TORR HEAD AND FAIR HEAD

Heading north out of Cushendun the Causeway Coastal Route takes on the name Torr Road, and after a few miles there is a turnoff from this to Torr Head.  This headland, with its spectacular views of the Mull of Kintyre, was used in the 1800s to record the passage of Transatlantic ships for Lloyds of London, and the remains of the old lookout station are still visible.  This was also one of the first places where Marconi’s wireless telegraphy system was installed.  Nestled against the headland on Portaleen Bay is a small harbour, a reminder of a former salmon fishery. 

Further north is Murlough Bay, known for its flora, fauna and geology, with birdlife including eider ducks and peregrine falcons.  Beyond the bay is Fair Head, which has been described as Northern Ireland’s tallest cliff face, rising to 600 feet above sea level.  As well as fantastic views along the coast and across to Scotland, there are goods views of Rathlin Island, which lies just across the way.  The headland is popular with rock climbers.  Running around the headland is a path called The Grey Man’s Path.  The Grey Man in question is said to derive from a local legend about a “devil-horse” living in nearby Lough Dhu who wandered along the path disguised as a human and frightened the living daylights out of a local woman called Mary McAnulty. 

Map of the area.

Ballycastle beach, September 2010 (01).  Photo by Ardfern, via Wikimedia Commons.

SENNEN

When I was growing up in Cornwall Sennen was one of my favourite places to go to the beach, with the long sweeping sands of Whitesands Beach backed by sheltered dunes.  Sennen is one of Cornwall’s most popular surfing spots, and not wanting to miss out on the action, I acquired a polystyrene child’s surfboard which was meant to be used lying down.  However one day, in a fit of surfing dude envy, I decided I was going to stand on it and it promptly broke, and that, sadly, was the end of my surfing ambitions.

The village itself is small, with a pub and a small collection of cafes and shops, and a gallery which occupies a building known as the Roundhouse, a distinctive round building which was erected in 1876 to house a large capstan wheel which was previously open to the elements.  And the elements here can be dramatic, given Sennen’s exposed location at the end of the country.  In February 2014 the village was battered by a monster storm during which massive waves up to 200 feet crashed over the shore.  Follow this link for footage of the action.  Up the hill from the village is another pub called the First And Last Inn which is famous for being haunted by a landlady from the 1800s called Annie George.  She was left to drown on the beach after giving evidence of the actions of a notorious local smuggler.  She has been seen roaming the corridors and in her old bedroom, and other manifestations include glasses moving of their own accord.  Sennen was a hive of smuggling activity at that time, when ‘wreckers’ would lure ships to the rocks, kill the crew and loot the cargo.  Tunnels at the pub were used to conceal the contraband.

From Sennen, the South West Coast Path heads past the Mayon Old Coastguard Lookout, and barely a mile further on we come to Land’s End, which is where I started this blog in January 2011!  But don’t go away, because there’s still the Scillies and the coast of Northern Ireland to come.

Map of the area.

Live streaming webcam of the beach.

WIDEMOUTH BAY

Cornish pirates once held sway with a reign of terror here in Widemouth Bay.  The 14^th century was a particularly turbulent time, with groups of robbers and pirates at each others’ throats.  Even the local vicar in the nearby village of Poundstock was embroiled in one of the gangs, a fact which resulted in a grisly end when he was murdered by a band of intruders to his church just after Christmas 1357.  His ghost is rumoured to haunt the area still.  Smuggling was also rife, helped along by the numerous isolated inlets and coves in the area.

All these nefarious activities are forgotten today, as Widemouth Bay proves a magnet for beachgoers, surfers and walkers alike.  There is plenty of interest on the beach itself, with a mix of wide stretches of sand, interesting rock formations and rock pools.  On a sunny day it is worth lingering into the evening, as the sunsets here are legendary.  Bathers should take care as the tide comes in very quickly; in the summer there are lifeguards on duty.  For water sports enthusiasts, as well as the obligatory surfing, there is sailing, windsurfing and canoeing.  The beach is backed by a village of low-slung buildings with a small selection of shops, cafes and holiday accommodation.

Live streaming webcam views of the surf, from Zuma Jay website.

Map of the area. 

Widemouth Sand - geograph.org.uk - 1737611. Photo by Rob Noble, via Wikimedia Commons.

ST DONAT'S

One day in 1925, the newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst was leafing through a copy of Country Life magazine when he came across a 12th century Welsh castle overlooking the Bristol Channel which was up for sale.  He decided to buy it and set about modifying the structure of the castle by adorning one part of it, Bradenstoke Hall, with a roof brought across from Bradenstoke Abbey in Wiltshire - as one does.  The castle in question was St Donat's Castle in the village of the same name - named after the 6th century saint Dunwyd - and during his 12-year tenure Hearst brought a touch of Hollywood glamour to this quiet corner of the South Wales coast by inviting such luminaries as Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks to come and stay there, as well as a young John F Kennedy and the playwright George Bernard Shaw.

The castle, which has curtain walls dating from around 1300, holds the distinction of being the longest continually inhabited castle in Wales.  For many years it was owned by  the Stradling family, and the village church includes monuments to them.  After Hearst sold it in 1937, the castle was requisitioned for use by American and British troops during the Second World War.  Today the castle houses an international secondary school called Atlantic College and an Arts Centre.  Not surprisingly, given its long history, there are a number of ghosts reputed to haunt the castle, including one of Lady Stradling in a long flowing dress and high shoes.  Her appearance, usually in the Long Gallery, is said to be a portent of impending doom.  An old witch-like woman is often seen in the Armoury, while the animal kingdom puts in an appearance in the form of a phantom panther which has been seen in a corridor.  The makers of the recently shown TV series Wolf Hall made use of two of the castle's largest rooms for filming, one of which was the aforementioned Bradenstoke Hall.   

Map of the area. 

Sea Wall at St Donat's Castle - geograph.org.uk - 386849, Vale of Glamorgan. Photo by Peter Wasp, via Wikimedia Commons.

OXWICH

The pretty village of Oxwich with its thatched cottages lies at the western end of Oxwich Bay, where the sandy beach is a magnet for watersports enthusiasts.  At one end of the village is St Illtyd'sChurch, a site originally dating from the 6th century.  The chancel is believed to be a 6th century cell, while the font is alleged to have been brought there by St Illtyd himself.  According to local legend the churchyard is haunted by a white 'ceffyl dwr' (water  horse), which has been seen disappearing into the well at the top of the churchyard.  The other notable building in the village is Oxwich Castle, built by the Mansel family from Tudor times.  The family's coat of arms can be seen on the gateway.  One of the features of the castle typical of those times is the long gallery, built high up with fabulous sea views.  The property is run by Cadw and is open to visitors.  Last year a prehistoric site was discovered on a headland in Oxwich.  The site was exposed by the uncharacteristically dry weather which had prevailed during the summer, although the experts investigating the site had to take to the air to properly discern the shapes in the ground which indicated that there was something there.  For nature lovers there is a National Nature Reserve with a dune system and cliffs offering habitats for a range of wildlife as well as flora such as orchids.  Birds found there include several varieties of warbler and bittern as well as overwintering teal and gadwall.

Map of the area 

St Illtyd's Church, Oxwich - geograph.org.uk - 46956. Photo by Pip Rolls, via Wikimedia Commons

MANORBIER

After the Norman Conquest of England during the 11th century a Norman knight named Odo de Barri received various pieces of land in South Wales as a reward for his efforts during the campaign, one of which was at Manorbier, a few miles from Tenby.  He set about building a wooden  hall surrounded by earthworks on the site.  His son William later improved on his father's endeavours by building a stone castle with a large square tower.  By the end of the 12th century, two high stone curtain walls and a gatehouse had been added.  The De Barri family, who had taken their name from Barry Island which they also owned, and who counted among their number the illustrious priest and author Gerald of Wales, held the castle for over 250 years. It then passed through the hands of a number of successive royal owners.  

The castle saw relatively little action during all of this time, the most dramatic episode having taken place in 1645, when it was seized by Parliamentarians during the English Civil War.  However, most of the castle was derelict by the late 17th century, although what remains today is remarkably intact.  The castle and gardens are open to the public for a large part of the year, and there is holiday accommodation available for rent on the site.  Guests should keep their eyes peeled if venturing outside after dark, when they might catch a glimpse of the castle's resident ghost, a lady in black who has been seen walking purposefully towards the castle entrance before disappearing.

The castle

The castle is surrounded by the charming Manorbier village, with its Norman Church of St James, a contemporary of the castle.  Down below there is a sandy beach served by a car park with an ice cream van during the summer.  The beach is popular with surfers and families alike, although care should be taken due to the strong currents.  The beach is backed by dunes and is crossed by a stream with pebbles containing crinoids and other fossils.  On the headland south of the beach is King's Quoit, a 5,000-year-old burial chamber.

The beach

 Map of the area.

THE HAVENS OF ST BRIDES BAY

The southern half of St Bride's Bay is dominated by a string of havens: Nolton Haven, Druidston Haven, Broad Haven, Little Haven, St Bride's Haven and Martin's Haven.   Broad Haven is the largest and most resort-y of them, with a wide sandy beach backed by a small esplanade.  Nolton Haven once earned its living from the coal industry, and there are tunnels running out to sea from the abandoned mines.  Druidston Haven has a magnificent sandy beach, good for surfing, which is reached by means of a path and this, combined with limited parking, has kept it unspoilt, though there is a hotel with a bar and restaurant overlooking the beach.  The cliffs are partly formed from slate, which harbours graptolite fossils.  St Brides Haven is a sandy cove with rock pools overlooked by the Church of St Bride.  The remains of early Christian graves are visible in the cliffs.  Finally, at the southermost tip of the bay is Martin's Haven, where keen birders may spot choughs and other rare species.  Martin's Haven is the departure point for boat trips to the islands of Skokholm and Skomer.

Just round from Broad Haven is the picturesque fishing village of Little Haven, another former coal port.  At low tide it is possible to walk between the two.  I have saved this one until last as Little Haven is home to one of the most haunted pubs in Pembrokeshire which, this being the month of Halloween, merits a mention.  The Castle Inn, formerly the Castle Hotel, is frequented by a variety of ghostly visitors.  The main one is the White Lady, thought to be the ghost of a woman who owned the property in the 18th century.  She died under mysterious circumstances, her body washed up on the beach with head wounds, whether from murder or other means nobody knows.  Other ghostly occurrences in the building include a dark, heavy-set man who materialises in the bar from the feet up, a tall, thin man who appears at the top of the stairs, and an invisible cat which leaps onto people's beds.  Voices have also been heard, along with the sounds of a poker in an open fire, possibly resurrecting fireside chats from the past.

Live streaming webcam view of Broad Haven beach, from Haven Sports.

Map of the area.

Little Haven from the path leading to The Point - geograph.org.uk - 236629. Photo by Tudor Williams, via Wikimedia Commons.

NEWGALE

The most salient feature of the south-west corner of Wales is a large, semi-circular bay with Ramsey Island just off the northern end and Skomer Island just off the southern end, giving it a pleasingly symmetrical appearance.  This is St Bride's Bay, and towards its mid-point is Newgale with its 2-mile Blue Flag beach pounded by surf, making it a magnet for surfers, windsurfers and swimmers alike.  The beach is backed by a shingle bank which was thrown up by violent storms in 1859.  During the more recent storms which lashed the country earlier this year, Newgale made the news when the passengers of a bus hit by a giant wave had to be rescued.  Accommodation options at Newgale are dominated by the caravan and camping sites, and there are some shops and a pub.  The west-facing aspect of the beach makes for some fabulous sunsets on sunny summer days.  

On the approach to the bay from the south there is a roadside viewpoint with lovely views of the bay.  Also near this road down to the bay is Roch with its 12th century castle rising up from a rocky outcrop.  Once upon a time Pembrokeshire was divided into two distinct areas, the Welsh area and the English or 'Landsker' area.  Castles such as the one at Roch were built on the borders between these areas for defensive purposes.  During the Civil War in the mid-1600s the castle was passed between the two sides like a parcel, and it fell into neglect after the Civil War, but in 1900 Viscount St David undertook extensive restoration work.  The castle is now an elegant hotel, where in addition to its sumptuous facilities guests may get more than they bargained for in the form of a white-clad figure passing through closed doors.  This is thought to be the ghost of one Lucy Walters, former mistress of Charles II, who was born at the castle and who, with Charles, bore an illegitimate son who would become the Duke of Monmouth, leader of the 1685 Monmouth Rebellion, a role which was to lead to his execution.

Live streaming webcam showing surf conditions at Newgale.

Map of the area.

Newgale beach from the cliffs - geograph.org.uk - 1524893. Photo by Andy F, via Wikimedia Commons.

PENRHYN BAY

The quiet resort of Penrhyn Bay sits in the shadow of Little Orme, whose more famous big brother, Great Orme, towers above the adjoining resort of Llandudno.  The shingle beach with its rock pools is lined by sea defences consisting of large boulders.  The bay  started out as a farming community, then in the 19th century limestone quarrying commenced on Little Orme and a narrow gauge railway was built to service the quarry.  The quarrying ceased in 1936, leaving Penrhyn Bay to more pleasurable pursuits, and enabling the creation of a Site of Special Scientific Interest and sanctuary for sea birds.  Energetic visitors can make the climb up to Little Ormes Head from where there are wonderful views. 

The oldest building in the resort is Penrhyn Old Hall, now a restaurant and venue for events.  The hall is said to date back to the 8th century originally, when the last King of the Britons built a palace here.  The Romans are also thought to have passed through, judging by the Roman coins which have been found there.  The house belonged to a powerful Roman Catholic family, the Pughs, in Elizabethan times, and it was the scene of much drama arising from the struggle between the Catholics and Protestants, with some of the Roman Catholics conspiring to put to death the Protestants in the area.  Some of the conspirators went into hiding in a cave on the Little Orme, where they allegedly used a printing press to produce the first book printed in Wales.  The Old Hall is said to be haunted by a number of ghosts, including a monk, a young girl haunting the stairway, a soldier and an old lady.  

Map of the area. 

Bae Penrhyn - geograph.org.uk - 95911. Photo by Dot Potter, via Wikimedia Commons.

TOWYN AND ABERGELE

The last few weeks have seen some dreadful scenes on the British coast with the combination of high spring tides and stormy weather leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.  Faced with all this, the people of Towyn - or Tywyn in Welsh - must have been holding their breath and harbouring terrible feelings of deja vu, since this little resort on the North Wales coast has seen it all before.  On February 26 1990 the sea wall in Towyn was breached by massive waves, causing a large residential area to be inundated with seawater up to 6 feet in depth, invading houses, businesses and caravans.  Up to 6,000 people had to be evacuated, the largest such evacuation since World War II.  The coastal defences which proved unequal to the 1990 event have since been reinforced, and thankfully seem to have held up in the recent flooding episode, although neighbouring Kinmel Bay and Rhyl were sadly hit by flooding last week. 

Towyn is a small family-friendly seaside resort, while Abergele lies slightly inland, apart from the beach suburb of Pensarn, where there have been reported sightings of a ghost ship.  The main point of historical interest in Abergele is Gwrych Castle and Gardens, which lies just to the west of the town and can be clearly seen from the A55 road.  Although it looks older, the castle was constructed between 1819 and 1825.  The castle was used to house Jewish refugees during World War II, then later it opened its doors to visitors, with attractions in the grounds which included a miniature railway and a small zoo.  There were also holiday apartments available for rent.  Sadly, this all ended in 1985 when the castle was closed to the public and went into a decline.  Now the castle is up and running again, and is open to visitors daily.  A visit there could prove to be an eventful one, because the castle is one of the most haunted properties in Wales.  The castle is full of tales of apparitions, cowering, terrified dogs, the sound of galloping horses' hooves, strange smells and cold spots. 

Map of the area. 

Gwrych Castle. Photo by Dot Potter, via Wikimedia Commons.

MORECAMBE

Halloween may be over, but that's no reason not to share a good ghost story.  The Midland Hotel in Morecambe was built in 1933 in the art deco style.  During World War II the hotel was used as a hospital for officers of the RAF, and its cellar was used as a mortuary.  This may explain the ghostly occurrences that have manifested themselves within its walls.  There have been reports of a misty figure which apparently has the ability to operate the lift.  The figure would emerge from the cellar and float towards the lift, whereupon the lift doors opened, allowing the figure to enter.  The doors then closed again and the lift ascended complete with its nebulous passenger.  It is said that these events caused the hurried resignation of several members of hotel staff.

Over the years following the post-war period the hotel, along with the resort as a whole, went into a decline.  In fact Morecambe deteriorated to the point where it was included in a book called Crap Towns about some of the most dismal locations in Britain.  However, the authorities have made sterling efforts to turn things around.  The Midland Hotel was renovated and reopened in 2008, still retaining the artworks by the controversial artist Eric Gill which graced the original building.  His work called "Odysseus Welcomed from the Sea by Nausicaa" has pride of place behind the main reception desk.  All of which is fitting treatment for a hotel which in its early days was frequented by the likes of Coco Chanel and Noel Coward.   Another listed building is the Morecambe Winter Gardens, aka the Victoria Pavilion, which is being looked after by a preservation trust.  Meanwhile, the promenade has been enhanced with the addition of public artworks such as sculptures of the Morecambe Bay birdlife.  Another point of interest on the seafront is the statue of Eric Morecambe of comedy duo Morecambe and Wise, whose original surname was Bartholomew but who renamed himself after the town of his birth.

The leisure activities on offer in the resort are many and varied.  Active types can enjoy a round of golf at the Golf Club, learn to sail at the Bay Sea School or take a guided Cross Bay walk across the treacherous sands of Morecambe Bay.  Morecambe is also the eastern terminus of the Way of the Roses Cycle Route, the other end being Bridlington.  For the kids, there is the Wacky Warehouse.   The Winter Gardens offers ghost hunts along with its other more conventional entertainments.

Live streaming webcam.

Map of the area. 

Midland Hotel, Morecambe, Lancashire, England-31Aug2010 (1). Photo by Tom Heyes, via Wikimedia Commons

CASTLETOWN

Castletown, the former capital of the Isle Of Man, is a pleasant, smart little town with narrow, twisting streets dominated by the medieval Castle Rushen, which overlooks the small harbour.  The town is on the northwest side of Castletown Bay, and is just one mile from the airport.  Built for a Norse king in 1265, with further developments between the 13th and 16th centuries, the castle is remarkably well preserved for its age.  As well as the vaulted rooms and halls of the interior, visitors can enjoy the views of the coast and countryside from the castle walls.  A large number of executions were carried out in the castle, so it is no surprise that it has a reputation for hauntings, most notably the mysterious woman in grey, thought to be the ghost of an innocent woman who was executed for killing her son.  Isle Of Man Ghost Tours organises ghost walks around the castle.  

Castle Rushen, from the town side

Another notable building in the town is the Old House Of Keys, where the Tynwald - the island's parliament - used to convene.  One of the Tynwald's former members, a colourful local character called Captain George Quayle, had a yacht called Peggy, named after his mother and probably one of the earliest yachts to be built, having been launched in 1791.  During the time the yacht was in use it is believed to have been used for smuggling among other activities. After the death of the real Peggy, Quayle locked the boat away in a harbourside boathouse, and there it remained until it was rediscovered in 1935.  The boathouse Quayle built for the Peggy now houses the Nautical Museum, where the Peggy has pride of place.  The museum includes a number of quirky features which are a reminder of the inventiveness and eccentricity of Quayle.  To the south of the town is the Scarlett Visitor Centre with displays of the island's flora and fauna and a nature trail along the coastline.  Birdwatchers should be on the lookout for wheatears, stonechats and meadow pipits as well as the many seabirds.

The harbour

Webcam view of Castletown Bay.

Map of the area.