Leaving our campsite this morning we used a public footpath to access a smaller grade road to return to Pembroke. This meant we avoided the very busy B4319 with no pavement and which we had walked up yesterday. In the early morning sunshine the walk on the country lane was delightful with lots of birdsong, wild flowers on the verges and not a single car. Walking on busy roadways with no pavement is not recommended, but sometimes cannot be avoided, particularly if you do not know the local area.
We breakfasted in Pembroke before crossing the bridge in the town over the river to begin a nice cross-country section along the banks of the Pembroke River. We had wonderful views of the impressive Pembroke Castle, built in the 11C. While the walking was rough at times on pasture land, there were also some nice wooded sections with lovely light and dappled shade, butterflies and banks of wild flowers. At the end of this section, we moved to road to walk through Pembroke Dock to head for the impressive high-flying bridge over the Aberdaugleddyf. Through another wooded section, we headed for the town of Neyland where we stopped for lunch in an Italian cafe.
Throughout the time you are on the water on this walk there are nice vistas to the opposite shore where we had walked yesterday and the day before. Sometimes it is only when you have done this that you understand the topography of the land. This is a slightly complicated area with its many bays and cut ins. The price for walking it is that there are a few sections of road walking, some feeling quite long.
We were walking in very hot sunshine and required plenty of water stops and wee rests, particularly after climbing and descending the odd gully. From Neyland round the bay to Llanstadwell and another long cross-country section to round an oil refinery, heavily overgrown in places with three and four foot nettles. Where cattle had tread the footing was rough and you needed to be careful you didn't go over on your ankle. We need to cut inland here to go round a curious water featre, which entailed a long road walk in to Milford Haven and eventually to our accommodation.
It was a long walk; longer than we expected and completed in very warm conditions. By the end we were fairly bedraggled and ready for that day off. We have a very taxing run of walks and camping coming up and need to make good use of the break.
We breakfasted in Pembroke before crossing the bridge in the town over the river to begin a nice cross-country section along the banks of the Pembroke River. We had wonderful views of the impressive Pembroke Castle, built in the 11C. While the walking was rough at times on pasture land, there were also some nice wooded sections with lovely light and dappled shade, butterflies and banks of wild flowers. At the end of this section, we moved to road to walk through Pembroke Dock to head for the impressive high-flying bridge over the Aberdaugleddyf. Through another wooded section, we headed for the town of Neyland where we stopped for lunch in an Italian cafe.
Throughout the time you are on the water on this walk there are nice vistas to the opposite shore where we had walked yesterday and the day before. Sometimes it is only when you have done this that you understand the topography of the land. This is a slightly complicated area with its many bays and cut ins. The price for walking it is that there are a few sections of road walking, some feeling quite long.
We were walking in very hot sunshine and required plenty of water stops and wee rests, particularly after climbing and descending the odd gully. From Neyland round the bay to Llanstadwell and another long cross-country section to round an oil refinery, heavily overgrown in places with three and four foot nettles. Where cattle had tread the footing was rough and you needed to be careful you didn't go over on your ankle. We need to cut inland here to go round a curious water featre, which entailed a long road walk in to Milford Haven and eventually to our accommodation.
It was a long walk; longer than we expected and completed in very warm conditions. By the end we were fairly bedraggled and ready for that day off. We have a very taxing run of walks and camping coming up and need to make good use of the break.