Pembrokeshire’s Secret Shell Surprise
Exploring Cilwendeg’s Shell House Hermitage
I expect a brown tourist sign. There isn’t one. Which probably explains why I miss the entrance.
The Cilwendeg Estate lies about a mile from the centre of the small Welsh village of Boncath, eight miles from Cardigan. I only realise I’ve missed the turning when I whizz past a familiar-looking lodge house. I’m not one for SatNavs. (I hate being told where to go 😁.) Instead, I use Google Streetmaps to visualise my journeys as best I can beforehand.
After a quick turnaround, I enter the estate and immediately spot a painted blue sign. The Shell House it declares. Phew! I am where I’m supposed to be. Passing the lodge (a private residence), the stone track cuts through open fields. Despite the sign, this still feels like I’m intruding. In some ways, I am. The Cilwendeg Estate is private, except for the permitted access to the Shell Hermitage, and a few public footpaths criss-crossing the grounds.
The crunch of stones under slow-rotating tyres echoes around as I enter a wooded area. How much further? Moments later, I stumble across the parking area on the right. It’s a…
