Hundleton to Pembroke Dock

Walk 9 - about 5 miles, 2 1/2 hours, 3rd August.

I knew this was going to be a not very exciting walk, but necessary to get me close to the Cleddau Bridge. Surprisingly, much of the walk was in fact not on tarmac but on paths along the river bank. Early on I met a lot of eye-level ragwort, knotweed and nettles which indicated to me that not a lot of people do this part of the Coast Path.

Not far from Hundleton there's a dip down to the Pembroke river to a place called Quoit's Mill - a water mill which only exists in name now. A small boat lay abandoned on the low tide mud and on the other side of the lane was a huge tap with water gushing out. This would be a great rival to Thomas the Tap, which Dŵr Cymru / Welsh Water used to take to the Eisteddfod to amuse the children.

A mile of road followed from here which took me through Monkton and down into Pembroke. According to my guide book legend has it that there is a tunnel from Monkton vicarage garden down to Pembroke Castle, though quite what for I'm not sure. Pembroke changed sides to the Royalist cause in the Civil War having originally supported Cromwell. The latter didn't take kindly to this and laid siege to the town for 48 days, ultimately dismantling part of the Castle and punishing the turncoat town mayor by death.

However, today the castle was looking grand in the sun, all decked out with tourists on every battlement.

It must have been an intimidating experience to arrive by water at the castle and go through this gate - rather like the Tower of London.

The route to Pembroke Dock involved a number of stone 'squeeze' stiles, plus two sets of stepping stones across small streams. A steep climb then took me up to Pennar, at the western end of Pembroke Dock.

Bits of Pembroke Dock feel as if you are in a massive museum, with so many restored naval / military buildings - but somehow they lack any pzazz or charisma. Perhaps that's not what such buildings should have, but they do look a bit forlorn without any personnel. The Garrison Chapel is now looking lovely, thanks to the Heritage Lottery fund - let's hope that some use is made of it once the works are complete, not just leaving it to be gawped at from the outside.

One of the distinguishing features of both Pembroke and Pembroke Dock are the rows of Pembroke cottages - single storey, double fronted houses - built as workmen's / dockyard workers' dwellings in the early 19th C. Not very glamorous perhaps, but very much part of the local architecture.

Total now walked: 55.5 miles out of 186