2019-10-27 Creswell Quay
On Sunday 27th October Carolyn and Dennis Hills led the 11 Carmarthen and 13 Pembrokeshire Ramblers on a pleasant ten-mile walk in south Pembrokeshire. The walk took in two nature reserves, the French Mill in Carew, Carew Castle and St Mary’s church in Carew Cheriton. They were blessed with a beautiful sunny day with temperatures just reaching double figures following a few days of wet weather.
The walk started in Cresswell Quay from where they walked past the iconic Cresselly Arms pub and followed a footpath that climbed steeply through trees at first, but then more gradually as they crossed an open field to reach a country road. Crossing the road, they followed the edge of a field of barley to emerge onto a quiet lane at Pickroad. They followed this lane for about a mile and a half past New Park and Lower House Farm. At West Williamston they headed to Williamston Park nature reserve where they sat alongside the tidal flats of the Carew River to enjoy a morning coffee break with views looking across the outgoing tide in the Carew river estuary toward Lawrenny. The group crossed the dam of the French Tidal Mill by Carew Castle and on to the the Carding Mill Nature Trail that led through an attractive wetland area then re-joined their path where they had a good view of the old fortified rectory at Carew Cheriton. A foot path post sported the marker that the South of the Landskeer Trail passed through the rectory grounds. Then to St. Mary’s Church for lunch in some pleasant warm sunshine. The church dates from the 1300’s and houses interesting effigies as well as a fascinating old charnel house on the grounds.
From Milton they retraced their outward loop back to Carew, walking past Carew Castle and at the Celtic Cross crossed the road bridge over the mill pond. At the lane on the other side they used steps up to a stile onto a path which went uphill past a sports field, then circled around a huge stone quarry operation and across fields to Rosemary Lane and across country to Pisgah Farm. They turned right along the road, passing a row of quaint old cottages, and then took a footpath on their left and this led them down the hill and across fields to a stream where the valley led back to Cresswell Quay.
