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| Date & Time: Sunday 30th Sept 2007. Location : Druidston Haven, St Brides Bay, Pembrokeshire ( SM 862 168 ) Places visited : Druidston Bay and Madoc's Haven. Walked with : Ann and the dogs, Harry and Bethan. Weather : Holiday sunshine in September and the prospect of delightful beach walks. Day 3. The Druidstone Hotel overlooking the wide Atlantic Ocean. Our home for the next few days. |
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Druidston Haven is one of the smaller sandy bays on the larger sweep of Pembrokeshire's St Brides Bay. At the back of the beach and perched high on the cliffs is an old family mansion surrounded by a stone walled garden that extends backward to include several cottages, and forward to enclose a steep sloping, seaward facing lawn. Now converted to a family hotel it has changed little since the current owner's parents bought it as a family home some sixty years ago.
Our room is the one with the central front facing window on the first floor. It has a superb view out over the bay.
It was Sunday and the 40th birthday party people from last night, combined with today's lunchtime visitors, gave the hotel a real lived in feeling. It had that busy but laid back atmosphere which we also experienced when we called in here for a meal several years ago. This time we had the quieter prospect of several days relaxed stay on a midweek, late September booking.
The garden was full of kids running about and enjoying themselves or playing tug of war with the old ship's rope down on the gravel boulevard.
Ann meanders barefoot, Harry runs around madly and Bethan lays down and has a good roll. Everyone enjoys the beach in their own particular way.
The tide is low and the beach extends past the first rocky headland so we can include the adjacent Madoc's Haven in our first walk.
The end of the beach for now, but St Brides Bay continues to Ramsey Island and on to St David's far in the distance.
Walking back, we pass this spectacular section of cliff with it's remarkable folded rock strata. Pembrokeshire geology varies from limestone, to sandstone, millstone grit and even Pembrokeshire coal measures just a short way up the coast from here. A Geologist's paradise.
Wide open beaches and fewer people as the afternoon progresses.
Time to play.
The gulls fly off as we approach the southern end of the beach.
Out to sea the boats wait before loading or unloading at Milford Haven Oil Terminal. The bay provides safe anchorage for them. Skomer Island can be see off to the left and Milford is round the other side of the headland.
Sunday evening as the westerly light catches the cliffs.
The "Tele Tubbies House" - a modern eco-friendly second home on the cliff top at the back of the bay. It's a bit more brash than eco I feel !
This is the Hotel's proper eco-friendly house - The Roundhouse. They have converted the old croquet pavilion to run on wind power, and it has wood stove heating and improved insulation. Your chance to be carbon neutral.
Time for a quiet cup of tea and watch the sun go down . . .
Ahh ! . . . Typhoo . . . and it will be supper time soon - can we cope ?
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- - - o o o - - - Technical note: Pictures taken with a Canon G7 Digital camera. Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder. This site best viewed with . . . a room with a view. Go to Top - Go to page 1 2 -3- 4 5 6 7 - Go to Next - Go to Home Page A previous time here - 13th to 21st May 2005 A visit to Swansea and Pembrokeshire.
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