National Trail Officer Dave Maclachlan of the IAT Pembrokeshire Coast Path recently walked Wales’ Abereiddi to Porthgain coastline trying to figure out a safe trail route up a rock face, then later checked on the BBC filming at Little Haven. Intercontinental collisions and volcanic activity have led to an industrial legacy on this section of coastline that is fairly unusual.
View of beach and parking area at Abereiddi Beach
“We have surfaced a short section for wheelchairs from the car park that leads gently up past the ruined slate miners’ cottages and workshops to the huge hole called The Blue Lagoon. The quarry was flooded when the work stopped, and is now the site of busy adventure activities. Coasteering expeditions lead youngsters (and oldsters) to leap off the low cliff by the channel to the sea. A railway carried the slate round on a contoured track to Pothgain.
Up on top, one gets views down to St David’s Head – another area with volcanic origin – and the peaks of Penberry and Carn Llidi that were islands when the sea was higher. I put another International Appalachian Trail marker on the signpost that overlooks Traeth Lyfn.
The beach has grey sands and is probably the best beach between Whitesands and Abermawr. On hot days there is a steady column of people carting their beach goods to and fro. (Its close to a mile from the car park!) The aspect of the beach is somewhat marred by its access – a huge galvanised steel staircase from the cliff top.
Another great hole is found closer to Porthgain, where granite was quarried for roadstone and rail ballast. As one rounds the corner, the remains of hoppers to hold the stone and chutes for loading into ships appear. The quaint little harbour used to take quite large ships to export the stone and slate. Pinnacles of different shapes mark the entrance. A brick factory also graced the village. The scars are fairly fresh and the old buildings are quite well preserved, as the industries continued until 1930.
Porthgain is graced with a lovely pub called the Sloop, where I hoped to meet a chap. However he was late and I had to move on … after an excellent, but expensive beer.
Close to the toilets is the gun from a Liberty Ship – which the panel says was one of thousands supplied by the USA – that was sunk nearby during the war.”
