My Pembrokeshire Coastal Challenge!!
It is week 4 of my marathon training plan and today and I need to run 15 miles!
Last weekend's 14 mile run (which was slightly undulating) was the furthest I have
ever run in one go. I am apprehensive, yet excited about this sort of mileage.
Fifteen is another milestone and will of course be a new distance PB for me.
For the first two miles, I decide to run along the coastal path from
Caerfai Bay to Porthclais Harbour. The path is very narrow here.
It's a beautiful, crisp, sunny morning and the waves are glistening in Caerfai Bay.
The tide is right in at the minute.
The gorse is abundant this time of year and it's happy, yellow colour raises your spirits -
along with that stunning coastline and deep blue sea of course!
To my right, I can see my caravan site in the distance.....
I really need to concentrate at this point, as the track is very rocky.
Good, fast & fun running! :o)
It's hard work going up the next bit. The rocks turn into boulders!!
I have nearly reached the chapel of Our Lady and St Non'sChapel...
This is the birthplace of St David (approx 500AD).
The track narrows again here.......
View as I look back along the coast....
The track is really difficult to run on without landing awkwardly here.....
As I turn the corner, the wind hits me and I can't catch my breath for a minute!
It's Freeeeeezing!!Hmmmm...what's through there? Think I'll go this way.....
The muddy puddles have iced up.
A mini version of "Durdle Door", with the hole through the rocks below...
The track is slightly wider here and flat. Which makes easy running for a while.
I have reached Porthclais Harbour. The tide is in and the water is a deep,deep blue.
What a beauthiful little cottage on the hillside there!
On Wednesday's run to Portclais I took the right hand fork. Today I think I'll explore to the left.....
There's a long,steep, rocky descent.....
I have to slow right down and tread very carefully here...
The river. It is said that St David, our patron saint, was baptised here.
I take a right and join the counrty lane that takes me to St David's.
It's a long,slow,drag from Porthclais. There is a 170ft elevation gain over 1.5 mile.
The road flattens out a little and I finally manage to get up to a decent speed for the first time!!
To the left, I catch my first sight of Carn Llidi, which towers above Whitesands Bay....
That's on my "To do" list....Praps in the summer, when I return.......
I finally reach "Stryd Yr Afr" - "Goat Street" in St David's.
My legs are certainly starting to burn......
The Farmers Arms - our favourite pub. Lovely meals and a decent pint!
I have reached the centre of St David's (Ty Ddewi) and it's famous cross square.
It is tradition for us to buy some chips from the fish & chip shop across the road and sit on the steps of the cross to devour them, whilst watching the world go by. Best chips around!!
In the background, you can see St David's Catherdral.
I take a small detour to see the city's catherdral, built in the 13th century -
the final resting place of Wales' patron saint - St David. Well worth a visit.
The city is full of quaint little stone cottages of varying pretty colours.Many were built in the 1700s..
I run through St David's and take a left. Next destination, Whitesands Bay.
Carn Llidi, is getting closer......
I follow the country lane down ........
........until I get to a quiet little stream.....
Then, there's a long stretch of uphill.....I know I am getting more fit as
I find this a lot easier than I did last year!!
What are they in the distance???
Highland catlle!!!
I run over for a closer look. Wow! I wouldn't like to end up stuck on
the end of one of THOSE horns!!
You can now see just how high Carn Llidi is in comparison to the little house at it's base....
And now it's all downhill to Whitesands. my legs run away with me and
I can't find the brakes for a while!! Arrrrggghhhhhh!!
And here it is - Whitesands Bay. The tide is right in at the moment.
It has been described as the best surfing beach in Pembrokeshire
and one of the best tourist beaches in the world.
Here is a photo I took the other day when the tide was out.
We had practically the whole beach to ourselves!!!
I join the coastal path and head east....
The path steppens and is sandy here.....
The view at the top is well worth the climb!!
Ahhh! A bit of downhill! Nice! Hard to run on though as it is so narrow!!
Before I know it, Whitesands seems miles away!
I turn the corner and the track goes back uphill again.....
It's mega rocky!
Porthsele Beach, with it's soft white sand.....
Onwards and upwards......
The track widens out and I have first little glimpse of Ramsey Island in the distance.....
The puddles have frozen here it is soooooo windy and cold!!
Ramsey Island. At nearly 120m (400 ft) in places, the western cliffs are among the highest in Wales. They are home to ravens, peregrines and buzzards. In spring, guillemots, razorbills, fulmars, kittiwakes and shags come to nest too. Choughs also breed on these cliffs, seeking out deep fissures and caves in which to build their nests.Several hundred seal pups are born each autumn on Ramsey's beaches and in the caves. I'm definately going to take a trip there in the summer.
An ariel view of Ramsey Island (I didn't take this photo, obviously! Lol!)
A beautiful shire horse grazing in the field to the left....
Ramsey Island is only two miles long.
My Garmin watch tells me I have run 7.5 miles! I am halfway already!!
The track narrows again.....
Gotta say, I'm a tad scared at this point and very pleased that
there is a fence between me and the cliff's edge!!!
Easy does it.....one foot wrong and I'm a gonner!!
Ah Ha! St Justinian's RNLI Lifeboat Station has been launching lifeboats for nearly 140 years.
View from St Justinians across to Ramsey Island. Tradition states that St Justinian was a 6th century missionary from Brittany who settled on Ramsey Island as a hermit. Legend has it that he was eventually murdered by some disgruntled servants or monks fed up with his strict regime, it is said by beheading him. Apparently he picked up his head and crossed Ramsey, walking on the water carrying his head in his arms and his body was buried in the small ruined chapel which still stands on the mainland at St Justinian's, immediately opposite his island home.
Capel Stinian - The resting place of St Justinian.
The track gets quite narrow and rocky here.....
Ramsey Island
Wow! Look how blue that sea is - and the sky! Lucky, lucky me!!
A rocky road lined with gorgoeus gorse !!
Oooooo, this bit was a slog!!
Looking back, I can see St Justinians in the distance and Carn Llidi far behind it which
towers behind Whitesand's Bay. Can't believe I have run all that way and more!!!
I have run 9 miles so far - only 6 to go........
Need to concentrate here not to trip!
Ooooo - what's this? A flat bit!!! Lol!
The sea currents here and over towards the shark fin shaped rock are known as the
Bitches and Whelps. They are made of volcanic rock.
The reef of rocks combined with the strong tides which race through the area
create quite a notorious stretch of water for water sports enthusiasts to conquer!!
I had to take careful baby steps to get down this slope........
......and needed oxygen at the top of this baby!!
There are lots of cute lambs in the adjacent fields feeding. Mum doesn't look impressed here!!!Lol!
Ouch! My legs!!!
The climb up to this crag was rather breathtaking - in both senses of the word!!
Wouldn't want to fall down there!!
It's super windy up here! So, windy I am nearly blown over with one of the strong gusts!!
I am absolutely freeeeezing!! My fingertips are struggling to press the shutter button
down on the camera!!! Stunning view tho eh?
Is that a pond or a huuuuge puddle???
View to the west......Carn Llidi looks tinsy now!!!
Doesn't look it, but this was quite a steep descent!!
I look back at the craggy rock I have just descended....
Wow! Is that another human being?? I haven't seen a single person for the last four miles!!
Oh dear - another incline!!!!
OMG! This is a killer!!
It is impossible to run up this part! It's a wall of rock!!
I am on my hands and knees!!!Lol!
Wow! What a view!!
Porthlysgi Bay
The way down is steep and very rocky!
Porthlysgi Bay - 10.5 miles in, 4.5 to go......
Oh no! Up I go again! Legs are feeling really tired now!!
Past a pretty little wall with pink thrift about to flower...I recognise this from Wednesday's run.
That means Porhclais is just around the corner! Yay!!
At this point the track goes dangerously close to the cliff's edge!!!
A nice bit of downhill.............
At last! Porthclais! Only two miles from the campsite now!
Well, the tide was right in when I first saw Portclais Harbour this morning!!Lol!
Up the other side I go......
Up......
.........up.........
....and up a bit more!!!!!
Yess!! I can see St Non's Chapel in the distance (on the left) - only one mile to the campsite!!
St Non's - Woooo Hoooo!!!
Here is the ruin of St Non's Chapel, where St Non is said to have
given birth to our patron saint - St David.
St Non's cross - the stone has been dated from the 7th century!
The Holy well. This is thought to have healing properties and to this
day visitors throw coins and pebbles into the well for luck.
The Chapel of Our Lady & Saint Non.
Ooooo, it's not far now! Around the bend and what do I see??
Like a long lost friend - Caerfai Bay! Half a mile to go tothe campsite!
BUT, I look at my watch and it says I have only run 13.5 miles!!
Which means I need to find another mile from somewhere!! My heart sinks!!!
I decide to run past the bay for half a mile and back.......
The path is close to the edge again. I need to concentrate hard here. Starting to flag now.....
Phew, I can turn around now. Just 0.5 mile to go!
Last incline! I think my legs are gonna drop off!!
Yes!! I reached the top! The view down towards Caerfai Bay.
And the watch clicks at 15 miles just as I reach the campsite!
I am happy,happy,happy!
Yippppeeeeee!!!!
A new distance personal best for me :o)
To say that this run has been "undulating" would be an understatement!
Just look at the elevation above!! It was super challenging, but if you know me, you'll know I LOVE a challenge!!! I would say that this has got to be the BEST run I have EVER done!
A glorious, sunny day with absolutely stunning scenery!!
Look how many steps I've clocked up in 2 and a half hours!!!
I hope you enjoyed this blog and that it inspires you to give trail running a go.
I have only tried it twice and am hooked!
