" 1. Swansea 2015 ~ Day 3 ~ Rhossili and home "

Date & Time: Tuesday 20th / Wednesday 21st April 20015

Locations : Swansea and the Gower Coast.

Places visited : Rhossili and Worms Head, Swansea and Bridgend

Accommodation : Staying with our friends Sandra and Jackie in Swansea.

Walked with : Gareth, Ann and the dogs, Rufus, Harry and Dylan.

Weather : Glorious early summer sunshine, warm with big, blue skies.

It has been a long hard holiday . . .

suffering extremes of sunshine and heat and having to wear a fur coat all the time . . .

Rubbish, they're just enjoying a lie-in !

They'll move quick enough as soon as I rattle two breakfast bowls !

Up, dressed, brushed and ready to go . . .

- - - - o o o - - -

After a successful dress rehearsal, Gareth is free again today to enjoy another Gower walk.

Along with us is Rufus too, delighting in the chance of another day in Harry and Dylan's company.

The walk started at the National Trust car park at Rhossili.

The old private car park by the hotel where you used to have to pay is now free to members.

Looking back at the Coastguard Cottages and the Rhossili Bay Hotel.

We walked out along the headland towards Worm's Head.

The main Rhossili Beach has nearly three miles of fine, uninterrupted golden sands,

with the small tidal island of Burry Holmes at the far end.

Looking back at Rhossili Downs and the now distant car park.

The grass slopes here are dangerous at any time because it is one long, ever-steepening slippery slope

down onto the rocks or the beach nearly 200 feet below . . . and there's no safety net.

The tide is out and some folk are taking advantage of a walk out on sands that are normally covered by the water.

The gorse is in full bloom today, taking full advantage of this spell of extremely fine weather.

The sands give way to rocks and the shallows to deep water as we walk along the cliffs towards Kitchen Corner.

From the Coastguard Lookout on the end of the headland we walk down the slope

to the start of the causeway which leads out onto the tidal island of Worms Head.

We all walked down onto the rocks but felt that the terrain was really rather too much for Harry to cross all the way

and of course he'll have to scramble all the way back too.

Ann elected to take Harry on a grassy walk out along the top of the headland instead.

The limestone scenery out here is superb.

Looking back at Worms Head and the full length of the causeway.

Harry taking life at a leisurely pace.

The end of the road . . . to go much further at this altitude would be foolish . . . nay impossible.

Still it's a lovely view to enjoy while the boys are out on the head.

- - - o o o - - -

In the mean time we have taken Dylan and Rufus on across the causeway.

There is quite a story behind such a large anchor being abandoned in such a shallow and dangerous place.

The Gower Shipwreck - Samuel, Worms Head

A panorama as we complete the majority of the outward crossing.

[ Gareth provided the pictures of Worms Head as Ann had taken her camera on her walk]

Onto dry land once again.

Ann and Harry would be walking the cliffs in the middle distance, along to the headland at the end.

Starting up the slope that leads to the top of the Inner Head.

Looking east, back at the crossing we have just completed.

West this time to the outer end of Worms Head.

Low Neck, the Devils' Bridge, and the Outer Head.

The next rock crossing is slightly more difficult for the dogs and would take too long, so we'll return at this point to re-join Ann.

We have walked to the end with the children many years ago.

Rather than re-climb the Inner Head we opt for the lower path back to the causeway.

The tidal causeway is open for about five hours a day.  This is perfectly timed for us today, noon till 5pm.

The bell is for those that overstay their visit and need to call for assistance.

Back across safely . . . especially as we didn't take five and a half hours.

We walk out towards Fall Bay and meet Ann on the headland.

Crowd photo . . . Rufus and all.

On the coast path an unknown National Trust workman is busy re-building the ancient stone walls.

The layout of the field system here and the walls that surround them date back to medieval times.

What was really interesting was the curved shape that he was building into the outside of the wall . . . a real challenge.

The overhang created by the curved stone surface would make it more difficult for stock to climb from outside

and possibly deflect the south-westerly storms on a rough day rather well too.

More of the stone mason's art stretched back along the coast path.

We turn the corner and head back to to the village.

The long stretch of Rhossili Bay once again.

- - - o o o - - -

Gareth returned to town and his preparations for the evening, we headed out to Mumbles.

The seafront Verdi's Cafe at Southend with expansive views across the low tide sands of Swansea Bay.

Afternoon tea and cakes with Mike, my childhood family friend and best man from our wedding a good few years back.

Those that saw our recent Lake District walk won't need reminding how quickly 36 years flies by.

 - - - o o o - - -

In the evening we adjourn to Town and to the Dylan Thomas Theatre

to see a production of " How to Succeed in Business without really Trying" by the Swansea Amateur Operatic Society.

No pictures of the performance obviously but it was a great night . . . they ran for six evenings and one afternoon matinee performance.

This was the whole cast and crew who put on the play . . . Gareth's head (and no shoulders) can be spotted on the back row behind the leading man.

Click here for their Facebook page and their historical (but dormant) listing on the Grand Theatre web page

Before returning to the car we strolled out alongside the river to enjoy the lights and sounds of the marina.

- - - o o o - - -

All too soon in the morning it was time to pack up and head home.

On the way home we called it see a family friend from Ann's time in Bridgend.

This is Ursula, Godmother to both Gareth and Jenna, our two younger children.

She has recovered really well from recent medical problems and was in top form for our visit.

- - - o o o - - -

So our visit to Swansea has drawn to a close . . . time to hit the cruise control button on the new car and head north, back to Cumbria.

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Canon Sureshot SX220 or Gareth's Iphone (whatever edition it now is)

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . . good friends, good weather and good scenery (both countryside and theatrical)

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Previous walk - 20th April - Slade Bay and Oxwich

A previous time here - 28th / 29th March 2014 - Our previous Swansea Visit

Next walk - 27th April 2015 - Angler's Crag with Trevor and Gill