Cwm-yr-Eglwys (Valley of the church) is a hamlet located at a picturesque cove on the south-eastern side of the Dinas Head peninsula in the community of Dinas Cross between Fishguard and Newport, Pembrokeshire, in southwest Wales. The hamlet takes its name from the ruined church by the beach.[1]
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There is a small beach with safe bathing, and it has earned a Seaside Award and a Green Coast Award (an award similar to a Blue Flag beach Award but for rural beaches).[2] There is a narrow slipway for launching small boats, limited car parking (small charge applies at certain times), and a public toilet.[3] There are also some holiday cottage lettings available.
Dogs are allowed on the beach.[4]
From here there is access to the Pembrokeshire Coast Path which runs round Dinas Head peninsula to Pwllgwaelod, a cove on the western side. Alternatively, Pwllgwaelod can be reached by a popular short direct walk (a little over a mile in length) through the valley that almost divides Dinas Head from the mainland. This is level and suitable for disabled access.[5]
Cwm-yr-Eglwys is a popular location for holiday makers, and every year the Cwm-yr-Eglwys boat club reunites for the first two weeks of August to have sailing events and regattas. The annual inshore regatta is always a crowd puller with families taking part in a whole day of events of swimming races, rowing races, sandcastle competitions and many other activities throughout the day.
Sheltered from prevailing winds, Cwm-yr-Eglwys is renowned for having its very own microclimate, it being a few degrees warmer and dryer compared to other parts of the Pembrokeshire coast.[6] This allows the growth of trees and shrubs of almost Mediterranean luxuriance.[7]
The first church at Cwm-yr-Eglwys was destroyed by the Vikings.[8] A second, the 12th century church of Saint Brynach, which was large enough to hold a congregation of nearly 300 [7], was almost completely destroyed by the great Royal Charter Storm of 1859.[9] Another storm in 1979 caused even more damage to the churchyard, leaving very little of the original building - only the belfry and west wall and part of the graveyard, remain. The ruins of the church are now a popular tourist attraction. By the gate is a scale model of a Cwm Trader - the type of coastal trading vessel that would have plied these waters at the time of the storm.[10]