St Martin’s Haven to Nolton Haven – Wales Coast Path

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St Martin’s Haven to Nolton Haven.

Lucy and I stayed overnight in Cross Hotel, St Davids which we would highly recommend.   We welcomed the crisp bed linen, the fluffy white towels and a nice bottle of Malbec and steak. It made a change from self catering, comfortable and convenient as that might be….

The hope for a second day’s walking following an overnight stay is that it surpasses the previous day’s trek. This walk exceeded expectations.

Mainly along cliff tops it offers some easy walking around 12 miles in total

Parking at St Martin’s Haven we headed up the coast passing Musselwick Sands towards Nab’s Head. The path was overgrown around East Hook with some nettles – a prickly start.

The headlands stretch out endlessly before us, blue on green on blue – sky, land, sea.

Tower Point provides distinctive landmark – a large sandstone stack, following on we catch glimpses of St Brides castle, built in 1833 by William Charles Phillips and added to by 6th Baron Kensington in early 20th century.

St Bride’s Castle became a sanatorium and I have memories of visiting as a child when my mother became an in patient for some nine months. For the next hour, Lucy and I pleasantly traded family memories.

St Brides is a tranquil Haven. St Briget’s church was named after Bigid of St Kildare who travelled to Wales with St David in the 6C.

At Mill Haven we encounter the grass cutters – the path will be cleared for future walkers

Tantalising views of Broad Haven beach in the distance, before the scenery changes quite radically as we move onto Burrough Head, entering a cool woodland, providing welcome relief from the heat.

“Boo” – a man who had previously walked on by is sitting a bench – startling me – but we all laughed, I had been lost in thought.

A young man and his father hasten by to catch the walker’s bus, we wander down into Little Haven and walk across the beach to Broad Haven where we stop for a snack and cooling drink.

Walking out of Broad Haven we had to remark on the sphinx like rock – Shag Rock.

We reach Settling Nose and Haroldston Chins in no time at all. We were both impressed with the accessibility track leading from the roadside parking to the viewpoint at the Chins.

Druidston Hotel bought back happy memories to both of us, and we laughed our way down the track, we can see the roof of the “Teletubby House” or Malator, the earth house designed by Future Systems.

Looking across at sandy Druidston Haven, there is quite a lot of soil erosion – a bit scary.

Eventually we descend into Noltons Haven, passing the church and into the free car park with toilets – you wouldn’t believe how important WC stops can be during and following a long walk


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