Day 35 Weobley caste to Llanmadoc

Sunday 10th February 2019

Walk distance 5 km

Cycle 0 km

Height 50 m est

hours

Total coastal distance walked 2km

Total coastal distance cycled 0km

Running coastal total distance 457.85km

Running height climbed 12370m

Today I failed to eat all the cooked breakfast. Three days in a row was to much.  Drove a tortuous route to Llanmadoc to avoid a half marathon walked up the road to Landimore.

I was amazed that there was another ruined castle.  The landscape changed here.  Although the estuary with marshes was similar, the landward high ground, with this castle upon it, was limestone. Lots of exposed rock makes it more dramatic.  The path dropped down to the edge of the hill and follows the top edge of the marsh.  Probably dry much of the time the strandline was beyond the path, suggesting the winter tide had been very high.  In places the path was muddy and it felt like my boots would be pulled off with the suction.  Towards the village are stepping stones crossing a stream.  But the heavy rain meant these were covered up (even though the tide was out) 

I took the alternative longer route back.  This was a very short walk, but in blue sky the strong wind was tolerable. I am looking forward to walking the rest of the Gower. The hills with ancient forts look worth visiting.

I was surprised that from Gowerton I was back home in 2 hours.

Day 34 Burry Port to Weobley castle

Saturday 9th February 2019

Walk distance 0km

Cycle 33 km

Height 70 mest

5 hours

Total coastal distance walked 0km

Total coastal distance cycled 32km

Running coastal total distance 455.85km

Running height climbed 12320m

After another huge cooked breakfast I put my bike together ready and then drove to Gowerton, to then catch the train back to Bury Port. The area seems very built up from roadside and there are was a lot of traffic. The journey went well and by 1030 I was on my bike. With the wind behind me I made swift progress. But it was too chilly to stop much. Where there was industry is now open recreational areas, some modern apartment and a great cycle route hugging much of the coast. This is really well laid out and signed. The marshes are magnificent here and waders and waterfowl feed really close to people. Despite the weather its clearly popular with many people making use of it. There is ugliness too, with power lines, the steel works, roads and traffic. The estuary crossing the Loughor bridge was stunning. The castle was a bit of a let down as it had been crumbling for hundreds of years. I carried on the cycle route which hugs the marshes in many places around the north coastline of the gower peninsula. The scale is magnificent and these seem cared for with sheep and ponies grazing. The first section followed the road and I was amazed at the traffic as I couldn't t think where it was headed. In the first village Pen Clawdd a rain storm started so I sheltered in a coffee shop. Ive noticed how loud welsh seems to be in all the places ive eaten. The rain ceased and I carried on, increasingly harder now against a head wind. At Llanrhidian church I stopped for lunch. The church has a very ancient carving in the entrance way. Views across extensive marsh magnificent. The roads hear were quiet and I headed for my destination, Weobley castle. 

This is very imposing, last used as a fortified manor house. No one was around so I had free entry. Rather than cycle on and risk there not being the only evening bus from Llanmadoc I then cycled back to Llanrhidian to catch the bus. Id anticipated leaving my bike to collect later. The bus driver arrived early, to have his break, and was happy for me to ask if I could take the bike too. He looked at the deserted bus and said yes. Great to get back so easily.

Day 33 Kidwelly to Burry Port

Friday 8th February 2019

Walk distance 17 km

Cycle 0 km

Height 0mest

6 hours

Total coastal distance walked km

Total coastal distance cycled 0km

Running coastal total distance 423.85km

Running height climbed 12250m

 

 

Wind blown sand

It was very wet and there was a strong gale blowing. I caught the train to Kidwelly and asked for the request stop. It rained hard as got off the train and walked to the coast at the end of the estuary leading from Kidwelly. The path first followed the marsh edge and then a former canal used for transportation of coal. The rain eased off but it was very windy. The first pasture I passed was full of fresh lambs. In the field corner was a well preserved ww2 bunker. After a short walk along the bypass the path followed the sea wall. On the marsh side there was many waders including egret, redshank and snipe.

Along the sea wall were more bunkers. On the left was farmland and also Pembrey airport. This must have been a ww2 fixture. Beyond the functioning airfield there were many disused concrete tracks. The path swung away from the wall following one such track. A herd of cows were spooked by me and kept running ahead until I reached Pembrey forest. Built to stabilise dunes this wood was full of exotic trees, mostly pines. There were very dense stands of cotoneaster. Young holm oak saplings grew on the ride side. Nearer the sea some dune plants grew, but as a dune system it was wrecked. Finally the path emerged onto the beech. The path follows the high tide line. It looked as if last night storms had reached the dunes and the entire edge facing the sea was torn with many shrubs collapsed and sand mounds sculpted by the high tide. The wind was very powerful and spray was blown across the sand. The sea itself was roaring. The tide was out and was an incredibly long way away. For a couple of hours i walked the beach and saw no one. The sands merged with the sea and sky. The dunes behind swamped by scrub.

Amazingly the sun came out but it was still too cold and windy to stop. Several timber shells remained where ships since the 17^th century had become stranded.

Towards the end of the dunes the path crossed the country park and passed former duned converted to ski slopes, park and cycle tracks. Beyond the millenium cycle path started. This section to bury port was the best, with undisturbed natural dunes and extensive marshes. I did wonder though if these will be spoilt if not grazed. Finally I reached the wonderful harbours at Bury port. From the harbour sand could be seen blowing across the beaches. It was hard to stand up now as the wind had become stronger. Once back and refreshed I ate moussaka in the restaurant opposite.

Wildfowl and wetland centre Llanelli

Thursday 7th February 2019

Drove down the M50 and M4 motorway to reach Llanelli and the wetland centre. The wild areas in the millenium wetland was rather devoid of birds. I did see a few different ducks, bullfinches and redshank which was nice. The coastal mudflats and salt lagoons were even quieter. Either the strong wind or workers repairing the sea wall had scared the birds off. The collection was similar to Slimbridge, but smaller in scale. A hansom American man gave me his spare bird seed before he left. My favourites were the nene, red breasted geese and cranes. Flamingos looked incongruous in the winter. I also took some pictures of our native ducks. After drove into Llanelli thinking of buying a few things. But I decided to move on as it didnt look a very welcoming place. Burry Port looked much more welcoming. After I checked in to the Globe bed and breakfast I walked down to the harbour before the sun set. It was very cold so I went back to the small centre to see if I could find somewhere to eat. I ended up eating in at a nice warm fish and chip shop.