Spooky stories in Pembrokeshire! P26 Autumn walks

Our woodlands are a blaze of russet and yellows. Inland rivers provide a calm shelter from westerly winds. And on those clear, calm days breath-taking views can be enjoyed as far as Ireland and North Wales from the Preseli Hills.

Here are just a few of the colourful walks to enjoy in Pembrokeshire this autumn:

Canaston Woods

This wonderful oak and beech forest, near Narberth, is part of the old Slebech Estate on the upper reaches of the Daugleddau estuary. The walk is teeming with wildlife, both in the woodland and on the river, and if you’re lucky otter, kingfisher, heron, fox, owl, woodpecker can all be seen or heard.

Bosherston Lakes

Bosherston Lakes, near Pembroke, are beautiful to visit any day of the week and offer lots of shelter from the prevailing winds. Autumn brings an abundance of birdlife, easily spotted around the lakes, with robins being particularly friendly. Early morning walkers have a good chance of seeing the resident otters.

Teifi Marshes

There is one very good reason to visit the Teifi Marshes Wildlife reserve in autumn and that’s birds – thousands of them! Situated on the banks of the river Teifi, between Cardigan and Cilgerran, this marshland area is home to thousands of migratory birds in the autumn. Keep an eye out for osprey, an ear out for an owl and watch flocks of Canadian geese as they take to the air or feed on the mudflats.

Ty Canol Woods

Ty Canol, near Newport, is a remarkable 170acre ancient oak woodland of international importance because it is home to more than 400 species of lichens, which thrive in the light, moist clean air conditions. Artists and scientists love this area equally for its gnarly moss-dripping oaks, abundant flora and fauna and diverse range of wildlife. A great place for some mushroom spotting!

Colby Woodland Garden

If it’s the flaming colours of an autumn fall you’re after then head to the National Trust’s Colby Woodland Garden, near Amroth, to enjoy the bright red Acers, Dogwoods and Sweet-gum leaves amid the yellows and greens of this magical woodland.

Gwaun Valley

Across the valley from Ty Canol another secret woodland is waiting to be visited in the Gwaun Valley. This steep-sided valley hosts avenues of beech trees that are awash with colour in the autumn and after the rain the waterfalls are at they’re most spectacular. Well worth a visit!

Preseli Hills

On those crystal clear days when the autumn sun is shining and the wind has dropped there is no better place to be than on the Preseli Hills. To the west is Foel Eryr, which is easily accessible from the B4329 near rosebush. remember to look up as you walk, because this is a favourite spot for buzzards and red kites. On top, you’ll find a Bronze Age burial cairn and National Park observation beacon to help you find your view across the county. To the east, near Crymych, is the dramatic hilltop of Foel Drygarn. This is what remains of a Bronze Age fort where stone ramparts, banks and ditches can be found circling the peak. Three massive Bronze Age cairns dominate the area and the views are well worth the climb.

Nevern

The pretty hamlet of Nevern is nestled on a steep, wooded valley along the river Nevern and has walks along the riverbank in both directions, which really come into their own in autumn, as the trees change colour and jays and squirrels dive along the trail preparing for winter. If you like medieval history look out for the motte and bailey castle, Norman church, 13ft high Celtic cross and an avenue of bleeding yews.

Community Bite

THE Saundersfoot New Years Day Swim has been cancelled for the second year in a row.

It was due to be held on January 1, 2022 but organisers said that, given the large number of participants and spectators that the event attracts, it would be ‘impossible’ to achieve covid compliance.

They said they were ‘disappointed’ to be making the announcement but said it was a unanimous decision by the members of the Swim’s health and safety group.

While the public health situation in Wales has improved, the event would be limited to 4,000 spectators and participants and social distancing would need to be adhered too.

It is hoped that the event can return in 2023.

A spokesperson said: “The New Year’s Day swim is a community event and so we must consider the interests of all within the community.

“We cannot risk any increase in pressure on the emergency services that have always supported us to run the event safely.

“We know this decision will be disappointing to the many charitable and worthy causes the swim supports. The 2019 and 2020 swims each generated over £50,000, but after 36 successful years, we must continue to prioritise the safety of all those attending.

ORGANIC IS AWESOME

YOu are what you eat, that’s how the old saying goes and, in the 21st century, what we eat has never mattered more.

That goes across the dietary spectrum, from Vegans to meat-eaters and everything in between, everyone wants to know that the food they eat is both ethically and environmentally responsible.

So, we are here to help raise awareness of organic food.

Foods labelled as organic must meet strict regulations on how they have been grown and produced. All organic food companies and farms are inspected yearly to ensure that they meet the high standards required for organic food under European law.

When you buy organic you can be sure that the products you are buying:

• Contain no artificial additives or preservatives. • Contain fewer pesticides. There are only 20 pesticides that can be used by organic farmers all of which are derived from natural ingredients.

This is compared to almost 300 pesticides used in regular farming. • Conform to high standards of animal welfare. • Contain no genetically modified ingredients. • Have been produced in a way that is sustainable.

It’s easy to get involved, just look for the organic logo or why not think about growing your own! The Soil Association says that by switching just one item in your shop to organic will help contribute to changing our food system, buying more organic food means more organic farms so fewer pesticides which is better for our wildlife and means more farm animals raised under higher welfare standards.

Go Mango has been trading in Cardigan for over 40 years, we took a spin there to catch up with the owner, ray Hasler, and have a chat about organic food.

Go Mango was clearly ahead of the game having opened 40 years, the first question we asked ray was ‘What’s the secret of his success?”

“The last 40 years have only been possible because of the incredible support of the wonderful people of Cardigan and surrounding areas. “I have been lucky enough to be the owner for the last 20 years so thank you.”

Go Mango is packed full of great-looking, fresh organic fruit and vegetables, it’s clearly important to ray to have a wide selection for his customers.

“We have everything from Herbs and Spices to fresh Organic fruit and vegetables. “We also have a range of gluten free products which is ever expanding.”

With many choosing to cut meat and animalbased products out of their diet althogether, I wondered if Go Mango was embracing the morality people now have when cooking or eating food.

“Everything in the shop is Vegetarian and a lot of the products are Vegan.” Said ray.

But Go Mango don’t stop there, food as medicine is also of big importance to ray who believes we are what we eat.

“We have an amazing range of alternative remedies, vitamins and minerals. The best range of Culinary and Medicinal herbs and spices in Wales!”

ray’s passion and knowledge about food in general and his own products is impressive, it’s clearly a passion of his and we left Go Mango with a far better idea of how important it is to be aware of how the food we eat can affect our bodies.

Veganism has become a big part of modern life, and is, I believe, the driving force behind more of us becoming clued-up about the story behind our food.

September may be a month focused on organic food, but growing and selling organic produce is a year-round calling.

We ventured down to Greenacre Market Garden in Llanteg have a chat with Sola and to find out more.

Greenacre Market Garden is based in Llanteg, Pembrokeshire with further growing locations around the area. Their year starts with harvesting daffodils from January to April.

ORGANIC IS AWESOME

“All our flowers are picked by hand and packed in our packhouse.” Said Sola. “They can be found at CK’s supermarkets, Wisebuys in Narberth, The Little Pantry in Tenby and many other local shops in the area.”

“We have even supplied no.10 with our Welsh Daffodils to proudly help celebrate Welsh Produce on St. Davids Day.”

We had absolutely no idea that Pembrokeshire Daffs had made it to Downing Street, so once we’d recovered, we asked Sola how Greenacre Market Garden had dealt with the global pandemic.

“During the lockdown at the start of this year we set up a ‘flowers by post service’ to help enable others to send bright, happy spring daffodils further afield to loved ones.

“It was so well received we will keep it going next January to April too. At this time of year we also attend the Haverfordwest Farmers Market in the Market Square on a Friday selling our variety of Daffodils alongside many other traders.

“It has always been important to us to support and source local and now this is more important than ever.

But that isn’t the end of Greenacre’s year, oh no, quite the opposite in fact.

“As the year moves on we move on to growing Bedding plants and Perennials which we sell from our Honesty Box onsite and at locally held Plant Sales.

“Then, we are busy harvesting New potatoes, Broad beans, Peas, runner Beans, Artichokes and flowers etc. During June and July we open our PYO Strawberry Patch.

“Although we are not certified organic we are child friendly and use biological control at the fruiting stage.

“Harvesting Sunflowers and Elephant garlic is next on the calendar. “During August we are even busier behind the scenes again as our Daffodil bulbs need to be lifted, dried, sterilised and replanted although we do sell some on at this stage too. It’s hot and dusty work!

“Our Pumpkins & Squash are also growing on and starting to show in the fields, getting ready for the autumn harvest on the horizon.

“This Autumn for Greenacre will be all about cleaning, clearing and preparing for the 2021 Pumpkin Patch which runs throughout October annually.

“With more new surprises planned, keep an eye on our Facebook Page as this books up fast. In the meantime our freshly harvested wet Elephant Garlic is available at the Honesty Box ‘shop’ along with our Homegrown and locally sourced produce.

“As the year comes to a close Greenacre is filled with Christmas magic, homemade wreaths, locally sourced trees and delicious seasonal veg. We believe Greenacre Market Garden is a growing experience for both us and our new and returning customers.

“We are grateful for all the support we have received over the years and we look forward to welcoming you at one of our seasonal events or for a chat at the gate.

“Now more than ever we appreciate the outdoor space we have and can see how important it is for us all.”

After being blown away by Sola at Greenacre Market Garden, one thing has become clear: buying and growing organic food doesn’t have to be stuffy or boring, its becoming an imaginative and exciting place to see local businesses going that extra mile to stand out and offer experiences that go beyond simply buying locally grown vegetables.

So, this Autumn lets all do more to sample foods grown in Pembrokeshire, because it’s highly likely that we’ll all feel the benefits of making the decision to eat locally grown foods.