Welsh seascapes and their sensitivity to offshore developments No: 40 Regional Seascape Unit Old Castle Head to Giltar Point/Caldey Island Name: Skrinkle Haven (Photo(c) Dave Maclachlan, PCNPA) Whitesheet Rock, Lydstep Point and Caldey Island (Photo(c) Dave Maclachlan, PCNPA) Lydstep Haven and caravan park (Photo (c)Dave Maclachlan, PCNPA) Proud Gilter, near Lydstep (Photo (c) Dave Machlachlan, PCNPA) 1 Welsh seascapes and their sensitivity to offshore developments No: 40 Regional Seascape Unit Old Castle Head to Giltar Point/Caldey Island Name: Seascape Types: THMR Key Characteristics A south east facing, concave indented coast being part of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, and comprising discontinuous sandstone, limestone cliffs and sandy bays including Caldey Island. A rural coastline with mixed farming and semi-natural vegetation on the headlands. Military ranges on both major headlands with a large caravan park at Lydstep. Exposed headlands with east facing, sheltered bays. Views from Pembrokeshire Coast Path and to and from Caldey Island. Key cultural associations: leisure and tourism, including the monastic island of Caldey. Physical Geology The Old Red Sandstone of Castle Head gives way to Carboniferous limestone to the west. Characteristics Caldey Island is split between north and south by this geology, with limestone to the north. Windblown sand lies at Lydstep. Coastal landform A south and east facing concave, indented and eroding coast of discontinuous cliffs and bays, with Caldey Island situated offshore 1km to the south east. Cliffs reach 50m AOD in places and vary in angle from vertical to sloping. The coast is defined by the main headlands to the east and west and at Lydstep Point. The bays are east facing at Lydstep and Scrinkle Haven. The cliffs on Caldey Island are similar in height with a generally rocky indented coast. Coastal landcover Semi-natural vegetation on the headlands and the narrow coastal cliff edge. This, and reverting grassland, surround the military installations and ranges on Old Castle Head and Giltar Point. Pastoral and arable fields reach the coast at points. At Lydstep, deciduous woodland occupy the sheltered slopes, while there is also a large caravan park located here. On Caldey, there is a monastery with associated pasture, rough grazing and woodland. Intertidal area Narrow rocky coast with the exception of two sandy beaches at Lydstep and Scrinkle Haven. Characteristics of sea Tidal and exposed on the south facing coast but with the bays being relatively sheltered. Hinterland landform A series of gentle ridges rising gradually to the north and reaching over 90m AOD west of Penally. There are shallow valleys between the ridges. Further north the land changes to rolling hills and valleys. Hinterland landcover A rural landscape of pasture and arable fields with occasional woodland. Settlement is clustered with the largest at Penally, including occasional caravan sites. The main line railway runs just back from the coast. Lighting Tenby to the north and Penally forms the foci for lighting with the area becoming darker to the west. Use Land/coast uses The coast is mainly rural with pasture, some arable and settlement at Lydstep. There is recreational use of beaches for swimming, such as at Lydstep and Scrinkle Haven. Military installations lie at Old Castle Head and Giltar Point. Sea uses Passenger ferries from Swansea to Ireland, oil tankers and other shipping for the oil terminals and the power station at Milford Haven. Sailing and leisure boating from Tenby and Milford Haven. Visual and How the seascape unit Pembrokeshire Coast Path; beaches at Lydstep and Scrinkle Haven, scattered settlement. sensory qualities is experienced Degree of intervisibility Most visibility is possible from Old Castle Head, Lydstep Point, near Giltar Point and on of land and sea southern Caldey. High ground adjacent to the coast and the east to west ridges also have some visibility and a screening effect for the lower coastal plateau and valley areas inland. Key views to sea and Pembrokeshire Coast Path, to and from Caldey Island and across Carmarthen Bay. along the coast 2 Welsh seascapes and their sensitivity to offshore developments Key views to land Views are from the passenger ferries (from Swansea to Ireland), sailing and leisure boats and shipping. Tranquillity/rem- Tranquil - Caldey Island is tranquil and relatively remote. The mainland coast does have oteness/wildness some degree of tranquillity because of limited road access, however, there is seasonal or sporadic activity at the caravan parks such as at Lydstep, the military installations and along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Sense of scale Medium Openness/ Moderately open Enclosure Diversity Diverse Exposure Very exposed Key cultural Caldey Island and low key leisure and tourism at Lydstep. associations Caldey Island has a remarkable history of religious occupation from the Early Christian period to the establishment of a Benedictine Abbey in the early 20th century. Extended littoral SSSI from Lydstep to Penally onward to Tenby; SSSI of Tenby Cliffs; marine pSAC and SAC of Carmarthen Bay and Estuaries. Forces for change Land/coast Tourism and associated development at Lydstep. Increasing recreation pressure on car park sites and along the Pembrokeshire Coast Path including trampling of cliff top. Sea - Designations and National Park Pembrokeshire Coast National Park sensitive features AONB - Heritage Coast South Pembrokeshire Long-distance coastal Pembrokeshire Coast Path footpath/National Trail Outstanding and special Manorbier. historic landscapes Historic gardens and Caldey Priory SS 1496 parks Key scheduled ancient Caldey Priory monuments Caldey Abbey Lydstep Palace Country Parks - Open access land - 3 Welsh seascapes and their sensitivity to offshore developments No: 40 Regional Seascape Unit Old Castle Head to Giltar Point/Caldey Island Name: Headline Sub-criteria Increases sensitivity Decreases sensitivity criteria Overall Summary of key • A concave, indented coast with headlands and • Some limited caravan park character factors islands including Caldey and St Margaret's, developments and the firing range at and which give local scale and frame views Penally qualities • The wider panorama of open sea visibility from • The presence of the railway just back headlands from the coast • Predominantly rural and tranquil character with • The large scale of open sea limited lighting • A place of pilgrimage and escape to the monastery on Caldey. Seascape sensitivity levels for different forms of offshore development (derived from criteria above) Modelled scenario Generic form of Sensitivity Comments development Tall structures 13km High The embayment limits the open sea horizon spread and Offshore wind offshore highlights the islands as a focus. A backdrop of tall sensitivity structures would detract from this focus. Wave energy units Broad flat structures on Moderate Broad flat structures on the sea surface would distract from sensitivity the sea surface and clutter the setting of the islands as seaward focal points. Tidal energy units Developments placed Moderate The sensitivities of a concave, indented coast with coves sensitivity only a short distance which are used for swimming and coastal recreation, offshore. especially walking Headlands and islands, including Caldey and St Margaret's, which give scale and frame views, which could be dominated by tidal units locally. Predominantly rural and tranquil character with limited lighting, a monastery on Caldey means the opportunities to fit in development just offshore are very limited, if any. 4 .