Pembrokeshire

This cleft has been hand-driven through the relatively soft and friable Ordovician shales and forms the upper part of an old access route to the beach at Porth Maenmelyn, Pembrokeshire, Wales. After emerging from the cleft, the 'path' continues steeply down the cliff face over a series of roughly cut steps in the soft shale. At times there appears to have been a fixed rope for use as a hand hold, but at the time of the visit, the rope was mostly hanging loose and free or missing altogether in parts. Under foot, the path is very degraded: shaly, slippery and exposed, with a dangerous drop to the seaward side. Not recommended at all! Take very great care if you decide to descend to the beach this way. I never went beyond the end of the cleft, preferring to carry on living. You have been warned.

Pillow lavas of the Porth Maenmelyn Volcanic Formation (Ordovician, Llanvirn age) are well exposed adjacent to the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path just above and to the north of the eponymous bay. These pillow lavas were formed by a submarine eruption, probably in an island arc setting, probably in not particularly deep water. The southerly dip (to the right in the photo) is mostly due to subsequent uplift and folding.

Originally uploaded for the Guesswhere UK group. An excellent storm beach at Aberbach, a nice secluded spot on the north-west Pembrokeshire coast. There is no vehicular access to this place.

Description on the memorial at Landshipping Quay, Pembrokeshire.

Description in Welsh on the memorial at Landshipping Quay, Pembrokeshire.

Names, with ages, of those killed in the Landshipping colliery disaster. This small but poignant memorial overlooks the Landshipping Pill and Daugleddau River at Landshipping Quay, Pembrokeshire, Wales. The memorial was erected in honour of the 40 miners killed in Pembrokeshire's worst ever coal mining disaster on 14th February 1844, when the rising tide broke through into a mine roadway heading out from the Garden Pit under the estuary with very little depth of cover to the sea bed. There are several contemporary accounts of the disaster which vary somewhat in the details, and are summarised here: www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/Carm/Landshipping.htm www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/wales/posts/landshipping_mining_disas... Having worked underground in the coal mines of Yorkshire and South Wales, I find these stories especially moving. Even today, I feel there is an intense sadness about this place which still lingers, even on a bright sunny day. A memorial service for the lost miners (which included children and probably some women too) is held annually on St Valentine's Day at St Burnett's Hill Chapel nearby.

This is small but poignant memorial overlooks the Landshipping Pill and Daugleddau River at Landshipping Quay, Pembrokeshire, Wales. The memorial was erected in honour of the 40 miners killed in Pembrokeshire's worst ever coal mining disaster on 14th February 1844, when the rising tide broke through into a mine roadway heading out from the Garden Pit under the estuary with very little depth of cover to the sea bed. There are several contemporary accounts of the disaster which vary somewhat in the details, and are summarised here: www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/Carm/Landshipping.htm www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/wales/posts/landshipping_mining_disas... Having worked underground in the coal mines of Yorkshire and South Wales, I find these stories especially moving. Even today, I feel there is an intense sadness about this place which still lingers, even on a bright sunny day. A memorial service for the lost miners (which included children and probably some women too) is held annually on St Valentine's Day at St Burnett's Hill Chapel nearby.

This is a wide-angle view westwards over the Landshipping Pill and Daugleddau River at low tide from Landshipping Quay, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Close by here is a small but poignant memorial to the 40 miners killed in Pembrokeshire's worst ever coal mining disaster on 14th February 1844, when the rising tide broke through into a mine roadway heading out from the Garden Pit under the estuary with very little depth of cover to the sea bed. There are several contemporary accounts of the disaster which vary somewhat in the details, and are summarised here: www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/Carm/Landshipping.htm www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/wales/posts/landshipping_mining_disas... Having worked underground in the coal mines of Yorkshire and South Wales, I find these stories especially moving. Even today, I feel there is an intense sadness about this place which still lingers, even on a bright sunny day. A memorial service for the lost miners (which included children and probably some women too) is held annually on St Valentine's Day at St Burnett's Hill Chapel nearby.

Originally uploaded for the Guesswhere UK group. This is a view westwards over the Landshipping Pill and Daugleddau River at low tide from Landshipping Quay, Pembrokeshire, Wales. Close by here is a small but poignant memorial to the 40 miners killed in Pembrokeshire's worst ever coal mining disaster on 14th February 1844, when the rising tide broke through into a mine roadway heading out from the Garden Pit under the estuary with very little depth of cover to the sea bed. There are several contemporary accounts of the disaster which vary somewhat in the details, and are summarised here: www.welshcoalmines.co.uk/Carm/Landshipping.htm www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/wales/posts/landshipping_mining_disas... Having worked underground in the coal mines of Yorkshire and South Wales, I find these stories especially moving. Even today, I feel there is an intense sadness about this place which still lingers, even on a bright sunny day. A memorial service for the lost miners (which included children and probably some women too) is held annually on St Valentine's Day at St Burnett's Hill Chapel nearby.

Carn Briw is a prominent cairn just to the west of the summit rocks of Mynydd Carningli, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

It was a coolish, clammy, misty day, though every so often the sun would break through and the temperature would soar. The objective of the day was a walk over the moorlands to Mynydd Carningli, which I'm never quite sure whether to class in the Preseli Hills proper, as it lies at the western end of a northern ridge separated from the main Preseli group. We were rewarded frequently with mysterious views and glimpses of the main Preseli group emerging from a close shroud of mist which shifted and changed from minute to minute. Stunningly beautiful! The highest top visible here is Foel Cwmcerwen, the highest point of the Preseli Hills at 536 m. The photo was taken from Carn Edward on the south-west flank of Mynydd Carningli.

A view from the coastal path just south of Saundersfoot, looking northwards across Carmarthen Bay towards Wiseman's Bridge and Amroth. The intense blueness of the light on this cool, clear, September afternoon was striking.

Saundersfoot Harbour on a cool, clear, September afternoon. The intense blueness of the northern light was arresting.

This splendid chevron fold in Coal Measures sandstones and siltstones is just south of Saundersfoot harbour and is easily reached by walking along the beach at mid- to low tide. A classic geological locality!

Rather OTT in my opinion. It's usually peoples' own stupidity which gets them into trouble. In the words of Mr Wainwright: 'If you watch where you are putting your feet, you'll be alright'.

A view of this delightful seaside town, taken from the coastal path near Waterwynch. Caldey Island is in the background.

Disharmonic recumbent fold at Broad Haven - view of the hinge zone On the north headland of Broad Haven, Pembrokeshire, is this spectacular fold structure in Coal Measures strata. The fold is essentially an anticline strongly overturned northwards (to the left) so that its fold axis is near to horizontal. This photo shows a closer view of the hinge zone along the horizon of a thin coal seam and the immediately overlying dark shales, which have 'flowed' into the angular apex of the fold just to the left of centre. The relatively strong sandstone beds (orange-brown) have deformed into an angular chevron-shaped fold, while the softer grey seatearth below the coal has deformed into a rounded fold, seen in the lower part of the structure, to the right of centre. The seatearth is also cut by a coarsely-developed axial planar cleavage (better seen in the previous photo), which is partly responsible for the 'nubbly' texture on the rounded part of the fold.

Disharmonic recumbent fold at Broad Haven - view along the fold crest . On the north headland of Broad Haven, Pembrokeshire, is this spectacular fold structure in Coal Measures strata. The fold is essentially an anticline strongly overturned northwards (to the left) so that its fold axis is near to horizontal. The relatively strong sandstone beds (orange-brown) have deformed into an angular chevron-shaped fold, while the softer seatearth below the coal has deformed into a rounded fold, seen in the lower part of the structure, almost from the camera viewpoint. This has been achieved by considerable slip along individual bedding planes and softer, incompetent, material has been squeezed into the hinge zones from the fold limbs. This has occurred particularly along the horizon of a thin coal seam and the immediately overlying dark shales, which have 'flowed' into the angular apex of the fold to the left of centre. The seatearth is also cut by a coarsely-developed axial planar cleavage, which is partly responsible for the 'nubbly' texture on the rounded part of the fold. The cleavage fans out almost radially, best seen in section on the rounded bed in the middle distance.