Ramsey Sound, Pembrokeshire

The waters of Ramsay Sound, between the mainland and Ramsey island, have significant tidal effects, and tidal waterfalls. The Bitches and Whelps is a reef of rocks which stretches out into Ramsey Sound, and which, when combined with the strong tides which race through the area creates a notorious stretch of water.

The tides run north for approximately 6 hours on the flood and south for 6 hours on the ebb, the tidal race in the Sound can reach speeds of up to 8 knots on a spring tide and over the reef itself in places this can increase to 18 knots. The tide speeds up as it is funnelled through the relatively narrow channel of the sound and the reef then acts as a dam. This effect is particularly spectacular during the flood tide when the water level on the south side of the rocks can be as much as 1.5 meters higher than that on the north side.

My walk took in some of the views across the sound before taking me back to Whitesands Bay.