Saturday 27th April
Manorbier to Bosherston via Freshwater East and Stackpole Quay
Only once before on my 10 previous walks have I had to contend with such rain!! We woke up today to fairly heavy rain and a bit of a blow from the east. Still, I couldn't let a drop of rain stop play!!
We arrived at Manorbier castle where it was still raining so waterproof jacket plus a very lightweight, fetching, blue 'poncho' was dress-order for this walk. The castle was the birthplace of Giraldus Cambrensis (Gerald of Wales; 1146–1223), one of Wales's greatest scholars and patriots. Initially it was a motte-and-bailey castle which had a wooden keep defended by a palisade and earthworks embankments. In the early part of the 12th century, William de Barri used locally quarried Limestone to strengthen the fortification.
I think the Number 5 sign refers to the Mental Age of anyone mad enough to walk on a morning like this!!
It was, for the most part a fairly quiet, narrow tarmac 'track' rather than road. The route followed the kind of Pembrokeshire lane that terrifies most tourists given its narrow, high-banked, twisting nature.
As I climbed back up, heading for Freshwater East, I could admire the view and the ever lightening sky.
Maybe the rain would ease?
I could but hope.
The going was good if a little wet and muddy and I was soon at the start of Freshwater East.
Down the hill to the Park where our chalet is situated and then back up the lane to Trewent and onwards to Stackpole Quay.
I had thought to bag another Iron Age Fortified Promontory Fort between Trewent Point and Stackpole Quay.
Even though I wasn't on the Coastal Path I thought I could get to it down a farm track; the farmer had other ideas.
A barbed-wire wrapped gate with a heavy locked chain proved my undoing!!
Soon I was heading down to Stackpole Quay which is probably one of my favourite swimming spots locally. There is a small quay in a little cove carved out by limestone quarrying in the past. When the tide is in it proves the ideal swimming pool; calm, sunny (when it's shining!) and usually child/dog free.
The 'masses' head for Barafundle Bay in the summer which, when I was young, would be blissfully people-free even in the height of the season! People generally didn't walk back then (in the Dark Ages!!)
From there it was across the fields to Bosherston Lily Ponds on the NT property that was Stackpole Court. I wanted to visit because it tied in with the first day of my Scotland walk in 2022 when I roamed around Cawdor Estate woodland.
The Cawdor's owned and lived at Stackpole Court after marrying a 'local' girl. They were mainly responsible for extending the Lily Ponds, a playground for the rich & landed gentry.
The Court was requisitioned during the War and, according to local legend, was so badly trashed that the Cawdor's decided to demolish rather than refurbish the main house.
Little did I know, as a young teenager charging around the ponds and playing on the cliffs overlooking the ponds, that I was playing on Fishpond Camp, a promontory fort dating from the prehistoric era!!
After negotiating the last of the little footbridges across an arm of these extensive lakes I was able to make my way up to the car park where Denise was waiting.
Another incredible day, live the write up in the paper
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