Ilkeston Cam On Holiday
In South West Wales - Part Two
Stackpole Estate
The
photos on this page were taken on Sunday 14th July
The National
Trust is Britain's largest conservation organisation committed
to preserving the countryside and coastline as well as buildings,
gardens and landscape parks. This area of coastline on the Pembrokeshire
Coastal Path not only lies within one of Britain's National Parks
but also in the Trust's
Stackpole Estate.
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From the same
headland I looked in the opposite direction down to the Information
Centre and Tea Room at Stackpole Quay.
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And looking
across the Quay to the cliff tops, a steady stream of people
could be seen trekking westwards along the Coastal Path. I decided
to follow them and descended to Stackpole Quay.
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Down at sea
level, here is another view of the Quay but notice also the tilted
rock strata on the left. I ascended the cliffs to the right and
at the top an information board provided the following information.
"Stackpole
Quay is on the boundary between the Old Red Sandstone cliffs
which stretch to the east and the grey Carboniferous Limestone
to the south and west. The limestone layers were tilted into
a vertical position by the collision of two continents about
290 million years ago. This tiny harbour was constructed by the
Cawdor family more than two hundred years ago. Several hundred
tons of limestone were formerly shipped from here each year and
enormous amounts of coal were imported by boat to provide fuel
for Stackpole Court. Coal was also used to burn lime in the nearby
limekiln. Today the harbour is used by local boatmen."
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I read the
board whilst gathering my breath after a stiff climb up a number
of steps and then a short walk over the cliffs brought me in
sight of the secluded Barafundle Beach. Grazing cattle looked
perilously close to the edge of the cliff above the crevices
and caves of the coast and I wondered if any of them ever ended
up in the sea!
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But it was
now time to return and in the courtyard of the Information Centre
where morning coffee was being served, large pots of plants enhanced
the already pleasant surroundings. I thought that this rope had
also been put to excellent decorative effect.
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