Leaving Nolton Haven there is a gradual climb up to the Black Cliff to at a height of almost eighty metres (two hundred and fifty feet). On the way you pass the impressive rock feature, 'Ricket's Head'. The path weaves in and out on this stretch, little headlands obstructing the view so that as you walk over the rises unexpected feasts for the eyes are unveiled. Yellow broom showed bright against emerald green grasses and wild flowers lined the verges, Blue Bells scattered across the hillside. Lying injured on the footpath, we came across a beautifully coloured Cinnabar moth (Tyria jacobaeae), that had sadly been injured and was missing half of its right upper wing.
At the end of the Black Cliff there is a nice view along the length of Newgale Sands and we took the first opportunity to clamber down the rocks and on to the beach to walk along the water's edge. This is a sandy beach at low tide, with shingle when the tide is in. There is a huge, naturally-formed, shingle bank at the back of the beach, the result of a major storm in 1859. The beach stretches from one side to the other for a distance of two miles and, with clear skies and good light there is an immense feeling and perception of space. It was a long walk over the sands and by the end, with aching calve muscles, we were ready for a break. There is a nice little cafe (Sands Cafe) just off the route of the path and we stopped here for a second breakfast and a welcome cup of coffee.
The route drops down a little as you approach the small cove and beach of Cwm-bach, before rising again for a rollercoaster walk as you head out towards the headlands of Dinas Fach and Dinas Fawr. With elevation, the views back along Newgale Sands and out on to St Bride's Bay through the little cove, were lovely. This is absolutely sublime walking; the views outstanding and the walking, on a reasonably good path, just enough to make you feel you are doing a day's work. Sadly, the quickly taken photograph of Dinas Fach just misses out on a nice little archway just a few yards before it.
Dinas Fawr is closed in on either side by the beaches of Aber Dwyrain on the east and Aber West to the west, with two further beaches on this stretch, Porth y Bwch and Porth Gwyn. The mouth of the River Solva is a lovely little inlet, with a sandy beach on the east bank of the river, lying below The Gribbin Headland which leads up to the village. The river is only about ten miles long, nonetheless, it does carry a flooding risk in times of heavy rain and exceptional high tides, particularly to Lower Solva village. Solva is essentially two villages with Lower Solva down by the harbour and contained in the valley, and Solva village sittiing atop the hills to the west of the river.
The approaches to the inlet are lovely and there are great views out over the sea. From the high point of the walk to the village there is a gradual decline, with a bump at the little cove of Gwadn, before a climb up on to The Gribbin for the last walk in. Just before you drop down here there is a headland running off to your left, Penrhyn, at the end of which there is a rock just off the mainland called St Elvis Rock. There were some really nice sections on the Gribbin with lovely hedgerow and wild flowers. It was about 3.00pm before we reached the village and we were pretty tired from the walking. The village has a number of amenities, including cafes and restaurants. Making our way up the river, over the bridge and back down the other side of the river, we stopped at 'Cafe on the Quay' for lunch where the staff were very helpful. While I lingered over coffee after lunch, sitting enjoying the view, Jo disappeared to the shops to buy supplies.
The afternoon route split neatly in to to three, separated by two gullies. The sea to our left shimmered and glittered with diamonds for most of the afternoon. This period of the day had a very spritual component to it, one imagining the beliefs such a site would have raised in the minds of Ancient Peoples who would have imbued nature in all its beauty with an other-worldly significance. Our view of the rock feature, The Cradle, showing almost black against the narrow rays of silver light beaming down from the skies, was stunning.