St Bride's Bay
Encyclopedia
St Brides Bay is a rocky bay
inlet in western Pembrokeshire
, West Wales
.
Either Skomer Island or the mainland extremity of Wooltack Point at the western end of the Marloes
Peninsula marks the southern limit of the bay whilst its northern limit is marked by Ramsey Island
off St Davids Head
. The mouth of the bay is around 7 miles (12 km) wide; the bay extends some 10 miles (16 km) eastwards from this line.
The geological exposures around the bay reveal great complexity with considerable folding
and faulting of the strata
. The cliffs of its southern shore are formed from sandstone
s of Ordovician
and Devonian
age together with a suite of both intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks, some of which are Precambrian
in age. Those in the north comprise a series of Precambrian and Cambrian
age rocks of both sedimentary and igneous origin. In contrast, the eastern shore is formed from the more readily eroded rocks of Carboniferous
age. These are largely the sandstones and mudstone
s of the Coal Measures
but include a small section of shales and sandstones assigned to the Millstone Grit Series
. Contorted coal seams within the Coal Measures were once worked though the Pembrokeshire Coalfield
was never of major economic importance.
which was designated in 1951 in recognition of the outstanding quality of its landscape. Much of the coastline is also defined as heritage coast. The whole of St Brides Bay along with adjoining areas of sea around the Pembrokeshire Coast is protected under European environmental law as a special area of conservation
(or 'SAC'). Parts of the coast are additionally defined as special protection area
s (or 'SPA's'). There are also three or four sites of special scientific interest
(or 'SSSI's') around its perimeter.
s including St Brides, Martin's Haven
, Little Haven, Broad Haven
, Nolton Haven, Newgale
and Solva
, whilst Britain's smallest city, St David's
lies nearby. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path
follows its entire coastline.
It is well known among residents and tourists for fishing
.
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
inlet in western Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
, West Wales
West Wales
West Wales is the western area of Wales.Some definitions of West Wales include only Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, an area which historically comprised the Welsh principality of Deheubarth., an area called "South West Wales" in the Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics....
.
Either Skomer Island or the mainland extremity of Wooltack Point at the western end of the Marloes
Marloes
Marloes is a village in Pembrokeshire, West Wales. It is situated on the Marloes Peninsula 7 miles west of the port of Milford Haven and forms the westernmost tip of the southern shore of St Brides Bay. It is within part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park...
Peninsula marks the southern limit of the bay whilst its northern limit is marked by Ramsey Island
Ramsey Island
Ramsey Island is an island about 1 km off the coast of the St David's peninsula in Pembrokeshire on the northern side of St Brides Bay, in southwest Wales....
off St Davids Head
St Davids Head
St Davids Head is a headland in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, in southwest Wales. This headland is considered the southern limit of the Irish Sea in Wales....
. The mouth of the bay is around 7 miles (12 km) wide; the bay extends some 10 miles (16 km) eastwards from this line.
Geology
The northern and southern shores of the bay are mainly rocky in nature, backed by cliffs up to 250feet in height. Its eastern shore comprises a series of large and small sandy beaches between rocky sections.The geological exposures around the bay reveal great complexity with considerable folding
Fold (geology)
The term fold is used in geology when one or a stack of originally flat and planar surfaces, such as sedimentary strata, are bent or curved as a result of permanent deformation. Synsedimentary folds are those due to slumping of sedimentary material before it is lithified. Folds in rocks vary in...
and faulting of the strata
Stratum
In geology and related fields, a stratum is a layer of sedimentary rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics that distinguish it from other layers...
. The cliffs of its southern shore are formed from sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
s of Ordovician
Ordovician
The Ordovician is a geologic period and system, the second of six of the Paleozoic Era, and covers the time between 488.3±1.7 to 443.7±1.5 million years ago . It follows the Cambrian Period and is followed by the Silurian Period...
and Devonian
Devonian
The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic Era spanning from the end of the Silurian Period, about 416.0 ± 2.8 Mya , to the beginning of the Carboniferous Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya...
age together with a suite of both intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks, some of which are Precambrian
Precambrian
The Precambrian is the name which describes the large span of time in Earth's history before the current Phanerozoic Eon, and is a Supereon divided into several eons of the geologic time scale...
in age. Those in the north comprise a series of Precambrian and Cambrian
Cambrian
The Cambrian is the first geological period of the Paleozoic Era, lasting from Mya ; it is succeeded by the Ordovician. Its subdivisions, and indeed its base, are somewhat in flux. The period was established by Adam Sedgwick, who named it after Cambria, the Latin name for Wales, where Britain's...
age rocks of both sedimentary and igneous origin. In contrast, the eastern shore is formed from the more readily eroded rocks of Carboniferous
Carboniferous
The Carboniferous is a geologic period and system that extends from the end of the Devonian Period, about 359.2 ± 2.5 Mya , to the beginning of the Permian Period, about 299.0 ± 0.8 Mya . The name is derived from the Latin word for coal, carbo. Carboniferous means "coal-bearing"...
age. These are largely the sandstones and mudstone
Mudstone
Mudstone is a fine grained sedimentary rock whose original constituents were clays or muds. Grain size is up to 0.0625 mm with individual grains too small to be distinguished without a microscope. With increased pressure over time the platey clay minerals may become aligned, with the...
s of the Coal Measures
Coal Measures
The Coal Measures is a lithostratigraphical term for the coal-bearing part of the Upper Carboniferous System. It represents the remains of fluvio-deltaic sediment, and consists mainly of clastic rocks interstratified with the beds of coal...
but include a small section of shales and sandstones assigned to the Millstone Grit Series
Millstone Grit
Millstone Grit is the name given to any of a number of coarse-grained sandstones of Carboniferous age which occur in the Northern England. The name derives from its use in earlier times as a source of millstones for use principally in watermills...
. Contorted coal seams within the Coal Measures were once worked though the Pembrokeshire Coalfield
Pembrokeshire Coalfield
The Pembrokeshire Coalfield in West Wales is one of the smallest British coalfields. The main coalfield extends from Saundersfoot on Carmarthen Bay westwards to Broad Haven on St Brides Bay...
was never of major economic importance.
Designations
The coast surrounding it forms a part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National ParkPembrokeshire Coast National Park
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is a national park along the Pembrokeshire coast in West Wales.It was established as a National Park in 1952, and is the only one in the United Kingdom to have been designated primarily because of its spectacular coastline...
which was designated in 1951 in recognition of the outstanding quality of its landscape. Much of the coastline is also defined as heritage coast. The whole of St Brides Bay along with adjoining areas of sea around the Pembrokeshire Coast is protected under European environmental law as a special area of conservation
Special Area of Conservation
A Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
(or 'SAC'). Parts of the coast are additionally defined as special protection area
Special Protection Area
A Special Protection Area or SPA is a designation under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds.Under the Directive, Member States of the European Union have a duty to safeguard the habitats of migratory birds and certain particularly threatened birds.Together with Special...
s (or 'SPA's'). There are also three or four sites of special scientific interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
(or 'SSSI's') around its perimeter.
Villages and amenities
The bay's coast is dotted with small villageVillage
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
s including St Brides, Martin's Haven
Martin's Haven
Martin’s Haven is a small bay in Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK. It is located on the Dale Peninsula, with views across St Bride's Bay towards St David's. Its tiny pebble and shingle beach has a stone slipway which acts as an embarkation point for the ferry which visits the nearby island of Skomer, a...
, Little Haven, Broad Haven
Broad Haven
Broad Haven is a village in the south east corner of St Bride's Bay at the terminus of the B4341 in south Pembrokeshire, Wales. Broad Haven is part of the Havens division of Pembrokeshire County Council. The 2001 census records a population of 1,328 for the Havens...
, Nolton Haven, Newgale
Newgale, Pembrokeshire
Newgale is a village with a three mile stretch of beach in the parish of Roch, Pembrokeshire, West Wales.Newgale is one of over 40 Welsh 'Blue Flag' beaches, which means it has the top certification for quality, cleanliness and facilities....
and Solva
Solva
Solva is a village and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK.-Location:Solva lies on the north side of St Bride's Bay, in North Pembrokeshire in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. It lies on a deep ravine at the mouth of the River Solva. In the ravine is...
, whilst Britain's smallest city, St David's
St David's
St Davids , is a city and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. Lying on the River Alun on St David's Peninsula, it is Britain's smallest city in terms of both size and population, the final resting place of Saint David, the country's patron saint, and the de facto ecclesiastical capital of...
lies nearby. The Pembrokeshire Coast Path
Pembrokeshire Coast Path
The Pembrokeshire Coast Path is a National Trail in southwest Wales. It was established in 1970, and is 186 miles long, mostly at cliff-top level, with 35,000 feet of ascent and descent. The northern end is at Poppit Sands, near St...
follows its entire coastline.
It is well known among residents and tourists for fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
.