Around Ynys Barry

Start. Abereiddi.

Route. Abereiddi - Blue Lagoon - Carn Twyd - Traeth Llyfn - Porth Egr - Porth Dwfn - Porthgain Quarries - Porthgain - Ynys Barry Cottages - Abereiddi.

Notes.The coast between Abereiddi and Porthgain oozes natural beauty and great character, easy walking with stunning cliff architecture, secluded beaches and hidden coves, everything the lucky rambler needs, including a slice of industrial history. Cutting deep into the sea cliffs the relics of the 19^th century slate quarrying, all closed now but adding a lovely twist to this short but delightful walk.

Aber Eiddy a few houses and the sad crumbling remains of a row of minors cottages built end-ways on to the sea, protection against the prevailing weather, a dusty car park and not a lot else only the car park attendant eager to take payment for the right to park. We paid before picking our way along the coast, the first unmisable feature the Blue Lagoon, an abandoned slate quarry given a new lease of life when a passage was blasted through to the sea, making a safe haven for fishing boats.

We continued following the cliff top path, above the Blue Lagoon and another mining operation into staggering coastal scenery. Above Traeth Llyfn we wandered a hidden bay backed by steep cliffs, a staircase descends to a secluded beach, we declined the wind was whipping in off the sea making walking a tad uncomfortable. We continued above Porth Egr and Porth Dwfn and Porth Ffynnon home to the haunting remains of the Porthgain slate mines.

We drifted between the remains of the red brick buildings eking out what shelter we could, the remains of a sunken tramway made for a sheltered walk to Porthgain, after descending a steep flight of steps we wandered along the harbour. The industrial history of this small port was all to evident. Porthgain prospered in the 1900s, slate from the surrounding area was cut into blocks by water powered mills before shipment, later when the slate industry collapsed Porthgain's workforce turned to brick-making and later crushing road stone, a few pleasure craft and the odd fishing boat uses the harbour today. The large red brick hoppers that dominate the harbour make a mighty impressive site.

Sufficiently impressed we grabbed some lunch at The Shed before leaving the village. The access road ushered us inland, half a mile over tarmac before a drive on the right lead to the holiday cottages at Ynys Barry, we passed the cottages, then wandered through the farm to access a farm lane that guided us west. With wire fencing and a stoney surface to keep us on track we wandered to the end of the lane, passed through a gate then descended over field paths back to Aber Eiddy accessing the beach via the row of ruined cottages mentioned earlier.

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home.

Seen from the beach at Abereiddi, Abereiddi Tower.

Abereiddi Bay,

Capturing the whispers of a lost industry the Blue Lagoon.

Moody skies over Pembrokeshire.

Passing above the Blue Lagoon.

Hidden places, Traeth Llyfn seen from Carn Lwyd.

Abereiddi Tower stands proud atop Trarthncastell.

Backed by high lofty cliffs, a hidden gem Traeth Llyfn.

Breathtaking topography along the Pembrokeshire coast.

Echoes of an industrial past, Porthgain Quarry.

Looking down on Porthgain.

Once on the waterfront at Porthgain this small coastal villages industrial past is so evident.

Sue strides out along the quay, dwarfed by the hoppers once the source of the villages wealth.

In the 1900s this small port was a hive of actively, bricks were manufactured in Ty Mawr using waist from the nearby slate quarries, the harbour side hoppers stored road stone. This was crushed and graded before being loaded onto ships, Stone from Porthgain was used to surface roads throughout the UK.

Near Ynys Barry holiday apartments looking over the modern end of Porthgain.

A farm lane....

....and field paths guide us back to Abereiddi.

Viewing Abereiddi from the southern slopes of Carn Lwyd.

The remains of the minors cottages mentioned in the text above.

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