This was only a short stretch of the
Wales coast path, but it was an important one – quite strategic for
what is to come later. It was achievable over the course of an
afternoon, which meant that I could spend the morning travelling to
Milford haven. Indeed, on the train there, it became clear that the
family sitting near me were also walking the Pembrokeshire coast –
but they were going in a different direction, so I wouldn't be having
any walking companions today.
Starting out along the prom at Milford
Haven, it quickly became clear that something was happening on the
sea-front. It turned out to be the conclusion of a service to unveil
a memorial to the victims of an oil refinery blast. I didn't realise
this at the time, and people were starting to leave as I walked by,
so I can't really claim to have “been there”, but it was still
good to know what was going on. More information can be found here
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-23511233
After going through Milford Haven, I
came to the first bridge of the day, the one that leads out of town.
Unfortunately, for a short while after that, it is main roads with
some blind bends. It really is not good terrain for walkers.
This doesn't last too long, though,
after going up the hill a little way, there is a right turn for Venn
farm, then it is back on the coastal path proper. Just after the
farm, I came to a field with the warning “Bull in field” but
happily, it wasn't in the field, and I crossed in peace.
The path leads round the back of an oil
refinery, and here bridge no 2 crosses some of the refinery's
pipes.
Soon, you are on bridge no 3, a metal bridge over the approach
road to the refinery. With a metal mesh floor, this bridge is not
good if you don't have a head for heights! Then again, the
Pembrokeshire coast path as a whole is not good if you don't have a
head for heights!
The off-road path didn't last too long,
after this bridge it dropped and rejoined a small road at
Llanstedwell, where I called into the church for a few minutes'
breather. I'm still puzzled by the fact that on a side-table in one
of the transepts, there were cups and a jug set out, but no water.
OK, so I had drinks of my own, (this was a warm day in July) but this
just seemed odd. There's a sermon there about seeming to offer
hospitality, but then not doing. After all, if nothing had been set
out, I wouldn't have given it a second thought, but to seem to offer
hospitality, but then lack the vital ingredient?
From Llanstedwell, the road soon leads
into Neyland where it follows river Daugleddau. Just after the
marina, a set of park benches in a side road overlook the Cleddau
Bridge. Going down this side road, the path goes under smaller
Cleddau bridge, then sharply uphill on a mountain-bike route to get
onto the bridge.
After crossing the smaller bridge, the
next bit is main road but with good pavement, and it leads to the
main Cleddau Bridge. That was exhilerating. There were great views,
and I also had the wind whistling round me. As mentioned earlier,
this was a warm day, now about tea-time, and a bit of a breeze was
blowing. I wouldn't like to do with with the wind howling and the
rain lashing down.
After the bridge, there was a picnic
area where I finished my energy drink. Also, as the view of the
bridge was good, it was a photo opportunity. From there, a couple of
streets led to the Travelodge where I was to spend the night.
This was only a short walk, but
hopefully it will be quite a help for the coming peninsula.
