2024 Walking South Pembrokeshire - Day 4

Sunday 28th April 

Bosherston to Castlemartin via St Govan's & Stack Rocks

Today there were 6 fortifications to "Bag" as well as some rather spectacular natural features.

From Bosherston village I headed for St Govan's Chapel, the legendary home of a monk, St Govan, who supposedly hid from pirates in a cleft in the rock - the impression of his ribcage can still be seen!! 

As there are possibly 52 steps down I chose to give it a miss today.

Moving swiftly on!! I set out across the clifftops along the ancient wave-cut platform that is now used primarily as a Military Firing Range.

Yesterday the forecast had been for light breeze from the east and lots of sunshine. Definitely no rain, not even mizzle till around 2pm! 

Huh! They lied!! I started off in a blustery westerly, straight in the face and an overcast, threatening sky. However, the scenery made up for it. 

At Bosherston Mere, a little way to the west of the chapel are two spectacular chasms. I took a photo of the 1st but not the 2nd, so called "Huntsman's Leap," where legend had it that a huntsman chasing a fox jumped the gap. This so frightened him when he realised what he'd done that he fell off his horse & died!! 

With all this spectacular beauty to my left the view of Military Target Vehicles to my right seemed a little incongruous. 

The area was first used by the military in 1939 and was purchased in 1948. It is still used today with live firing on week days when the range is closed. 

Just as well my walk here was at the weekend!!

My first prehistoric fort was hardly visible. 

The next, Buckspool Down or Castle Fort was slightly more visible as a series of raised ridges near a range lookout station. It was about here that it started to rain and I had to don my skimpy blue poncho.

Evidence of earlier military activity was all around. Shell or shrapnel 'scrapes' in the turf where something had hit and gouged a furrow. The range wardens must spend a lot of their time collecting the debris as it is a much used and loved recreational area. 

There were also the remains of structures that I remembered from my youth as far less overgrown. 

Onward past Bullslaughter Bay to the remains of a fort that allegedly is there but I believe is so overgrown that I couldn't see it. 

The Crocksydam Promontory fort that I saw was nothing like the one on the information post. 

Maybe because I wasn't brave enough to get close enough to the edge to take the necessary photo!!

I carried on walking and was now able to take off my fetching but noisy poncho. The sun even threatened to shine!

The next fort was at Flimston Bay. Both this and Crocksydam forts were probably erected sometime between 600 BC and 43 AD. Flimston fort is defended by a series of three earthen banks and ditches on the landward side, enclosing a fairly large area. On the eastern side of the fort interior are a number of shallow hollows that may represent platforms for supporting huts.

Stack Rocks and the Green Bridge of Wales were the next features to snap. 

The Rocks were crammed with Razorbills and Guillemots (known locally as Elegugs). Even with the wind blowing the sound away from me they certainly made a bit of a racket. 

Not only were they on the rocks there were also flocks of them floating about on the water.

I carried on past Stack Rocks and on to view the Green Bridge of Wales. Probably, as it is such a photogenic structure, the authorities decided to build a fenced wooden platform from where one could take the perfect picture without plummeting over the cliff edge! I duly obliged!

I then headed north, away from the firing range and up towards the west/east ridge that extends from Freshwater West to Freshwater East. Once part of the way up I had to take a long detour to bag my penultimate fort, Merion Camp. In my mind Merion Camp is the military  firing range and Training Barracks on the range. I never knew of the existence of another, earlier structure up on the ridge behind the barracks. There it was, behind a huge bank and hedge, I could see nothing!

So much for my two mile detour. 

I had to carry on eastwards until I could take the road back westwards towards my final destination, Castlemartin. 

To make matters worse, it started to rain again, only a bit of a shower but annoying none the less. 

Imagine my surprise (& delight) when I realised I could see the missing fort much better from this side!

That put a spring in my step to cover the last few of miles to Castlemartin. Unfortunately there was another disappointment as the castle "mound," that appears quite extensive on the map, is a bit of a flat field hidden away behind private houses and high hedges.

I contented myself with a photo of the Cattle Pound that is now used as a roundabout.

The "castle" is behind the hedge on the left.

I also visited the plot of land which had been owned by my  grandfather's family several generations ago!

Another walk completed and another 11.5 miles covered. Halfway through the walk and I've covered around 49 miles. Anyone would think it was planned!!

If you would like to sponsor me just click on the link below which will take you to my fundraising page at Give as you Live Donate:

https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/margs-pembrokeshire-100-mile-2024

I also believe that the Milford Mercury has covered my story. The link is below:

https://www.milfordmercury.co.uk/news/24278737.pembroke-dock-veteran-72-sets-off-100-mile-solo-walk/