Walk 379 -- St Non's to Solva

Ages:  Colin was 75 years and 91 days.  Rosemary was 72 years and 233 days. 

Weather:  Mostly a hazy sun.  It was warm with a welcome breeze in exposed places. 

Location:  St Non’s to Solva. 

Distance:  5 miles. 

Total distance:  3885½ miles. 

Terrain:  Undulating cliff paths. 

Tide:  Out. 

Rivers:  No.451, Afon Solva in Solva. 

Ferries:  None. 

Piers:  None. 

Kissing gates:  No.916 near start of Walk. 

Pubs:  None. 

‘Cadw’ properties:  None. 

Ferris wheels:  None. 

Diversions:  None. 

How we got there and back:  Yesterday we returned to Whitesands with our caravan.  This morning we drove to Solva, but this time we parked in a wide layby at the top of town to save a £5 parking fee.  We caught a bus to St David’s and walked down to St Non’s. 

At the end we came to the car park in Solva.  We bought ice creams and enjoyed them sitting at a picnic table on the other side of the river.  The car park attendant had gone home, so Colin walked the half mile up the road and brought the car down.  We drove back to our caravan. 

 

About six weeks later we came back.  It was a lovely sunny day, but not nearly so hot as it was when I was taken ill back in June.  I was in full health and raring to go!  We saw two lizards on a stone wall on our way down to St Non’s.  Colin was delighted, he loves reptiles and stopped to photograph them.  We sat on a bench by the well to eat our pasties. 

Soon we were out on the coast path again with its wonderful views.

There were lots of walkers today, we don’t think we have ever been on such a crowded coast path — usually we are on our own.  But it was good to see whole families out walking.  The heather was in bloom, and we saw a cormorant on a rock. 

There is a lovely sandy beach at Caerfai.  The large campsite on the cliffs above was full of tents this glorious August day.

It was lovely to see so many children enjoying camping for their holidays.  Our own four children used to love the freedom of a campsite, it was the only type of holiday we could afford when they were growing up.  As adults they now appreciate that we couldn’t have taken them to the huge variety of places that we did if we hadn’t taken a tent for our accommodation.  We got as far as Venice one year!

Here at Caerfai lots of families were coming and going on the steep path down to the beach carrying all their paraphernalia — including boats! 

There was some confusion for us on the paths above the sands, it was not well signposted.  We didn’t want to go down to the beach, just continue along the coast path.  We managed it in the end by using our initiative — what’s that?  We stayed high up, the people down below on the beach looked like ants.

We marvelled at the twisted and colourful geology in the cliffs.

We came to a deep cleft which was very steep down and very steep up the other side.  My knees did not like it, especially my right knee going down.  After all, that knee is only six months old!  But I managed it, I always do.  Determination is the key.

 

 

 

 

 

There were giant toadstools on the cliff which Colin photographed from all angles.  We passed some ponies grazing, and looked back at more fantastic geology.  We were into “Wow!” overload. 

My legs were aching a lot, so when we reached the Trelerw inlet we found a bank to sit on and have a rest.  And eat our chocolate.  After that the path was easier until we got to the next cleft about a mile away. 

We were caught up by a group of people.  There was a couple with three moaning children, and another couple with the man carrying a tiny baby in his arms.  The baby was asleep, and it had no hat in the glaring sun.  I was concerned, so Colin asked the father if they had a hat for the baby.  He brushed him off with, “I think my wife has one!” but didn’t put anything on the poor little mite’s head until much later, and then they only draped a tissue over it.

We stood aside to let them all pass, then further on they stopped so we passed them.  This happened three times, by which point we were getting intensely irritated by them.  The kids were moaning that they were lost, and their father kept vigorously denying this.  Eventually the baby’s father discreetly asked us where we were walking to and how far it was.  He seemed relieved when we answered “Solva!” and that it was less than two miles.  They hadn’t a clue — any of them! 

I found the Nine Wells cleft very difficult to descend.  My knees, especially the right one, didn’t like it at all.  I managed to get up the other side, but I thought my right knee was going to give way it was so painful.  I really did wonder if I had come back to coastal walking too soon — but I had been doing so well up ’til now.  We found a bank where I could sit down and I took paracetamol.  At least the moaning family had moved on by then and we didn’t see them again — relief!  After about ten minutes the pain eased so we carried on.  The path was good and fairly flat.  The exercise of walking on an even surface eased the pain in my knee even more until it felt quite normal again. 

On this stretch we passed even more amazing geology — rocks and cliff faces eroded into weird patterns and shapes, caves and rock arches.

 

 

We also saw something in the sea that looked as if it was once part of a ship, but we really didn’t know what it was.  Colin photographed a butterfly that we think was a ringlet. 

Colin took a narrow path nearer the cliff edge to get a better view, but I stuck to the main path — I wasn’t taking any chances with my knees playing up.  When I got to the corner Solva came into view.

We were at the sea end of a long narrow inlet that was full of boats.  It was very pretty.  Colin’s path rejoined mine a little further on, but I had to wait for him because his path was longer. 

We were still very high up and Solva is at sea level.  The path descended gently at first, but later it got quite steep.  But my knee was OK this time as I took it very slowly.

As we got down to sea level we passed a signpost which had been clothed in crochet!!  It looked very pretty — but what a thing for someone to do!  There was a ‘Ban the Bomb’ logo on the old lifeboat shed.  I don’t know how long ago it was daubed on there, but we haven’t seen one of those in years. 

We passed people crabbing, swimming and boating in this delightful place.  Further on we walked through the car park, bought ice creams, then crossed the river to sit at a picnic table near the old lime kilns to eat them. 

That ended Walk no.379, we shall pick up Walk no.380 next time on the bridge in Solva.  It was twenty-five to five, so the Walk had taken us four hours and five minutes.  The car park attendant had gone home, so Colin walked the half mile up the road and brought the car down.  We drove back to our caravan.  That was a very enjoyable Walk despite my knees!