The frost on the boardwalk makes me slip and slide, so I step into the dunes. It’s a glorious morning. The frozen grass crunches underfoot and my white breath plumes ahead of me. The gothic Sker House dominates the bleak landscape.
I was not expecting this, anticipating an industrial walk through Port Talbot. Kenfig Burrows is stunning; one of the most beautiful scenes on my walk so far, helped by the gorgeous sunrise. A rolling, desolate landscape of green, red, and gold, dusted in white.
The steam from the Tata steelworks rises over the horizon, as though a storm is sweeping across the dunes.
Sadly, the path heads inland, and I must leave the dunes behind.
The mood of the walk shifts abruptly, into a long urban circuit of the vast steelworks.
With the steelworks behind me, I return to the water’s edge, along the lovely Aberavon Sands. I head off the coast path at Baglan Bay, getting as close as possible to Swansea University Bay Campus, across the River Neath. What a location for a student!
Having veered off course a little, I decide to follow a large pipe line, back to Baglan Bay power station.
After a long canal walk, I make it into Swansea at sunset.
My CAMRA guide comes up trumps again, with the cosy No Sign Bar. Good food, a wonderful pint of Gower Gold (what else?), and a comfy chair next to the fire. Hopefully someone will wake me up if I drift off.
To round off a wonderful day, my Travelodge room has a bath with a plug. This is the life.
Walk distance: 21 miles.
Total distance: 1,266 miles.
Great pictures as always… this is the life indeed! Keep going and enjoy your journey.
Thanks Simon.
Some more stunning photos. In South Wales you often seen to go from beautiful places to ugly heavy industry and back again in only a couple of miles, the scenery can change very quickly. Still I think you’ve passed pretty much all the industry in South Wales now.
It looks like you got the best seat in the pub again, as usual! As to the Travelodge, do you often end up in rooms with no plug?!
I booked a cheaper room last year that only had a shower. When I turned up, it had a bath and a shower, to my joy. However, on closer inspection, they had removed the plug!
What a wonderful start to the day. Love those clear, frosty mornings. We don’t seem to get many of them these days. Good mileage – you’re making great progress.
There are some upsides to early starts due to the short days. As long as I am warm, and dry, I really love the cold, clear mornings. I always seem to find a Greggs open from 7am, for that bacon roll and coffee breakfast, to be enjoyed after the sun has risen. 🙂
Ahhh yes, Greggs 😁😁
Absolutely stunning images. Your description is excellent and I can almost hear the crunchy frost
Thanks Cindy.