Carn Ingli on the Pembrokeshire coast, above Newport – on the Wales Coast Path

Exploring the Preseli hills and Carn Ingli with Fiona Barltrop

AS MANY KEEN WALKERS WILL KNOW, the Pembrokeshire Coast is Britain’s only coastal National Park, with a 186-mile National Trail along its superlative coastline.

But there’s more to the National Park than solely coastline (although that alone more than warrants the designation), notably a sizeable chunk of upland in the north of the county encompassing the Preseli hills (Mynydd Preseli) and their foothills, which stretch from Mynydd Dinas in the west to Mynydd Carningli in the east. The Gwaun valley separates the larger Mynydd Preseli from the latter hills to the north, which overlook the coastal strip between Fishguard and Newport.

Ancient Preseli hills

Not uncommonly, the hills, especially the higher Preselis, can be under the cloud, while the coastline remains bathed in sunshine. But today it was the quite the opposite: a thick blanket of fog draped along the coast, with clear sunny skies above. I’m usually reluctant to forsake the coast for an inland walk, but it didn’t take long to make up my mind on this occasion. And besides, it was many years since I had last ventured onto these hills, so high time I reacquainted myself.

From the main road just east of Dinas Cross I headed uphill via tracks and country lane, turning off right at a parking area across the heather moorland to the prominent rocky outcrop of Carn Enoch. There are some curious linear cuts – obviously man-made – along fissures in the rock here which, according to one suggestion, may be ogham (an old alphabet) inscriptions. Whatever the explanation, it’s a good spot from which to survey the scene: the wide open rolling moorland bestowing a sense of spaciousness and serenity, without a soul to be seen.

“Continuing westwards I made my way to Garn Fawr, the biggest outcrop and the highest point on Dinas Mountain at 307m/1007ft. Although Fishguard and Newport Bays were still blanketed in cloud, the western coastline from Strumble Head down to St David’s was clearly visible.“

Stunning views

Continuing westwards I made my way to Garn Fawr, the biggest outcrop and the highest point on Dinas Mountain at 307m/1007ft. Although Fishguard and Newport Bays were still blanketed in cloud, the western coastline from Strumble Head down to St David’s was clearly visible.

Heading south and then east, I returned to the road and carried on eastwards across the moorland towards Mynydd Carningli, passing the Bedd Morris standing stone at the next road crossing. Carn Ingli is one of the most prominent outcrops in the whole of the Preselis and the site of an ancient fort crowning the scree slopes.

‘Hill of angels’

Saint Brynach was said to have communed with the angels from the summit during lonely periods of contemplation – hence, reputedly, the name: Mount of Angels. In modern times, one of the outdoor world’s more unusual characters has spent many a night on this sacred summit conducting dreaming experiments with volunteers, the ‘chosen’ apparently dreaming of angels….

I confess my attention was drawn downwards rather than upwards towards heaven, for spread below me the coastline was now crystal-clear, the fog having entirely disappeared. So I headed down the slopes to Newport, to join the coast path on the south side of the Nevern estuary. The walk back along it to Dinas made a beautiful end to a fine day.

Indeed, I couldn’t have asked the angels for more.