Strumble Head
Strumble Head (Welsh: Pencaer) is a rocky headland in the community of Pencaer in north Pembrokeshire, Wales. It lies within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, and the coastline here forms part of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, a long-distance trail of 186 miles. Views extend northwards towards Dinas Head and Cardigan Bay, and westwards to the Irish Sea.
It gives its name to Strumble Head Lighthouse (on the island of Ynys Meicel) and Strumble VOR, a way point in many trans-atlantic flights.[1]
Strumble Head is one of the best sites in Britain to view cetaceans, particularly the porpoise which can be spotted in the tidal races around the headland with modest binoculars. Public cetacean watches are frequently organized by Sea Trust.[2] Seals can often be spotted in the waters beneath the light house. A wartime lookout post was converted for use by the public as a shelter from the wind for wildlife fans and was opened by Bill Oddie.[3]
A few hundred metres out to sea are two small uninhabited islands, Ynys Onnen and Carreg Onnen, which were put up for sale in 2004.[4]
The headland has been the site of numerous ship wrecks. A French shipwreck, possibly from the last invasion of Britain, was found nearby in 2003.[5] The Bardse of the Pile of Fowdrey was wrecked off Strumble Head on 3 October 1763 laden with a cargo of iron and copper from Wicklow bound for Chepstow under its Master, John Kennel.[6] Another notable wreck was the barque Calburga in 1915, one of Canada's last square rigged sailing ships.
References
- ↑ UK Navaids Gallery - Strumble STU VOR/DME
- ↑ Sea Trust
- ↑ Cottages North West Pembrokeshire Wales Uk - Coastal Cottages Pembrokeshire
- ↑ For Sale: a little Welsh island des res - icWales
- ↑ BBC NEWS | Wales | South West Wales | Divers find French invasion wreck
- ↑ London Gazette No. 10356, Page 5b, 11 October 1763.
External links
Media related to Strumble Head at Wikimedia Commons
Coordinates: 52°01′44″N 5°04′26″W / 52.029°N 5.074°W
