Pennod 4 Llwybr yr Arfordir

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-Pembrokeshire's coastal path

-stretches for more than 186 miles.

-Beginning in Amroth in the south...

-..it will guide us

-to St Dogmaels in the north.

-Joining me on my journey

-is naturalist Elinor Gwynn...

-..and poet and lecturer

-Damian Walford Davies.

-This week, we follow the path

-from Solva to Whitesands.

-In 1942, artist Graham Sutherland...

-..described the appeal

-of Pembrokeshire for artists...

-..especially St David's Head.

-He wrote the following.

-"The quality of light

-is magical and transformational.

-"As I stare at the sun's rays

-striking a distant slope...

-"..I feel the tranquillity which

-follows an explosion of light.

-"This is what is experienced

-when one looks at the sun...

-"..and turns away suddenly."

-Since the 18th century...

-..artists from all backgrounds

-have been drawn here.

-Each one responds

-to an ancient landscape...

-..which is transformed

-thousands of times a day...

-..by that magical light

-caught between land and sea.

-Linda Norris

-settled in Pembrokeshire in 1993.

-She's an artist

-who paints the wind and light.

-Her artwork is distinctive.

-They depict a turbulent sea

-and a brooding sky...

-..that suggest an impending

-or passing storm.

-What attracted you to Pembrokeshire?

-I came to Pembrokeshire

-originally...

-..because I'm fond

-of the wild landscape...

-..the incredible light

-and the colours.

-I draw my inspiration

-from the landscape, the weather...

-..and the seasons.

-How do you go about your work?

-When I first moved

-to Pembrokeshire in 1993...

-..I worked outdoors

-on the landscape itself for years...

-..just to get to know the colours...

-..the light...

-..and the geography.

-But I now work indoors

-in the studio...

-..because I'm interested...

-..in portraying feelings

-rather than details.

-You're currently experimenting

-with paintings...

-..from an aerial perspective.

-What's your reason for this?

-For me, it's very interesting...

-..to get

-a very different perspective...

-..of the landscape

-with which I'm familiar.

-I've worked for many years

-amid the landscape...

-..but it's different

-looking down on it from above.

-It has opened up a different world.

-It has opened up a different world.

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-Yes, it has.

-We're here in Caerfai Bay,

-south of St David's.

-It's an incredible location,

-so my question seems odd.

-What attracts you

-to this special place?

-I love the edge, the boundary

-between land that has been tended...

-..and that which has eroded.

-That's part of the appeal.

-But it's also down

-to the time of day.

-You can look out

-first thing in the morning...

-..and think you're seeing the shape

-of a church lychgate.

-But later in the day...

-..it looks more like columns.

-It's very inspiring...

-..as is the land

-during those precious moments...

-..when the sun

-and the clouds move across it.

-You become very aware

-of the time of day.

-In order to capture

-those precious moments...

-..what do you do?

-Do you sketch?

-I draw a few sketches, but I tend

-to stick to the same routine.

-I usually come out on my own

-and spend the entire day here.

-I'll take this with me.

-This is my sketchbook.

-It allows me

-to collect so much information.

-Much more than if I were

-to sit in one spot all day.

-The camera can record

-any sudden changes in the landscape.

-I'll then go back to the studio...

-..and work from maybe three, four

-or five photographs that I've taken.

-I make an effort to make sure

-the colours are very transparent.

-I stick to just three colours.

-I layer pure colours

-on top of each other.

-It gives a similar effect

-to light streaming through glass.

-What attracts you

-to this geographical edge?

-Is it out of genuine concern?

-It's definitely a concern of mine...

-..because it's happening

-on a gradual scale.

-We should be aware of the fact

-that our land is disappearing.

-A distant relative of mine

-remembers sheep grazing...

-..on a section of this coastline.

-That land

-is no longer accessible on foot.

-It has been separated

-from the mainland.

-The path itself

-is also causing erosion.

-It's becoming wider and wider.

-When I used to come here

-years ago...

-..the path was narrow

-and neatly kept.

-But it's now becoming

-more like the M4.

-Much has been written

-about the history of St David...

-..but little is known about Non,

-our patron saint's mother.

-Who was this woman?

-She was known by different names

-- Non, Nonnita and Nonna.

-She belonged to a noble family

-with strong links to Ireland.

-She was a nun at Ty Gwyn,

-a few miles along the coast.

-Legend has it that she was raped

-by Sanctus, King of Ceredigion...

-..and that she came to this field

-when it was time to give birth.

-It was a wild and stormy day.

-But in the field

-in which David was born...

-..it was a summer's day,

-with sunshine and blue skies.

-A small chapel was erected

-in the spot where David was born.

-It became an important place

-for pilgrims heading to St David's.

-During the Middle Ages,

-two pilgrimages to St David's...

-..were equivalent

-to one pilgrimage to Rome.

-The pilgrims' generous donations

-filled the cathedral's coffers.

-There are many stories about Non.

-According to legend, this well

-appeared the second David was born.

-Another legend claims

-it was her reason for coming here.

-Women believed that the water

-would ease the pain of childbirth.

-Over the years,

-the water has been used...

-..to treat rheumatism

-and eye diseases.

-People still come here

-to throw money into the well.

-The nearby chapel

-isn't all that old.

-It was built in 1938 and dedicated

-to both St Mary and St Non.

-How many facts

-do we know about her?

-Written records began

-500 years after her lifetime.

-It's difficult to say

-who this historical figure was.

-People have always wondered

-if she was a real woman...

-..who lived in this area.

-It's impossible to say

-due to the lack of early sources.

-But what's interesting for me...

-..is that Welsh people in the Middle

-Ages regarded her as a real person.

-A delightful 15th century poem

-by Lewys Glyn Cothi...

-..refers to Edudful,

-daughter of Cadwgan...

-..coming here on a pilgrimage

-and bathing in the well's water.

-"On Sunday, Edudful comes

-"To pray sincerely to God

-"She visits Non's Church

-and bathes her head in the well

-"Raises her hands merrily

-"Worships the holy image."

-Apart from this chapel and well...

-..at least two Welsh churches

-have been named after her.

-But her grave is in Brittany.

-Yes, but the grave in Brittany

-dates to the 15th century.

-Non died some 600 years earlier.

-When the legend was passed on

-from Wales to Brittany...

-..Non became perceived

-as a native of Brittany.

-They claim she felt a strong sense

-of guilt after she was raped...

-..so she fled to Brittany.

-There's a beautiful statue of her...

-..wearing a nun's headdress,

-lying gracefully on top of the tomb.

-All these versions of her story...

-..along with various artefacts

-and churches named in her honour...

-..suggest that Non

-was an important figure.

-She was important, in the sense

-that she represented a holy figure.

-Medieval Christians

-truly believed she had powers.

-It was easier to devote prayers...

-..to a Welsh woman

-with local links...

-..rather than praying

-directly to heaven.

-Whatever we think about her

-as a historical figure...

-..what's important to me is the

-wealth of mythology surrounding her.

-She's part of our heritage

-and should be celebrated as such.

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-On the second leg

-of this evening's journey...

-..Elinor visits St David's Head.

-There are many rare plants

-along the coastline...

-..but few

-are lucky enough to see them.

-But sometimes

-it's the commonest plants...

-..that create

-the biggest impression.

-Take gorse, for example,

-which is ubiquitous along the shore.

-This spiny evergreen shrub

-belongs to the clover family.

-It's as if it flowers

-all year long...

-..but it's at its best

-in early summer...

-..when its coconut scent

-fills the air on a sunny day.

-I'm also fond of it

-in late summer...

-..when the seed pods

-crunch under foot.

-People assume that gorse

-blossoms throughout the year...

-..because there are two types.

-Both types blossom

-at different times of the year.

-The first Welsh reference

-to gorse...

-..is in the 12th century

-Black Book Of St David's.

-The document probably referred

-to this, our native western gorse.

-It grows near to the ground...

-..and forms wave-like patterns

-amid the heather.

-Western gorse

-flowers in July and August.

-The other type of gorse

-found in Wales is French gorse.

-It was introduced more recently...

-..and flowers earlier in the year.

-Between these two species, it seems

-that gorse is always in bloom.

-Gorse has been useful

-through the ages.

-It has been used

-for various purposes.

-The flowers

-have been used to dye wool.

-Gorse's main purpose was to provide

-sustenance for animals.

-Some unusual plants can be found

-growing among the gorse.

-One of them is dodder.

-It's a remarkable plant.

-It contains no chlorophyll.

-It grows parasitically on gorse.

-It is a very rare plant

-and grows sporadically...

-..on the south coast of England.

-This is the only spot I know of

-in Wales where it grows.

-It grows like a spider's web...

-..or stretched strings of toffee.

-In late summer...

-..white pompom-like flowers

-grow along these red strings.

-Through the ages, the harbours

-have been trading centres...

-..and important locations

-for events and visitors.

-One of the most prominent harbours

-also happens to be the prettiest.

-At one time,

-Solva was a hive of activity.

-During the 19th century,

-as many as 36 ships docked here...

-..transporting goods such as wood,

-limestone and butter.

-This was also the centre

-of a sinister industry...

-..where ships would be lured

-to run aground on its rocks.

-People would flock here

-to steal the cargo...

-..and in the process,

-steal their souls.

-They lured ships by hanging

-a lantern on a cow's tail.

-That would swing back and forth.

-They would also light lamps

-in their homes to lure ships.

-It caused them to run aground

-on nearby rocks.

-Their evil actions bore fruit.

-At night, they would strip people

-of their clothes.

-They even cut off people's fingers

-to steal their rings.

-Apparently, during that time...

-..the people of Solva

-had cupboards in their homes....

-..in which stolen goods were hidden.

-Contraband cupboards, if you like.

-There was even a story

-about a local vicar...

-..who would pray

-in the following way.

-"Please send a shipwreck our way.

-"Please let us be first

-on the scene."

-Porthclais is a shining example

-of a harbour's importance.

-It was the nearest harbour

-to St David's.

-All the city's goods

-would pass through here.

-What was Porthclais like

-in its heyday?

-The history of Porthclais...

-..dates back to Roman times.

-But it became a hive of activity

-in the Middle Ages...

-..because it was the only harbour

-close to St David's.

-The cathedral was being built...

-..and wood and stone

-were transported by boat.

-The stone came from Caerfai Bay.

-It was a very busy period.

-There are lime kilns

-everywhere here.

-The ships sailed into harbour,

-carrying limestone and coal.

-Each harbour

-had at least one lime kiln.

-Lime was so important for the land

-and for construction.

-The cathedral itself...

-..was built using lime

-from the kiln in Porthclais.

-Trading ceased in the harbours

-when the railways came.

-An industry of a different kind

-has now taken its place.

-Where people were once busy...

-..transporting,

-harvesting and producing...

-..they now relax

-and enjoy themselves.

-Unlike Solva...

-..where sailors were lured

-onto the rocks...

-..St Justinian has a long tradition

-of rescuing sailors.

-A lifeboat has operated here

-since 1869.

-We're usually called out...

-..around 40-45 times a year.

-We have to deal

-with all kinds of incidents...

-..involving swimmers, tankers...

-..fishing boats and sailing boats.

-It is obviously in your blood.

-Your father and grandfather

-were lifeboatmen.

-My grandfather started in 1936.

-Some years later, my father

-became a lifeboat coxswain.

-They say it's in the blood...

-..so I'm here now too.

-It's in the blood

-but things change.

-Boats change and you're about

-to see a big change here.

-The station is moving.

-Yes, we hope to have a new boat

-in three or four years' time.

-We'll need a new station

-to house a bigger boat.

-The current station

-is over 100 years old.

-Things move on.

-We have to move with the times.

-On a sunny day,

-it's hard to imagine...

-..the ferocity of the waves.

-St Justinian is very busy.

-All kinds of vessels

-sail along the shore.

-Passengers are ferried

-from here to Ramsey Island...

-..on regular day trips.

-The Pembrokeshire coast

-is awash with small harbours.

-Each one looks like

-a perfect picture postcard.

-Each one has its own story.

-Places for smugglers to hide.

-Places to import and export

-all kinds of cargo.

-Most importantly,

-they offer shelter from storms.

-Next week, Elinor ventures

-into the water at Abereiddy...

-..Damian shares his interest

-in megalithic tombs...

-..and I cover

-an unexpected topic - slavery.

-# Before long, we'll be swimming

-# Before long,

-we'll be swimming in the sea

-# Have you ever danced?

-# Have you ever danced

-across the sea?

-# Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

-# Oh, oh, oh, oh,

-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh #

-S4C Subtitles by Adnod Cyf.

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