CLIMBING CARN INGLI IN A FOG AND A VISIT TO IRON AGE VILLAGE
We climbed Carn Ingli and visited the Iron Age village in Castell Henllys on the last day of our Pembrokeshire holidays.
The weather wasn’t on our side. When we parked our car just below the mountain, it was pretty obvious that we wouldn’t have that famous beautiful view. In fact, Carn Ingli looked quite mysterious and a little bit scary in all that fog. But we stuck to our original plan and began the ascent.
CARN INGLI
Mynydd Carningli is a mountain in the Preseli Hills near Newport, Pembrokeshire in Wales. It has both prehistoric and historic remains.
Carningli (or Carn Ingli) is 347 metres (1,138 ft) high. Close to the coast, it dominates the surrounding countryside. It is easy to climb but has a rocky summit and steep scree slope on its southern and eastern flanks. It is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest for its total of 142 different animal species and 191 different plant species.
It is the oceanic heathland vegetation which makes this area special. The area also includes several scarce plants, including lichens, and a rare damselfly, Coenagrion mercuriale.
There was once a little “mountain railway” on Carningli, carrying broken stone from a small quarry down to a crushing plant on the Cilgwyn Road. Some railway sleepers can still be found in the turf, but otherwise the only traces remaining are the two stone pillars that supported a cable drum — a cable was used to control the descent of the loaded wagons as they rolled downhill, and then to pull the empty ones back up again. This little industry was abandoned before 1930. ↓
You can barely see my husband Oliver in this photo surrounded by the fog. 
Our son enjoyed running down the mountain.
And then sitting down and taking in the view – that what I’d like to think! 🙂
I found this video by Derek Phillips on Youtube which shows the view from the summit you would have on a fine day.
IRON AGE VILLAGE
We then went to visit the Iron Age Village at Castell Henllys. The weather improved and overall it was a great day.
The village is set within thirty acres of beautiful woodland and river meadows in the heart of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. It is a reconstructed Iron Age hill fort. There are four roundhouses and a granary built exactly where they would have stood more than 2,000 years ago. The first roundhouse, The Old Roundhouse is currently being reconstructed.
We had our lunch at the cafe at the visitor centre.
Next to the cafe, there is a children’s play area with a picnic site.
Our son has still a lot of growing to do!! 🙂
We had a brilliant day, full of adventure and we were quite sad leaving Pembrokeshire. There is so much to do and we will definitely be back again; hopefully in the summer.
