St David's

Today's plan was to drive to St David's and do two headland walks. The first, the Ramsey Sound walk, stated and finished in Porth Clais, south of St David's, the second, St Davis headland walk started and finished at the northern end of Whitesands beach. It was a dull windy day.

Porth Clais was quite tiny...

...and the coastal path was a blaze of colour with lots of heather in bloom.

Ramsey Island is relatively large and not all that far off the coast.

The sound running between the island and shore is beautiful...

..but treacherous. There a currents running at up to 6 knots, and it is the site of a tidal power test facility.

We had been keen to see a chough, unmistakenly a member of the crow family, but with a red beak and red legs. We saw a pair feeding on the cliffs.

We also passed Castell Heinif, the site of an Iron Age promontory fort (750 BC to 100AD). The two embankments and ditch still clearly evident (..at least when you are there).

It was then back to St David's town for a quick look around. The cathedral is the main focus of the town, the original church dating back to 550 AD. 

While somewhat austere on the outside, it has a decorative wooden ceiling and an ornate rood screen (as explained in the guide book!)

We headed out to Whitesands beach for a picnic lunch and headland walk. The beach was packed with holidaymakers, and surfers.

The headland was windswept but still spectacular, even boasting an Iron Age defensive wall..

...and a Neolithic cromlech (burial chamber) dating from 4000 to 3000 BC .

At the end of the walk we had views over our starting point, Whitesands beach, and Ramsey Island from near the high point of the headland.

We headed home, very thankful that we were still dry, and headed out to our local, The Square and Compass pub, for a very entertaining dinner chatting to the locals (and their dogs).