Cwm-yr-Eglwys, view from churchyard wall
Cwm-yr-Eglwys is a tiny bay on the east side of Dinas which is between Fishguard and Newport on the A487. Turn left as you leave the village of Dinas Cross and follow the narrow lane down to the end. Parking is straight ahead and is 'pay the attendant' or use the honesty box, it is cheap, only a few pounds pound per day, so please play the game. There are toilets near the car park behind the boat park but no other facilities. You can fish from the beach but over high tide on bigger tides you will need to retreat to fish from the wall of the churchyard. The churchyard has the remains of the church, most of which was washed away in the great "Royal Charter Storm" in 1859. On a sunny summer evening it would be difficult to imagine a nicer spot to fish, the fishing's not always good, the location makes up for it.
Dogfish roam the bay in large numbers at night along with some pollack, flatfish such as flounders, plaice and dabs are caught along with other species such as bass, gurnard, whiting and pouting. Squid and fish baits will catch most species here if you cannot get ragworm.
If you look carefully at the photograph above you will see a concrete platform that leads out onto flat topped rocks, there is space for a few people to fish from here either casting out diagonally into the centre of the bay or to use very light tackle to catch blennies and other small species that lurk under the rock ledges. If calm you could try float fishing for pollack,bass or mackerel in season.
Access to the rocks and concrete platform is cut off at high tide; there is a way back over both concrete areas and along a narrow path which is the top of the sea wall and can be seen below the white wall; cross over the stream and you will find a rough path leading back up to the lane.
the wall looking back from the concrete platform
the wall looking back from the concrete platform
Comfort indeed on the churchyard wall, benches to sit on, and all a short walk from the car park and the toilets. I noticed when I was last here ( in August 2010 ) there was an ice cream van, that also did hot and cold drinks, parked during the daytime in the entrance to the boat park between the car park and the churchyard.
The beach with the headland to the left.
On fine summer evenings you will see a procession of hopefuls negotiating the rocks to the left of the bay on their way out to the headland where deeper water means easy float fishing for mackerel, bass and pollack. Try mackerel strip or sand eel as bait but pollack are especially partial to a ragworm, hook it just once through the head. The access is rough and is not suitable for children.
If you fancy a pleasant walk you can head west along a level path around the back of "the Island" which takes you to Pwllgwaelod beach which is a sandy bay with rocky fringes. Pwllgwaelod gets very crowded, there is a pub/restaurant there.
The beach here gets very crowded during sunny summer days, leave the fishing until evening when the swimmers have left...... or get up early.
Ragworm is stocked sometimes, phone to check/order, by the shop in Cardigan (Castaway Tackle Shop in College Row 01239 621856 ); it is expensive farmed, boxed ragworm. Tesco in Cardigan sell mackerel and frozen raw prawns which make excellent bait.sliced into slivers on small hooks for smaller fish or used whole on a 1/0 or 2/0 hook for bass....or more likely a dogfish.
The beach here gets very crowded during sunny summer days, leave the fishing until evening when the swimmers have left...... or get up early.
Ragworm is stocked sometimes, phone to check/order, by the shop in Cardigan (Castaway Tackle Shop in College Row 01239 621856 ); it is expensive farmed, boxed ragworm. Tesco in Cardigan sell mackerel and frozen raw prawns which make excellent bait.sliced into slivers on small hooks for smaller fish or used whole on a 1/0 or 2/0 hook for bass....or more likely a dogfish.
. from churchyard wall over high tide or, with a suitable wheelchair, from the firm sand beach.
