Stackpole Estate clifftop walk

A `must visit` place in Pembrokeshire is the NT Stackpole estate which has some of the most stunning coastal views to be found anywhere. It’s difficult to imagine the many buildings that may have graced the Stackpole Court site over the centuries. Occupied since Norman times, the Stackpole Estate has seen its fair share of boom and bust over the centuries.

The Campbells built the early Georgian mansion of Stackpole Court in the Palladian style in the 1730s on the site of the earlier fortified house.

Two world wars heralded a century of decline at Stackpole. Half of the estate, around 6,000 acres, was requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence to form Castlemartin Range in 1938.

Sir John Campbell II inherited the estate in 1777 and began landscaping work on a grand scale. What was once a valley was later flooded to create the Bosherston Lakes, as part of a designed landscape, and thousands of trees were planted.

Thirteen years later, what was left of this historic estate was broken up and the farms were sold. Thankfully the coast, woods and lakes passed to the National Trust and were saved for the nation.

Stackpole Quay - the start of our walk

The first sight of Barafundle Bay and its magnificent sandy beach. Barafundle is a jewel of a beach set between limestone cliffs and backed by dunes and woods. This secluded bay can only be reached by a cliff path walk from Stackpole Quay, with steep steps at either end.

Looking back along Barafundle Beach.

The far end of the bay before you head into the trees to continue your walk.

More of the Stackpole coastline

Church Rock

And the small bay just beyond.

The famous Bosherston Lakes were created 200 years ago to provide a backdrop to Stackpole Court. Sadly, the house was finally demolished in 1963. The bridge is usually called the Eight Arch Bridge. I wonder why?

From the bridge we walked back toward Stackpole Quay and the chance to get a coffee and something for lunch. I believe that you can go on a slightly longer route than we did but ours was about 4 miles and was long enough for us today.

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Little Haven & Broad Haven

Pembrokeshire is one of our favourite places in the UK, and the small island of Skomer off the coast with it's amazing wildlife, an obvious attraction. So, with this in mind we booked a cottage in Little Haven which is an area we have stayed in before, and is not too distant from the embarkation point for the island. The weather did not look to promising when we arrived and was not much better on the Sunday, resulting in the cancellation of the ferry. Monday is a rest day which left us with fingers crossed for our last day of tuesday!

Little Haven as we walked down the hill toward the village from our holiday cottage.

On Broad Haven beach but not sure what this gate is for!

Little Haven beach - such crowds!

Some patterns in the sand.

Settlands Beach and flowers taken on the path above as we walked between the two Havens. I just loved the colours against the fluffy clouds in the blue sky.

Rosey contemplating the empty beach, and some colours in stones. It is amazing how many colours can be seen in stones piled on beaches.

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Swallowtails at Strumpshaw Fen

Swallowtail butterflies are large, colourful butterflies that form the family Papilionidae. Swallowtails differ from all other butterflies in a number of anatomical traits. Most notably, their caterpillars possess a unique organ behind their heads, called the osmeterium. Normally hidden, this forked structure can be everted when the caterpillar is threatened, and emits smelly secretions containing terpenes. The adults are often tailed like the forked tail of some swallows, giving the insect its name.

During the 20th century, especially after the Second World War, fen land management ceased and much of this butterfly’s habitat was lost. Today active management of the fen land, where reed and sedge are cut to allow other plants to grow, plays an important part in the survival of the swallowtail in Norfolk. With this continued fen land management, the future for the swallowtail looks brighter. 

On our visit to Strumpshaw Fen, we expected to have to search around for a while before seeing the Swallowtail. However, we walked into the site and found a crowd of people photographing them just by the visitor center! 

So we need not have gone any further. Having travelled to Norfolk though, we spent a few pleasant hours exploring this lovely site. Well worth a visit.

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Mullon & Duddon Sands

So, last day, and where shall we go which is not too far away? So the choice was to the nearest coastal area, a few miles south and the town of Mullon, on the edge of the Duddon sands. The town looked a bit of a dump being dull and unkempt, having nothing particular to catch the eye. Parking? Prizes are available for finding anything!! First though, we carried on through the town to an RSPB site called Hodbarrow.

In the past this area, the Hodbarrow mine at Millom was one of the most successful iron ore mines in Cumberland (now Cumbria) not only for the amount of ore that was excavated but also for the quality of the Haematite.

Mining had been tried at Millom before 1855 but with little success. Two men Nathaniel Caine and John Barratt formed the Hodbarrow Mining Company in around 1855. One of the biggest problems at Hodbarrow was due to water and when the old workings collapsed the low lying areas flooded leaving the company with very little choice but to press on and in 1868 extra boreholes were sank and a huge body of Haematite was discovered. 

In 1869 work began on shaft No.1, No.2 and No.3 but shaft No.2 had to be abandoned in 1870 due to flooding, so work had to be started on a new shaft No4 which was operational around 1874. The problems with sand & water became worse, and in 1880 a large embankment was built but this was not as successful as first hoped. The Haematite, which came out of Hodbarrow, was some of the best in the area and was very highly valued. A second sea defence was built in the early 1900s to protect the mines and workings from the sea. This proved very successful and is still in good shape today. 

The Hodbarrow mine ceased production in 1967 after 112 years. In 1968 the iron works closed it doors for the last time.

The remains of Haverigg Mill, Hodbarrow 

The reserve continues to be protected from the sea by a seawall completed in 1905. Most of the area of the reserve is taken up by Hodbarrow Lagoon, a flooded part of the former mine, which is described as a "coastal lagoon", the largest coastal lagoon in Cumbria. 

Great looking site but, like all sites, would need a few visits to appreciate what was visible and when. Still, a lovely morning walk and Rosey had some great images of a warbler. 

Then, back to town for lunch but no joy parking so back to the cottage to finish off the odds and bits left in the fridge. 

On the way back we encountered our first rain of the week. Pretty good for the lake District I would say. 

Then some packing ready for the off early tomorrow.

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Ulpha Slate mines

We knew there were some old slate mine workings near our cottage, so on thursday we went for a walk in the woods near our cottage to explore these disused slate mines. I believe this one was called Common Wood Slate Mine, Ulpha.There is a group of these old quarries north of Ulpha. They may have been worked from the 17th century until about 1925.

The road up to the quarries is built of slabs of slate on edge set into clay. As you climb the road(!!) you can see there was a stream running down it - probable in the wet weather.

The path/road was lined by carpets of Wild garlic and on the descent, by bluebells as well.

At the top of the track, the first thing you see is the ruins of the manager's house where William Casson moved in after his marriage in 1896. It may have been an early barn conversion. William Casson managed the quarries for the Ulpha Slate Company and the Ulpha Green Slate Company and finally on his own behalf as a slate dealer after the quarries were worked out.

It is a strange sensation standing on the top of the abandoned slag heaps amongst the wood which have grown up since the mines were abandoned. It was well worth the walk amongst the ruins in the beautiful woods, which are now an area of special scientific interest.

View of surrounding countryside from the top

Note the old gate post with holes drilled into the block.

There are some entrances to the old quarry for underground workings, one called Chaddock's level, a tunnel with two blind branches. It is dry, whereas others we looked in were very wet and muddy!. 

A walk back to the cottage for a coffee, cake and dinner (and rest) before taking a short drive for some photos along the River Duddon through the Duddon Valley, with Stickle Pike as a backdrop.

The view toward Stickle Pike from near our cottage

The river Duddon near to Ulpha Bridge and the bridge itself.

Some other views from nearby on the banks of the river Duddon.

Farm building and tree. Would have looked better in the evening light!

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Tarn Howe and Langdale

Wednesdays agenda was some walks around the area called Langdale which is just above Coniston and about 3 miles west of Ambleside.

On the way, and just past Coniston, we stopped at a NT car park for a short walk up to Tarn Hows Cottages. The views well worth the steep ascent although we only went to the cottages and not to the tarn at the top.

The pathway up. 

More views across the valley. 

So, after finding our parking spot at Skelwith Bridge, we had a coffee and a huge slice of battenberg cake before heading out on the walk beside the river Brathay toward Skelwith Force 

We reached Skelwith Force, a waterfall which normally has a large volume of water passing through, if not a very high drop. However, in this dry spell, it was not as spectacular as normal, but worth seeing and photographing. 

Could have mistaken this deformed tree for a dog? Well I think so. 

Just loved the colours of this plant growing by the pathway. 

Am I supposed to squeeze through this? 

Rosey negotiating a rather narrow stile, I suppose you would call it. And then surveying our way forward. 

They do have a sense of humour round here! 

From there we continued along a beautiful track toward Great Langdale Beck and Colwith Force waterfall. Again, a bit low but worth a look. 

Nearly back to the start. 

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