Welsh Coast Path 2016.

Four days of walking for 16 people and one dog.

10/09/2016 Rest Bay to Baglan. 17 miles.

The group actually walked 18.3 miles this day due to our coach driver dropping us off at Porthcawl, and one of Norman’s unscheduled lighthouse visits, more later on that one.

9am at the Twelve Knights pub Margam. The mini coach arrived on time and Norman quickly established his usual rapport with Lyn our coach driver. It was very quickly established that Lyn gave as good as he got with plenty of banter between him and Norman keeping us all very entertained. On arrival at Porthcawl (not Rest Bay) Norman instantly headed us all off to the Porthcawl lighthouse so he could tick it off his lighthouse list. This is not in the direction we were supposed to walk in and I am sure he paid the mini bus driver to make this unscheduled drop off!

So sight seeing over, the days walk finally started. The weather was warm and overcast and the walk consisted of some very pretty coastal scenery interspersed with urban walking, stunning clean sandy beaches and a couple of golf courses. We also followed old quarry railway routes and noticed there was evidence of plenty of history in the area.

One main historic piece, which was very impressive, was the Isambard Kingdom Brunel hydraulic accumulator tower and the Brunel port. This was towards the end of the walk at Baglan.

Overall, the walking on day one was flat with some tarmac to contend with but this did not detract from a very splendid Welsh coastline.

Viv Lee

11/09/2016 Baglan to West Cliff. 18.5 miles.

Our second day of walking began with the designation of the 1 2 3 numbers to various members of the group. To those of you (like me) who don't understand this, it is a system which should make life easy for everyone. Number 1 leads, number 2 stays in the middle of the group to ensures that number 1 doesn't get too far ahead, and that number 3 sees any turns on the route which the group make. Number 3 (Robb) did an exemplary job in staying at the back all day, gathering in any waifs and strays and generally keeping order there. Numbers 1 and 2, (no names, no pack drill but one was from the White Rose County and one shares a nickname with a certain American General) re-enacted the Wars of the Roses, moving up and down positions and generally chunnering and nattering at each other all day. I think we gave up on this system after today.

Anyway, the walk itself: Starting from Baglan we crossed a huge flyover bridge and turned towards Swansea. Passing the Castle Hotel we turned onto the Tennant canal disturbing a family of swans who were enjoying the sunshine. It was then onto a length of tarmac track before turning seawards to reach the waterfront at a rejuvenated Swansea Docks. It was too early on a Sunday morning for the local cafes to be open but we enjoyed a break on the benches here. Passing a very colourful Marina we were then on Swansea seafront with a strip of park between the coast road and the sea. There was plenty to look at with some fine old and new bulidings on the land side, outdoor gym equipment to try and a lovely stretch of sand with surprisingly few people on the beach.

Lunch was taken at a local park and I have to confess, I nearly got on the land train which was setting off to Mumbles as my legs were stiffening from the hard underfoot surface. So we walked onwards to Mumbles which was a real tourist honeypot on a warm Sunday afternoon. The old and new lifeboat station enjoy a spectacular pier end position and there are a few cafes etc at the end of the promenade. Norman was very disappointed to realise that the lighthouse was on an island but plenty of photographs were taken of him pointing at said lighthouse.

Leaving the point we climbed up (at last!) to the cliff and around to Bracelet Bay. This is where the Gower starts and the land and scenery changes immediately to reflect this. Along the cliff path past Limeslade Bay and then on to Langland Bay where we had a cafe stop. I've never seen so many beach huts in one place as there were here. Off along the cliffs again to Caswell bay where the surfers were out in force. Along the coast again to finish the day at West Cliff where the minibus was waitng to take us back to Port Talbot.

A great day out with some real contrasts in scenery from the urban Baglan and Swansea to the magnificent Gower peninsula.

Hilary Scott

12/09/2016 Rhossili to West Cliff. 17 miles. 2000 ft ascent

This stretch of the southern coast of the Gower Peninsula primarily consists of limestone cliffs rising some 60 metres above sea level at the western end plus sandy beaches at Port Eynon, Oxwich and Three Cliffs Bays in the east. Here, choughs, a member of the crow family but unmistakable by their red beak and legs frequent the cliffs.

The walk started at Rhossili at the most western part of the peninsula where the National Trust operates a shop and visitor centre – a 30 mile drive from our accommodation in Port Talbot. It was breezy but dry and soon everyone was attired in wind-proofs.

Not far from Rhossili there is a small tidal island called Worm's Head accessible at low tide only but with only 40 minutes to make a return crossing by the time we arrived, a visit was out of the question. A lookout station operated by volunteers from the National Coastwatch Institution stands watch over the island.

Morning break was on the grassed over ramparts of an iron age hillfort above a rock outcrop called The Knave. The coastal path continued along the cliff tops affording magnificent views along the Gower coastline until we had to descend to our first sandy beach of the day at Port Eynon at the most southerly point on the Gower Peninsula.

It was time for lunch and the small village offered the choice of two fish and chips shops adjacent to each other. Teas and coffees were purchased and sandwiches consumed on the public benches outside. Our journey would now continue at a lower level around the headland but having to make a steep ascent through woodland before descending to Oxwich passing St Illtyd’s a 13th century church, hidden from view in the woods but overlooking the extensive sandy beach of Oxwich Bay.

The final break of the day would be in the dunes of Oxwich Burrows. This time it was the headland of Great Tor that made another ascent necessary for the continued journey around the coast. Some would find distraction by the way of a rope swing (Julie & Neil) to slow progress whilst other forged ahead making a regroup necessary.

The ups and downs of the day were not finished with a steep sandy descent into Three Cliffs Bay. Here a large stream (Pennard Pill) crossed by stepping stones meanders through a wide valley before flowing into the sea. The day’s walk would still have a sting in its tail with one more difficult sandy climb to our walk's terminus at West Cliff where the minibus awaited our arrival.

Frank Ives