2024 Walking South Pembrokeshire - Day 1

Thursday 25th April

Llanteg (near Amroth) to Tenby

We thought we were up early enough (I hadn't slept much - too much going through my mind!) but but tomorrow I think we'll set off a bit earlier to miss the "rush-hour" traffic around Tenby!

We arrived at Llanteg and Denise dropped me off at the end of the lane by Trelessy Farm. I walked up the hill in search of my first "Fortification", a fortified enclosure overlooking the sea. I managed to get a good photo of the view from the field before and then carried on down the lane to the next gate!

Uh-oh!! A field full of very young, very inquisitive, cattle - my worst nightmare. 

I could just about see a ridged mound that might have been the enclosure (arrow marks the spot). I certainly wasn't going to get any closer!!

Once in Amroth I walked westward on the promenade with the sea to my left. There was a useful lo stop and then I had to do a little climb. I'd already dropped down over 400ft and now I had to climb back up again but only 250ft - up an almost vertical path. Well, that tested the lungs. 

Once up I knew two things:

 

1st - although the light breeze was cool I had too many layers on for such climbing

2nd - I was going to be going up & down like a fiddlers elbow today.

The views were good though.

The going was fairly good and, before I even realised it, Wiseman's Bridge and Saundersfoot hove into view. People and dogs were enjoying the sunshine. It all looked idyllic. 

And then I had a Zoom Interview with Richard Hatch of BFBS Afternoon Radio. I think I plugged the WRAC Association being available for free for anyone who had served, even 1 day, in the WRAC. Of course the interview had to take place at a tricky part of the walk when I had to hold my phone and open gates and avoid buses and cars.

Fortunately the interview finished before I had to attempt another massive, lung-busting climb as the original lower level path had been obliterated by a landslide. That was lung-buster/knee cruncher number 2 and I was still standing. 

Once I'd clambered down to Coppet Hall I could then walk the short tunnel that connects to Saundersfoot. Tunnels would make coastal paths much easier on the knees & hips!!

I took a break by the harbour but forgot to take a picture as I had to swap the battery on my Gizmo. The local seagull thought I was opening something edible I discouraged him from getting too close.

I phoned Denise, very pleased with myself at the pace I was walking. "I'll soon be with you in Tenby" I foolishly said. Little did I know.

Although, as a family, we have walked much of the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path. I realised that we had never tackled Saundersfoot to Tenby. So it was definitely on my "Bucket List". I now know why we'd never walked it - It's a bloomin' nightmare.

Down & Up over a hundred feet each time. Doesn't look much i the photos - but it is!!

Fabulous views, walking on the edge of the world sometimes, the path had crashed to the sea in some places and it had been re-routed. 

My legs turned to jelly not just from fear of heights but sheer exhaustion from clambering uphill and thumping downhill. it was lovely seeing all the wild flowers and the amazing views but, by around 2 miles from Tenby I decided that continuing along the Coastal Path would do too much damage so I took the decision to head up the lane towards the A478 and then took the Cycle Route 4 into Tenby. 

Denise met me at the edge of town and walked with me to Castle Hill where she took a photo of me by the remains of the medieval castle. 

I reciprocated with a selfie of the pair of us with St Katherine's Island Fort in the background.

The Fort was built between 1867 & 1870 in case invaders should attempt to land and march on the dockyards at the Milford Haven Estuary. It wasn’t fully armed until 1886. 

We then headed back up form the Quayside to where she had parked the car and she drove me back to our chalet accommodation.

So, first day over and everything aches!!

But, at least my feet are ok . . . . it's just the rest of me falling apart!!

I'm hoping that tomorrow will be a little easier on my hips and knees.

Looking at the map I seem to have done a fair bit of Ascending and Descending.

Also, according to the App I only stopped moving for 3 minutes!! Well that's a great big whopper!!

Looking at my Steps App I did 20,886 Steps!! Yes my hips would definitely agree with that - 10,000 upwards and 10,000 downwards!! 

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