Cruising through mountainous Wales

Charles Beddingfield takes a nostalgic tour of Milford Haven and the Pembrokeshire coast

- Charles Beddingfield

They say no plan survives encounter with the real world, and the Tudor Rose's nostalgic visit to Aberdaugleddau illustrates the case.

It's Milford Haven to the un-Welsh. Pronounced 'Abba-dye-gleth-eye', with a hard 'th'. Aber-the river mouth or estuary; dau-two; gleddau-the river concerned; the estuary of the River Cleddau has two arms in its upper reaches.

The Tudor Rose let go her moorings at Beaumaris on Anglesey in early July to visit the Milford Haven waterway, for my father was from the adjacent Hakin, and I'd long promised myself this trip in his memory. The Welsh word hiraeth meaning a longing for place or belonging - stands as a theme for this cruise.

Inspiring scenery

Dad once remarked what a mountainous place Wales appears from the sea. Our course skirted Eryri (Snowdonia), the national park, via the Menai Strait.

For a low speed boat like mine the Swellies is best taken at HW slack, which is two hours before HW Liverpool, preferably a bit earlier going east, a bit later going west. This called for an afternoon start, arriving at our first anchorage off Llandwyn Island in time for an evening meal. The ebb sluicing through Abermenai narrows against a mild south-westerly breeze made a fuss on Caernarfon Bar but the sea was otherwise smooth. Pilot's Cove is a favourite anchorage, though sometimes afflicted with thoughtlessly operated personal watercraft.