The coast of Pembrokeshire is, in my opinion, the most spectacular stretch of the Welsh coast, largely due to its soaring cliffs and dramatic headlands. As we move out towards the open sea from St Dogmaels we encounter the first of these headlands, Cemaes Head, which can be reached via a well-worn circular route starting from St Dogmaels or Poppit Sands. The geology of the headland is laid bare for all to see, with crumpled layers of rock bearing witness to the upheavals of the past. The cliffs here, at 550 feet high, are the highest in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, and are a nesting area for guillemots, cormorants and fulmars, while the base of the cliffs is an important breeding area for Atlantic Grey Seals - you may spot them basking on the shore if you can bear to look down. If you point your eyes heavenwards, you may see chough as well as birds of prey such as kestrels and buzzards, and bottlenose dolphins are often seen out to sea. Other charming creatures to look out for are the grazing ponies who do a great job keeping the vegetation under control, which in turn helps the chough by improving their grassland habitat. There are lovely views of the Teifi Estuary and Cardigan Island to the north from the top of the headland.
Map of the area.
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| Cliffs on Cemaes Head, Pembrokeshire Coast - geograph.org.uk - 430187. Photo by Philip Halling, via Wikimedia Commons. |
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