . . leaving it's rich afterglow across the sky.

No words necessary.

The hotel now settles down for the night

The lights of the marquee, our top bedroom and the downstairs bar complimenting those of the main rooms.

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Technical note: Pictures taken with with my Cannon G7 or Ann's Ixus 75 Digital camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . time to relax.

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Our previous time here - 13th to 21st May 2005 A visit to Swansea and Pembrokeshire.