Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
rounding field suggest that the chapel may have been built within an ancient pagan stone
circle.
On the approach to the chapel is a pretty little
holy well
. The sacred spring is said to have
emerged at the moment of the saint's birth and the water is believed to have curative
powers. Although pilgrimages were officially banned following the suppression of Cath-
olicism in the 16th century, people continued to make furtive visits.
The site has now come full circle. In 1935 a local Catholic, Cecil Morgan-Griffiths,
built the
Chapel of Our Lady & St Non
out of the stones of ruined religious buildings that once
stood nearby. Its dimensions echo those of the original chapel. The Catholic Church re-
paired the stone vaulting over the well in 1951, and Morgan-Griffith's house is now used
by the Passionist Fathers as a retreat centre.
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Ramsey Island
Ramsey Island lies off the headland to the west of St Davids, ringed by dramatic sea cliffs
and an offshore armada of rocky islets and reefs. The island is a Royal Society for the Pro-
tection of Birds (RSPB) reserve famous for its large breeding population of choughs -
members of the crow family, with glossy black feathers and distinctive red bills and legs -
and for its grey seals. If you're here between late August and mid-November, you will
also see seal pups.
You can reach the island by boat from the tiny harbour at St Justinian, 2 miles west of
St Davids. Longer boat trips run up to 20 miles offshore, to the edge of the Celtic Deep, to
spot whales, porpoises and dolphins. What you'll see depends on the weather and the time
of year; July to September are the best months. Porpoises are seen on most trips, dolphins
on four out of five, and there's a 40% chance of seeing whales. The most common species
is the minke, but pilot whales, fin whales and orcas have also been spotted.
Getting There & Away
From St Davids the Celtic Coaster heads to St Justinian, from where boats travel daily to
Ramsay Island. For further details,
Click here
.
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