Day 52: New Quay to Aberporth (Half-way along coast path)

It was another beautiful sunny day as we wandered around the harbour at New Quay before making our way up a very steep path to the top of the cliffs. From here we had great views out to sea including watching a pod of dolphins that were frolicking out in the water. 

New Quay Harbour

New Quay

The path levelled out above some of the county’s most magnificent cliffs before we descended down to a footbridge at Cwm Soden where we ate lunch. The beach here is believed to have been used by smugglers in the eighteenth century to bring ashore salt, which was otherwise subject to heavy taxes.

Our path then skirted the cliff edge before reaching the impressive Castell Bach, an iron age settlement and hill fort whose earthbank defences are still clearly evident.

Over the next headland, we dropped down to the beach at Cwmtydu before climbing uphill again to emerge on the bracken-covered hillside high above Cwmtydu.  The path we followed from here was cut into the perilously steep slopes before descending towards the inlets beyond Trwyn Crou.

From here the path climbed up again onto the peninsula at Ynys Lochtyn before descending the pleasant beach at Llangrannog. Here we stopped for a delicious lunch at The Beach Hut Café and celebrated completing half of our journey around Wales.

The remainder of the day was spent walking up and down the steep cliffs until we finally reached our destination at Aberporth. Having completed the 22km with a height gain of 780m and in the hot unrelenting sun, we were absolutely shattered.  

Looking across Penbryn to Tresaith 

Having left our accommodation this morning we made our way to St Dogmael’s where we had kindly been offered a place to stay with Mark and Karen. We went out for pizza at a lovely open air restaurant complete with tipi tent.

Tomorrow we are travelling to the Netherlands to visit my family for 10 days. As such, our journey along the Wales Coast Path (and our blog) will take a bit of hiatus until we return back to Wales.

Day 51: Llanrhystud to New Quay

We left our cottage early and walked down the road to the beach at Llanrhystud which consisted of very large stones which were difficult to walk on. There were a number of old weathered wooden stumps set out in rectangular shapes along the beach. We were unsure what these may have been used for however guessed that they may have been old fish traps. 

The stony beach at Llanrhystud

The remains of wooden posts which we suspect may have been used as fish traps

Further along the path we came upon the remains of four old lime kilns. Historically these were used to burn limestone before spreading onto nearby agricultural fields to improve soil quality and drainage.

Remains of old lime kilns

After crossing a number of fields with curious dairy cows we made our way to St Bride’s Church at Llansantffraed. We would normally have gone in to look at the church however our boots were covered with cow poop after walking through the earlier paddocks (it was difficult to avoid as there was so much of it!).

St Brides Church, Llansantffraed

The remainder of the day followed relatively easy terrain as the route hugged the low cliffs surrounding the villages of Llanon, Aberarth and Aberaeron with its picturesque harbour surrounded by colourful Regency houses.

Looking back towards the start of our days walk

Marina at Aberaeron

The path following the edge of the low cliffs, our destination in the far distance

Small stepped waterfall

Our day finished at New Quay with its sheltered harbour.

New Quay Harbour

Day 50: Aberystwyth to Llanrhystud

This morning we continued our walk along the promenade at Aberystwyth to the remains of Aberystwyth Castle. The castle was built in response to the First Welsh War in the late 13th century, replacing an earlier fortress located a mile to the south. During a national uprising by Owain Glyndŵr, the Welsh captured the castle in 1404, but it was recaptured by the English four years later. In 1637 it became a Royal mint by Charles I, and produced silver shillings.

Remains of Aberystwyth Castle

Part of the D-shaped towers that formed the inner ward's gatehouse keep

Remains of the North Tower Gateway - Aberystwyth Castle

Remains of the D-shaped towers that formed the inner ward's gatehouse keep

We then continued through the town and past the marina before making our way to Tanybwlch Beach. At the far end of the beach, the path climbed steeply up onto the cliffs of Allt-wen where the path continued for some distance before descending towards yet another holiday park.

Aberystwyth Marina

Tanybwlch Beach

Looking back towards Aberystwyth with Pen Dinas to the right

For the remainder of the day the path continued through fields along the top the cliffs. By lunch time the wind had picked up considerably so that by the end of the day I felt like I had been totally battered about.

View from the top of Alt-wen

View northwards along the coastal cliffs

Stone farm building at Mynachdy'r-graig

Path descending down towards Pengarreg Caravan Park

Stone gate posts are all that remain of an old stone wall

View northwards towards Aberaeron

Day 48: Tre-Taliesin to Aberystwyth

Having caught a double decker bus to Tre-Taliesen we made our way via some narrow back streets to the start of a path through Cors Fochno, a significant nature reserve and one of the finest examples of raised peatbog in Britain. The path started off as a nice wide shingle path, which then evolved into a track across some short grazed pasture before turning into a narrow track through very long, wet, seed covered grass. Needless to say, that my feet were soaking wet in no time with grass seed getting stuck in my socks and falling into my boots.

Nice wide shingled path through along marsh

Track through paddock alongside marsh

 

Walking through long, wet grass alongside peat bog

Peat bog at Cors Fochno

Selfie at Cors Fochno

 We eventually made our way out of the peatbog and arrived at the coastal town of Borth. Unfortunately, we arrived at high tide and as such missed seeing the stumps of an old submerged forest that is visible on the beach at low tide. This was also our return to the coast after two and a half days circuiting the Afon Dyfi estuary.

Looking out towards marsh 

Beachfront along Borth

After eating our lunch on a park bench at the beach we commenced the first of a few heart rate raising climbs along the coastal cliffs. By now the skies had cleared somewhat so we had some stunning views up and down the coast along with viewing interesting geological formations on the steep cliffs. 

Path along the cliff tops

Craig y Delyn

The view back towards war memorial on Craig-yr-Wylfa

 

Causeway at Sarn Gynfelyn

Interesting geology in the cliffs

Views of Aberystwyth from Constitution Hill

Aberystwyth

Promenade and Victorian houses in Aberystwyth

Day 47: Machynlleth to Tre-Taliesin

Our walk today started in Machynlleth, a small town with a rather tall imposing gothic clock tower built in 1873. It was wet and cold so before setting off on our walk we decided to stop and have a very chai latte and dandelion coffee latte at a café called The Quarry. Warmed up we headed out of town where the path took us up some Roman steps which looked like they had witnessed over 2000 years of footsteps and would probably last another 2000 years.

Gothic clock tower in Machynlleth

Roman steps leading out of Machynlleth

Our path took us through beautiful woods, past old slate mines, moss covered stone walls and alongside a clear bubbling stream where we stopped for lunch, sheltering from the drizzle under forest canopy.

Wooded valley

Stream in Llyfnant Valley

Old farm buildings near Garthgwynion

Occasionally we caught tantalising glimpses of the Dyfi Estuary.

View of Dyfi Estuary

In the afternoon we took a short detour from the path to visit the small village of Eglwys Fach where there is the well preserved mid-18^th century furnace with a huge waterwheel that operated the bellows to make pig iron with charcoal as fuel. The stream was dammed to provide a water supply sufficient enough to drive the wheel.

Stone wall lined road to Eglwys Fach

Old furnace and water wheel at Eglwys Fach

Taking a break at The Old Furnace

Waterfall at The Old Furnace, Eglwys Fach

After visiting the furnace, we made our way back to the path and onwards towards to Tre-Taliesin through more beautiful woods. Considering the wet weather, this was a most enjoyable day inland and away from the coast and the views that we would normally experience.

Wooded valley near Foel Fawr

Coast path sign with engraved logo

View of Dyfi Estuary in far distance