Saturday 10th May
We started our day by driving to Milford Haven to do the Milford Waterfront Parkrun. We got there early so we could use the toilet, but they were locked so we went jogging off along the waterfront looking for an open public toilet. We managed to find one about an kilometer away and jog back in time for the start. The course was a two-lapper on fairly narrow asphalt paths with a couple of steep hills thrown in. It was a good way to start the day. Afterwards we went to a local cafe for scrambled eggs with mushrooms and tomatoes. We got back to our accomodation mid-morning, had showers and took a nap.
We woke up about 1:30 pm and walked to St David’s Cathedral. I saw on their website that it would be closed until 3:30 pm for a wedding, but planned to visit the Cathedral cafe for some MamaGu Welsh Cakes. The bridal party were outside the church so we had a little sticky beak and then continued to the back of the cathedral. We had the Welsh cakes with jam and cream and they were good. We also got some to take away for a snack the following day. Fully loaded by “Loaded Welsh Cakes” we crossed the river to the Bishop’s Palace. This was another site we used our Cadw Explorer Pass for. Henry de Gower, the Bishop had the palace built between 1328 and 1347. In contrast to the castle ruins we had been visiting, this was primarily for good living and vestiges of the ingenious design to facilitate entertaining remain. The kitchens and storehouses were all built underneath the main floors of the building and were connected by stairways up into the back of the rooms that allowed servants to enter and exit with minimal disturbance to high born guests.
By the time we’d finished looking through the Palace, the wedding in the Cathedral had finished so we were able to look inside. The oak ceiling, dating to the 1530’s, is magnificent. The cathedral stands on the site of the monastery founded by St David in the 6th century. In the 12th century St David’s was declared a site of pilgrimage and St David’s shrine was constructed near the high altar. There are tombs of important figures in Welsh history as well as a couple of side chapels. We also viewed various items in the treasury.
For dinner we went to St David’s Gin and Kitchen which has since closed and been rebranded as No. 16 St Davids. It looks like they kept the chef. Anyway, I had ocean trout for my dinner and it was very good. Afterwards we wandered around town so I could get some photos.
Total steps: 19,995
Comments
8 responses to “Wales Day 9: Milford Waterfront Parkrun then Pottering Around St Davids”
Your photos are great!
I have never heard the term “sticky beak” before!
I can’t believe you’ve never heard sticky beak. Is it an Australian thing? Actually I just decided to google it and it is indeed Australian-English.
This is so beautiful! Imagine the wedding photos. Wouldn’t a white dress look absolutely stunning inside/on the grounds of a castle!
Wales is officially on my Want To Visit list. I cannot get over all the castles. *swoon*
I know, the settings would be amazing. We got married in our church, which at that time was built in the 70’s, I think, and had pews upholstered in an orange carpet-like fabric, which also lined some of the columns at the front. We asked for mostly blakc and white photos in the church for that reaosn.
Great photos, as usual. It reminds me of Ireland. I have also never heard of sticky beak – does it mean to check something out sort of on the sly, like being nosy? At first I thought it was a typo and you were eating sticky buns or something.
Yes, it means being nosy or a busybody.
You really make me want to plan a trip to the UK.
I’ve never seen welsh cakes but I would dive right in.
Also, that ceiling is impressive. And gorgeous.
This was the first time I had heard of Welsh Cakes too.