Llanmadoc circular

Today was the sunny day. Thank goodness we had one. To celebrate, we decided to walk as a foursome and to do the headland walk round Berges Island at Llanmadoc. This walk along Whiteford Sands and then back along the lee side looking over Llanmadoc Marsh is a lovely generally flat walk starting from the Whiteford car park. It’s an optional extension to the Wales Coast Path – one however that I don’t think should be missed. The panoramas on a clear day like we had are truly amazing looking out over the Burry estuary and Llanrhidian marsh.

Not too much to describe, just some lovely views …

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The panorama below is from 5 images stiched together in Lightroom. The expanse of sand is quite staggering. The coastline in the background is that of Llanstephan (and possibly Laugharne).

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The old Lighthouse at Whiteford Point with Burry Port in the background.

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Our lunchtime sandwich break view …

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… and again a panorama made up of 6 or 7 images, looking across the whole of the Loughor/Burry estuary.

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A carpet of flowers – the picture doesn’t do them justice.

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Looking across towards Llanrhidian marsh.

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Walking beside Llanmadoc marsh.

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As we finished the walk we came across a National Trust Ranger who told us about the birds that are visiting the marsh at Llanmadoc, and the ecosystem changes that are taking place as a result of the seawall having been breached and the marsh reverting to salt-marsh. You can see the trees that have started to die back. They have also created a platform in one of those trees hoping to attract osprey at some time in the future. The hide is in place, a great place to watch birds in winter.

The walk was just over 5 miles, but thoroughly delightful, and the company was good too! We went to the King Arthur Hotel at Reynoldston on the way back for afternoon tea and then returned for supper that night and then back for a little liquid refreshment. The King’s Ginger was quite popular.

Port Eynon to Nicholaston Farm

Our second day on The Gower, I awoke quite tired, but not as tired as poor A&A because their lilo had developed a puncture! They went off to Swansea to get a new footpump, having repaired the bed. Luckily, that was to prove a success, otherwise we’d have had to abandon the trip. So with the weather gloomy again, but with the promise of a better afternoon, we decided to put off our walk until after lunch which we had in The Ship at Port Eynon.

Alec has a thing about walking on sand. So although the WCP went behind the dunes between Port Eynon and Horton … we had to walk along the sand. Much grumbling and moaning from me – I hate walking on sand. We soon got beyond Horton however and enjoyed the low-level cliff walk looking down on the wave-cut platform and with me in my element describing solifluction terraces, periglaciation and abandoned cliffs. I may have ended up in computing, but my heart and mind has always been that of a geographer/geologist!

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Looking back towards Port Eynon …

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… and the WCP diversion near Slade where the path has slipped into the sea.

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We were then not far from Oxwich and then the drizzled came down, heavier and heavier by the minute! We just had to stop at the Oxwich Bay Hotel to get some respite (for me – Doom Bar). We had a great chat with a couple from Northern Ireland who were camping nearby and if we’d had transport outside would have quite happily stayed there longer than we did. But we had to get across Oxwich Bay and the stream at it’s eastern end …

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… before tackling Nicholaston Burrows which thankfully were not as exhausting as the ones at Penmaen the day before. Once again we enjoyed the wildflowers at the end of our 7 mile walk …

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… but I, for one, was very pleased to have a lovely warm shower and dry out after climbing the hill to the campsite, before settling back for another lovely evening of food and drink.