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IN AND AROUND
THE PRESELI HILLS
Truly
an area of magic and mystery, the Preseli hills
cast a spell on whoever visits them. The area is
steeped in Celtic tradition and mythology. Prehistoric
sites, hill forts and the remains of burial chambers
abound – proof that for many centuries man
has had very strong associations with this mystical
landscape. It is an area of such great, rugged
beauty that it’s no wonder that so many walkers
and sightseers just can’t resist it. There
are many excellent walks across the hills including
the circular Preseli walk which follows
the coastal path from Fishguard to Newport then
along to Poppit Sands
before turning inland towards St Dogmaels, through
Cilgerran and Boncath to Crymych, across the Preselis
to the Gwaun valley and back to Fishguard.
Crymych
Crymych stands astride the busy Narberth-Cardigan
road. It is a good starting point
for walks along the Golden Road and other
Preseli walks,
especially with the advent of the new Green Dragon
walker’s bus, which links Crymych with Maenclochog
and Newport. From Crymych you also can walk up
Frenni Fawr – the 3rd highest peak in the
Preselis. Or visit 6½ acres of landscaped
gardens at nearby Bro Meigan. One of the largest
villages in
the Preseli area, Crymych has a population of about
600, with a Cinema/Theatre y Gromlech, swimming
pool and leisure centre. There is a good selection
of
shops in the village including excellent butchers
and Siop Sian which sells a wide selection of Welsh
books and goods. The name of the village is derived
from the 'Crymych Arms Hotel', which itself originated
as a farm standing on the convergence of six roads.
During the 18th and 19th century, the village formed
one of the collection points for the cattle that
were herded along the drovers’ route. This
followed the rutted prehistoric trackway along
the crest of the Preseli ridge from Puncheston
in the
west.
Efailwen
There is not a lot to Efailwen now, but its history
is of the utmost importance, for it was here
that the erection of a toll gate in 1839 sparked
the Rebecca riots. A stone alongside the road
is near where the gates stood.
The Rebecca Riots
happened between 1839 and 1842 and were a protest
against the high tolls having
to be paid on the Turnpike Roads.
More about this
can be found in History and Hidden Treasures
in the ‘In and Around the Preselis’ section.
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Fishguard Lower Town Harbour |
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Fishguard
There are three distinct areas of Fishguard:
the area around the harbour, busy with large
ferries
and boats bound for Ireland; Fishguard town itself
and the Lower Town – a pretty collection
of houses nestling alongside the quay and made
famous
as the location for the film version of Under
Milk Wood and the Orson Welles’ classic
Moby Dick.
The last invasion ever mounted on these shores occurred
close by Fishguard (there is more detail in the History
and Hidden Treasures section). The French signed
the surrender in the Royal Oak Inn at Fishguard and
the table, where the treaty was signed, still holds
pride of place in the inn. A tapestry commemorating
the event is on display all year round and a commemoration
ceremony takes place each year on the anniversary
of the invasion.
Llysyfran Reservoir
The largest game fishery in West Wales, Llysyfran
Reservoir is a 212 acre mixed rainbow and wild
brown trout fishery. Facilities include a fleet
of 30 boats,
extensive disabled angling facilities, and
a visitor centre and restaurant. There is
also
a seven and
a half miles cycle trail right around the reservoir.
An excellent countryside visit for families.
Maenclochog
This large hilltop village is an ideal centre
for exploring the Preselis. The very English
looking
Church in the middle of the village belies
the fact that this is a very Welsh village
with a
proud tradition.
In recent years, plays have been staged on
the village green, involving seemingly most
of the
village. The
name Maenclochog comes from the Welsh ‘maen’ meaning
stone and ‘clochog’ which means
bell-like. It is said that the two large
stones which used to
stand near the road to the south west of
the church, could be rung to summon help
if the villagers are
in danger. Maenclochog once had a castle – the
present church of St Mary stands on a circular
mound and traces of an early mediaeval Motte
have been
discovered near by. The Castle Hotel in the
centre of the village is now sadly near derelict.
Mynachlogddu
In the heart of the Preselis, Mynachlogddu
is close to the rock outcrop known as Carn
Menyn (OS 142325) where, it is said, originated
the bluestones that form the inner circle
at Stonehenge. Legend has it that they were
taken overland to what is now Milford Haven
and then floated by raft down the Severn
Estuary to Wiltshire – but exactly
how is hotly debated. In 2000 an unsuccessful
Millennium project to replicate this amazing
feat resulted in a bluestone sinking in Milford
Haven. It was later rescued and now stands
in the National Botanical Gardens near Carmarthen.
Nevern
One of the prettiest villages in the whole
of Pembrokeshire, Nevern has a beautiful
Norman church with a very
impressive 10th century St Brynach’s
Celtic cross outside and the famous ‘bleeding
yew’ trees
which line the path to the porch. in
particular the second tree on the right
is a 700 year old ‘Bleeding
Tree’. Blood-red resin drips continuously
from a place where a branch was once
removed.
Newport
This delightful, small town, known in Welsh
as Trefdraeth, was given its charter before
1215 so its history goes back a very long
way. In centuries gone by it was an important
seafaring town with traders and fishermen
plying their trade. Now it is yachts, dinghies
and other pleasure craft that occupy the
moorings. The wide sandy beach is a major
attraction. A variety of shops selling work
by local artists and craftsmen, textiles
from Pembrokeshire mills and local designers,
books, herbal medicines, wholefoods, gifts,
antiques and equestrian supplies.
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St Brynach Church, Pontfaen |
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Pontfaen
In the beautiful Gwaun Valley, you should see
the pretty little church of St Brynach at
Pontfaen with its 9th century memorial stones.
And
don’t
forget to pay a visit to The Duffryn Arms – an
experience not to be missed – no bar,
but a hatch to serve you from with beer that’s
not pumped but poured into a jug straight
from the barrel.
Rosebush
Rosebush is the highest village in the Preseli
Hills and was once the terminus of the Maenclochog
railway. The quarries at Rosebush exported
huge quantities of slate – in fact
slates from here were used on the roof of
the Houses of Parliament. But as the slate
industry dwindled under competition from
North Wales, the owner turned to tourism.
He created ornamental lakes, gardens and
tried to create a spa resort. Sadly, it never
took off.
Today, the huge quarries
and quarry buildings remain, the delightful row
of workers’ cottages
and the reconstructed railway station. There
is also a restaurant and the famous Tafarn
Sinc, a pub with goog food and real character
not least because of it’s construction
from corrugated metal! From Rosebush you
can walk up past Pant Mawr Farm towards Foelcwmcerwyn
- the highest peak in the Preseli with magnificent
views.
St Dogmaels
This is a pretty fishing village on the Teifi
estuary, the
12th St Dogmaels Abbey. There's
also a restored flourmill,
now in
full production
again.
< Back
Also in this
section:
- Hidden
Treasures - Areas to Discover
- Narberth and the Landsker Borderlands
- Pembrokeshire's
Secret Waterway
- St David's Peninsula
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