South and South West Wales

[Hedgetrimmer]

This is an area of Wales I've yet to explore, so I was thinking about doing a trip there soon. I'll be looking for some decent roads to ride, places of interest and nice scenery to photograph and the like. I might possibly head for Caerphilly and Cardiff castles on the way, and then head for the Pembrokeshire coast. It may be that I'll need to do more than one day trip to take in what there is to see.

So, Wales Foccers, got any tips of where to head for, what to see? Is there anywhere on the Pembrokeshire coast where you can get to with the bike, park up safely and maybe do a bit of a cliff-top walk, see some of the better parts of this Heritage coast?

Noggy, I'm actually inviting you to get your verbal diarrhoea head on! 

Ta.

[red98]

Pendine sands, a week on tuesday......

[Grayo]

This is an area of Wales I've yet to explore, so I was thinking about doing a trip there soon. I'll be looking for some decent roads to ride, places of interest and nice scenery to photograph and the like. I might possibly head for Caerphilly and Cardiff castles on the way, and then head for the Pembrokeshire coast. It may be that I'll need to do more than one day trip to take in what there is to see.

So, Wales Foccers, got any tips of where to head for, what to see? Is there anywhere on the Pembrokeshire coast where you can get to with the bike, park up safely and maybe do a bit of a cliff-top walk, see some of the better parts of this Heritage coast?

Noggy, I'm actually inviting you to get your verbal diarrhoea head on! 

Ta.

Caerphilly and Cardiff are virtually on my doorstep.
If you want to PM me nearer the time we can meet up and I'll show you some very nice roads.

[noggythenog]

"bear" with me Nick

shall revert with my blurb

[Hedgetrimmer]

"bear" with me Nick

shall revert with my blurb

 

Grayo, thanks for the offer, am definitely interested - just watching the weather for a nice day, so won't be this week, but could be anytime after. As long as you don't mind me dragging you around castles and stopping to take pics of every tree and molehill I see 

[noggythenog]

Right then.

here is what I would suggest for a little Pembrokeshire leg......tried and tested roads that are confirmed good...lots of places on it you might recognise from previous pics of mine...you can maybe pick the bones from it and program into your route planner and see what you think......if you are approaching from the main way in via Carmarthen for speed of access to pembs then you would eventually go to my home town of Haverfordwest:-

Carmarthen to Haverfordwest using the A40,via St.Clears, Whitland, Canaston Bridge (this is just the simplest way into pembs from the west not necessarily the best roads) (BE CAREFUL - JUST AFTER CANASTON BRIDGE YOU GET A 2 LANE STRETCH ONLY A COUPLE MILES LONG AND THE POLICE HIDE AT THE TOP JUST BEFORE IT GOES BACK TO 1 LANE).

At Haverfordwest go A40 which is north briefly but 2nd exit on the roundabout, "right" and continue on the bypass for a couple miles until the next roundabout....at this roundabout take the 3rd exit, "right" onto the B4329 which is the noggy TT circuit, I live about a mile down this road, the first village you get to.........This is what I call the Presseli road as it takes you over the Presseli hills, it is an excellent road and actually I prefer it from the other direction but since you aren't coming down the coast from Aberystwyth/Cardigan then this way would have to do.....still really good....passing through Crundale, Poyston Cross, Bethlehem , Tufton (CAREFUL TUFTON 30mph, POLICE), & then up to the summit of the road where you can stop at the top and admire the views of the Presseli hills and then back towards the West Coast where on a clear day you can see the Milford Haven Waterway entrance or look over the other way towards Cardigan and the north east coast, old slate quarry at rosebush is visible nearby.

Going back down the other side of the Presseli road then you could stop over at "Pentre Ifan" which is a really cool Iron Age burial chamber...well worth a look I think.....back onto the B4329 after a mooch there until you get to "Eglwyswrw"...actually the junction is just before Eglwyswrw and there is a "Murco" petrol station on your left at the junction.

At the above junction take a left onto the A487 which takes you to Fishguard via Newport, Dinas Cross (Newport beach is nice).

At Fishguard go down through lower town, over small bridge, back up the hill and then the first mini roundabout you come to where it starts getting a bit more pedestrian you take a right to go down towards "Goodwick" where the Stena Ferry port is.

From the Fishguard ferry port at Goodwick take the A487 to St.Davids via Mathry, square and compass, Croesgoch, (at Croesgoch you can take a right to Porthgain harbour, lovely little harbour with an ancient old brick factory on one side. Also this bit of coastline is "Abereiddy" where the so called "Blue Lagoon" is....flooded quarry where people do coasteering and they recently started using it as one of the Red Bull diving competition locations.

St.Davids is a bit posh, nice enough but can be filled with people who wear jumpers on their backs like a "bear" skin with the sleeves tied around their front instead of actually going inside the jumper, smallest city in the UK, cathedral etc.

From St.Davids you start coming back down the coastline to the Haverfordwest start point via Solva, Newgale, Roch, Pelcomb Cross.

CAMPING - I would suggest Newgale beach camping site because Newgale is a stunning location if the weather is nice (campsite gets flooded otherwise), there is a pub "Duke of Edinburgh" if you need a hot meal and a pint and as you requested there is easy access from the campsite onto the coastal path and it is a nice trek back up the coast from Newgale to Solva and back....actually possibly a bit too much of a trek there and back without having a half day to commit to it but anyway you can access the coastal path there and it is a nice bit of it with good views back over newgale beach and on the way to solva there are lots of secret bays, ive kayaked from Newgale to Solva and back and theres some gems that you cant get to by road.

I'm gonna stop there for now to take a breather but what ill do maybe tonight is type out the second leg that I would consider........I think by the end of it you'll have probably 1 and a half days worth of riding and site seeing before you even do a coastal path walk,  just in Pembrokeshire which I appreciate you probably wont have time for but I want to get down the rest of the routes that I think are good and a couple more things to see and do in the area that are worthwhile and suited to you.

I think off the top of my head if I just rode that route without all of the stops it would probably take me 1.5 to 2 hours Haverfordwest to Haverfordwest....then.....with stops...how long is a piece of string?.....could easily go into the half day territory I reckon and then youd be half a day walking the path so theres a days worth of stuff already once you get to Pembrokeshire.

[slimwilly]

Noggy,!!!!


what you say ?????????????????????????

[Hedgetrimmer]

Noggy=PHF=Proper Helpful Foccer 

Nice one Noggy, cheers for that. I'll let you know when I'm headed down, just in case it coincides with one of your days off - maybe you could actually lead a guided tour!

I think I'll need to do more than one trip, as there are at least 3 castles I want to see, plus a sniff at the heritage coast, plus riding for the enjoyment. Really, I ought to pop down for a few days with the tent, but I'm still a bit worried about how my back will cope with camping - bending in and out of tents, living in that cramped space etc. Might have to try it though. Can always load up the 'palace' 

Actually, I'm itching to do a short biking holiday - haven't done anything yet this year, only day trips.

[Hedgetrimmer]

Nice one Noggy, cheers for that. I'll let you know when I'm headed down, just in case it coincides with one of your days off - maybe you could actually lead a guided tour!

I think I scared him off     

[noggythenog]

Nice one Noggy, cheers for that. I'll let you know when I'm headed down, just in case it coincides with one of your days off - maybe you could actually lead a guided tour!

I think I scared him off     

Will go to print again tonight Nick when i get access to a proper keyboard but yep fingers crossed im off when you are down and ill be up for being tour guide.

[Grayo]

Noggy=PHF=Proper Helpful Foccer 

Nice one Noggy, cheers for that. I'll let you know when I'm headed down, just in case it coincides with one of your days off - maybe you could actually lead a guided tour!

I think I'll need to do more than one trip, as there are at least 3 castles I want to see, plus a sniff at the heritage coast, plus riding for the enjoyment. Really, I ought to pop down for a few days with the tent, but I'm still a bit worried about how my back will cope with camping - bending in and out of tents, living in that cramped space etc. Might have to try it though. Can always load up the 'palace' 

Actually, I'm itching to do a short biking holiday - haven't done anything yet this year, only day trips.

The route I have planned will probably take a full day before arriving in Noggy Country.


What castles do you want to see Nick ? We have plenty of them.

[bri h]

The gower peninsula is worth a look nick good place to camp right on the beech.  Not sure about the roads as ive only been in the cage.

[noggythenog]

Blurb part 2:-

Part 1 was basically most of the best bits of North Pembrokeshire but of course there's the South to consider also although I don't go South pembs all that often.

I realise that you probably wont have time to do this part but I want to get it down on text anyway so here goes from the campsite at Newgale you carry on down the coast to the start point of Haverfordwest.

From Haverfordwest take the A40 again back out towards Carmarthen until you reach Canaston Bridge.

Take 4th exit at the roundabout "right" onto the A4075 which is a lovely little road with some nice corners and it takes you to "Carew" where you will find Carew Castle.

After Carew castle take a right at the roundabout onto the A477 and not long after hang a left onto the A4075 to Pembroke where you will find the mighty "Pembroke Castle"

From Pembroke take the B4319 followed by the B4320 all the way to the West coast  at "Angle" and more importantly for you as far as "Chapel Bay Fort" which has only recently been opened up the owner after restoration and includes a big ass gun....check out chapelbayfort.com  for details.