Explore Britain with me...

Thank you for joining me. My journey has only just begun (September 2014). I will be travelling around the coast of Britain over the coming years. I hope to see all the coastline and much of the interior. I am going anticlockwise and randomly started at the Dyfi Estuary, one of the most beautiful parts of Wales that I already knew, overlooked by the most beautiful mountain Cadar Idris. I am looking forward to seeing and recording all sorts of things. My own passion extends to wildlife, geology, scenery, history, architecture and I am interested to meet people and see the communities and towns that I pass. I have read different accounts on the length of the coast and it varies enormously, but at its extreme could be as much as 37000km, taking into accurate measurements and including all the islands. I don't think that's feasible, but much probably is! I suspect Ill use a combination of foot power, bikes and busses if I am to do it all. Perhaps I can use boats too and maybe even swim a bit.

Thursday, 14 February 2019

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 17th 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.

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