Old path to beach, Porth Maenmelyn, Pembrokeshire

This cleft has been hand-driven through the relatively soft and friable Ordovician shales and forms the upper part of an old access route to the beach at Porth Maenmelyn, Pembrokeshire, Wales.

After emerging from the cleft, the 'path' continues steeply down the cliff face over a series of roughly cut steps in the soft shale. At times there appears to have been a fixed rope for use as a hand hold, but at the time of the visit, the rope was mostly hanging loose and free or missing altogether in parts. Under foot, the path is very degraded: shaly, slippery and exposed, with a dangerous drop to the seaward side. Not recommended at all! Take very great care if you decide to descend to the beach this way. I never went beyond the end of the cleft, preferring to carry on living. You have been warned.