A wet end for now – 596 miles

Friday 19^th June

Circular walk from Rhossli

Steps on the trail 6182 (7184 off) – Miles on the trail 2.67 (2.97 off!)

I had a leisurely start and started to prepare for the journey home, and then met an old friend for a long coffee and catch up session. It was very good to reconnect! Then the 30 minute drive to Rhossili. This turned out to be where I had visited on the Gower on placement back in 2003. The National Trust car park was busy and the clouds on the horizon were looking ominous. However I set off having established a touching point in the car park on the trail! This was about 12:30

It was very busy for the first ½ a mile and a very easy path. I was a bit entangled with a school party and later saw the inevitable Duke of Edinburgh groups. It was a relief when I overtook the first lot – they were filling in a questionnaire as they went rather than me being speedy. After about 10 minutes it was drizzling so I put waterproofs on and hoped for the best. By the time I turned the corner on the headland looking over towards Worm’s head it was raining quite hard. I decided to carry on for a bit and see how it all went.

I worked my way around the headland and was being buffeted by strong wind as well as significant rain. I went on for a mile or so, and stopped to have some lunch and got wetter in the process. I was finding the going difficult as the reddy/brown soil and rocky surface was a slippery combination. I carried on to the first really sensible exit point behind Mewslade bay – set up another touching point and took a track back to the road in Middleton. This means in trail terms I have about a 3 mile gap of glorious cliff walking to do between Rhossili and Port Eynon based on what I did yesterday to join the gap! As I will be back later this year, I carefully marked up my map so I know which bit to do. However better to be safe and not sorry. So I did not continue in the difficult conditions.

I used a path to reconnect with Rhossili from Middleton – like many this turned out to be very overgrown and as the overgrowth was now saturated I got even wetter!, and at one point could feel the rain running down my legs into my boots! When I got home I hung my boots outside on the washing line and they took 36 hours to completely dry out – despite it being rather warmer at home! Oops.

I got back to the car and deployed my beach towel to ensure I didn’t get the drivers seat too wet as I was absolutely soaked. Following the directives of the usefulness of the towel from the Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy!

With the miles done this day, I have done another 52 miles on the trail (and 24 miles off the trail) on this break. Again the very varied terrain on the south side of the Gower is quite challenging! Taking my running total on the trail to 596 miles! I have also been doing a walking challenge in June to do 60 miles for an Alzheimer’s charity (which includes some walking at Kew as well as on the coast path) – that total was also reached! The blue and pink dashed line shows where I have walked!

https://fundraise.dementiauk.org/fundraisers/alisonway

Wet and much drier!

Thursday 11th June – It rained heavily for most of the day – I had a rest day!

Port Talbot parkway to Baglan

Friday 12^th June

Steps on the trail 13927 – Miles on the trail 5.18

It was a drizzly cool start to the day so I was well wrapped up and with my winter waterproof trousers on and gloves!. I walked down from base camp to Gowerton Station and let a train ultimately aimed at Manchester Piccadilly take me as far as Port Talbot Parkway. I descended on the coast path side of the station and I soon connected with the coast path, and created a touching point on a coast path sign.

I walked along the side of various roads on a shared pedestrian/cycle track – wondering at the very low cloud and windy conditions – which was obliterating any sense that a large steel works was nearby!! I saw some really impressive orchids and a pyramid orchid on this section – It looked that machair! The route ran along several main roads, and eventually after a complicated cycle/pedestrian bridge section, I walked through a housing estate, to a water way cut. On the opposite side was the completely invisible steel works. There was quite a nice path along the side of the water way, but I was getting blown and damp due to the persistent drizzle! There was even some artwork of the other side which I could not see!

Eventually the route came out onto Aberfan beach – which was a spectacular 3 mile stretch of golden sand – but I was then walking straight into the very strong wind. This really wasn’t very pleasant and rather hard work! I saw various penguins and a whale, plus a highly decorated house as I struggled along. There was also a very dominant kite sculpture. Eventually I decided to take a break in a café and had a very welcome cappuccino and toasted tea cake. You can see in the picture I am looking rather windswept.

I had to do at least another mile after the café on the seafront – the rain was easing a bit but the wind persisted. I eventually took a small short cut from the route and to have a break from sharing my way with bicycles! I soon reconnected with the coast path signs as I got through a housing estate including walking past 2 large schools towards the industrial estate at Baglan. I found the bus stop touching point I had used on Wednesday by another cycle bridge. I repeated my route back from that day – an X1 to Swansea bus station and then the 116 back to base camp! I took a while to get everything dry again!

Southgate National Trust Car Park to Caswell Bay

Saturday 13^th June 2026

Steps on the trail 12440 – Miles on the trail 4.43

Thankfully the day started dry and I drove to the National trust car park at Southgate to start today’s walk. It was still pretty fresh, but as the walk progressed it got warmer. I was determined to walk with the wind at my back today – which I definitely achieved (rather than yesterday’s experience). I connected with a touching point at the coast path and set off. The first section was an easy grassy path next to a narrow road, at times on the road and I made good progress. I saw a fantastic dragon at a gateway of a house on the road section.

The path verged off towards Pwlldu Head and started to be much more up and down. The views were getting impressive! And I worked around Pwlldu head before reaching a steep descent. I had a comfort stop and half a coffee at this point – whilst taking in the wonderful view. The descent was quite tricky and eventually became stone steps which made it a bit easier. I came down through a wood – to another even more tricky descent. After yesterday’s rain it was slippery and had a loose stone/muddy surface on quite a steep gradient. Not pleasant and I made heavy weather of it really. My left ankle though much improved after my post-Easter break is still abit twingey!

Eventually the tricky path came out at Pwlldu bay – but it took a while to find a suitable rest spot as the path wound back up again. This was an easier stretch generally and eventually I found a lovely vantage point for a longer coffee break and rest. Shortly after this there was a very difficult stretch of descent when I ended up on my bottom (deliberately) for the bigger drop and it took a while to get down safely – with a steep drop on one side. There were several notices warning of the danger of falling which was a bit off-putting – as a couple told me this path was going to be used for a race that afternoon!

I continued on and there was a stiff climb up and then windy steps down to reach the beach at the far end of Caswell bay. A lovely walk on the beach followed winding back at the touching point, with plenty of time before the rather late number 1 bus back to Blackpill on Swansea bay. Unfortunately I missed my connection as the first bus was late, and had just over an hour to kill, so found a bench overlooking the bay and the promenade/cyclepath and watched the world go by whilst eating my lunch. There were convenient toilets here but I didn’t use the first one as they were trying to release someone who was stuck in that cubicle! Oops.

I got the No 14 back to Southgate with a rather grumpy driver!

Adding to both ends!

Mumbles – South end car park to Caswell Bay

Tuesday 9^th June

Steps on the trail – 13927 Miles on the trail 4.35

It was a bright sunny morning – rather windy and I returned to the South end car park on the Mumbles. I took a while to get organised and set off on the final bit of the promenade, up to the pier. I availed myself of some facilities before ascending some steep steps up on to the headland. What followed was several miles of scenic coastal walking, made very much easier by a cement track (all bar the last ½ a mile into Caswell Bay). There were many seats and a few ascents and descents. There were lots of people on the track of all sizes and ages, and plenty of dogs. I stopped first for a coffee looking back at Limeslade bay.

The wind was really blustery and I wished I was walking in the opposite direction. It was really very straightforward – dipping down first to Langland Bay – where I again used some convenient facilities. There was a terrific footpath sign, with memorial plaques, and a reference to the dark side! I stopped for a second coffee on a bench at Snapple point (which was reasonably sheltered) looking back across the bay.

The next stretch was even more windy and a big more rugged and after about a mile wound down into Caswell Bay. I didn’t need the conveniently placed defibrillator near one of the sharp ascents. It was in good time to get a No 1 bus back to Mumbles but it stopped about a mile from where the car was parked. I had lunch on a bench on the promenade, did a little bit of shopping and walked back to the car along the road, taking in a wool shop with lots of knitted animals on the way back!

Jersey Marine to Baglan (near the station!)

Wednesday 10^th June 2026

Steps on the trail 12440 – Miles on the trail 3.94

I got the 116 bus from 5 minutes away from base camp back to the Swansea bus station. I nearly missed my connection as the bus driver had logged off the bus before I tapped off! I had to wait for the new driver to log in again! Not very helpful. I just caught the X7 back to New Road in Jersey Marine where I had stopped on Monday. I really wasn’t feeling that special (and an hour on the bus hadn’t really helped!).

I started the trek by the bridge over the Tennant canal and retouched my touching point. I walked on soon joining a combined cycle route and walkway alongside the A483. I stopped in a garage, to use the facilities (and some of the reason I wasn’t feeling so great became apparent!).

The walk was not very exciting along side a main road but there were occasional orchids in the verge. As I drew near the M4, there was an underpass so I could get under the dual carriage way, and I then walked under the motorway (M4) (which is elevated at this point!). I carried on alongside the A48 and over a bridge over the river Neath. I had to make a choice between the red and blue options on the coast path – and I chose what I thought would be a walk on the beach/sand dunes – the blue option. As soon as I could I stopped for a coffee break on a slightly less busy road, on the corner before a turning to a recycling centre sitting on a crash barrier. Not my most scenic coffee stop by any stretch of the imagination! It started to rain briefly so I donned my kagoul. I was contemplating putting on my waterproof trousers when it stopped!

Shortly after crossing under the M4 again, I started following the coast path signs for the blue route – which bore no relation to what the map or the guide book said – and the walk was alongside a B-road through a long industrial estate! I really wasn’t feeling it and it tried to rain on me several times. I decided when I eventually reached a footbridge near a bus stop to regroup and was contemplating what to do sitting on the footbridge footings. I was just under the 4 mile point, but I really needed facilities! And there was nothing obvious ahead.

I checked what was happening bus-wise and 2 minutes away was an X1. I hastily set up a touching point abandoning the activity of the day. I took the X1 back to Swansea bus station, and was relieved to find the facilities (spotlessly clean but 30p a throw) and spent some time in there. I decided to get the 116 back home. Again feeling rather grim on exiting the bus – I knew I had made the right choice! I had a quiet afternoon, watched some tennis and had a sleep and things have calmed down!

Swansea Bay

Mumbles – South end car park to Brynmill

Sunday June 7^th 2026

Steps on the trail 8064 – Miles on the trail 3.48

A more leisurely start, following a church service at Murton Methodist Church – with a good exposition on the first chapter of Philippians. I liked the idea of Bible month, and enjoyed the strong Biblical focus and some super singing – with 2 great Wesley hymns.

I parked at the South end car park on the Mumbles, it was overcast and it looked like it might rain! I failed to get the car park machine to work after several efforts (things improved a bit when I got it to prompt me in English rather than Welsh – but it failed to do the final step – so I resorted to an app). I set up a touching point using the Southend sign on the Mumbles railway trail. I did a leisurely stroll on the promenade in the direction of Swansea, seeing evidence of the Swansea half marathon that had been earlier. There had been significant improvements to this end of the promenade, which were opened in 2025 – it did look good, and rather better than my memories from a placement in Sketty in 2003. I stopped for a coffee after I had found a public toilet.

I walked on to Black Pill before stopping for lunch. By this stage I realised I wasn’t going to be able to get a bus back very easily because it was Sunday, and the land train wasn’t running because of the marathon, so I decided when it came to it I would get an Uber!

Lunch hit the spot – and I carried on through more of a country park. The evidence of the half marathon was littering the side of the track, and it was quite poignant as I passed the 11 mile mark. I remembered my own half marathon (run for Christian Aid and my 50^th birthday in 2011!) in and around the Royal Parks in London. I remembered hitting the wall a bit between the 11^th and 12^th mile markers on that occasion. I had trained for 6 months to get to this point and I was particularly grateful for the encouragement from the crowd as I alternated between walking and running at this stage!

I did another mile on the trail, but was getting a bit conscious of sharing the path with a cycle track and seeing several folk in county lines kit passing me at speed – I have watched too many episodes of Line of Duty!. At Bryn mill on the mumbles railway trail I established a touching point and a very chatty Uber driver took me back to where the car was parked. Just as I was getting out of the Uber it started to rain! Which continued well into the evening!

Brynmill to Jersey Marine

Monday June 8^th 2026

Steps on the trail 15329 – Miles on the trail 6.56

I had spotted a car park near the Brynmill touching point and I headed back there. Ready to walk by 9:30am. It was bright and sunny, but cool and I decided gloves would be a good idea! There was a very patriotic bin! After connecting with the touching point, the trail kept above the beach and was much more open than yesterday’s final section. I walked along with the developments getting more and more upmarket, (though some were not ageing well), and there was a mermaid!. Eventually where a building site blocked off the path, I turned a corner on the side of the river Tawe and a marina came into view. I found a toilet, crossed the Tawe on a foot bridge, and then settled down for morning coffee.

The trail headed inland round the Prince of Wales dock, past a Norwegian Church which is now a nursery and on to a track, with a very impressive footbridge (suspension!) over the main road. I carried on along the track for about ½ a mile, before passing Fabian Way park and ride to a road.

I had a bit of a dither here, as I worked out whether to carry on. I did do a further 2 and a ½ miles to Jersey Marine, along a track that deteriorated to a narrow path, and went past some wetland, and eventually the last mile or so by the disused and overgrown Tennant Canal. (Thankfully this was much to remote a path for more county lines stuff! And I saw 2 cyclists and 1 man walking his dog on the entire stretch!) – There were several signs discouraging crime and telling me I was being watched!

I established a touching point where the path came out by a bridge, and wandered up the road to a very convenient bus stop. I had a short wait to catch a T6 bus into Swansea and then a number 1 back to Bryn Mill. I ate lunch overlooking the beach back near where I started, before heading back to the car.

Post Easter rambles

Steps on the trail 44738 Miles on the trail 19.3

Steps off the trail 32392 Miles off the trail 13.9

TOTAL 77130 steps, 33.2 miles

Unusual to be on the coast path trail for my post Easter break. Lots of contributory factors to me not being very trail fit. For starters I had a nasty run in with cellulitis in March, and have been rather careful with my right hand as a result. I was a bit reticent about using my walking poles – but that has proved to be OK and I have had no issues with my hand!

Unfortunately the choice not to use my walking poles on my first day – which ended with a lengthy spell through the Kenfig sand dunes to connect with a bus went not a good one for different reasons. Not using the poles was a mistake, as I ended up with an achy left ankle (from an old sprain I think!). Lots of twisty movements in the sand dunes without the stabilising influence of my poles was really not good…. And resulted in 1 day only doing a short distance (because my ankle hurt) and a rest day (with retail therapy at the bridgend outlet centre!). The ankle responded well to icepack treatment and wearing a tubigrip in support and reverting to my old boots! Also the poles helped in ensuring I didn’t have too many twisty movements, along with a lot of time with my foot up on the sofa watching the snooker!

Over the days I have done short chunks of the coast path and picked up the trail from Cwm Nash and got as far as part way through the Kenfig reserve – with me only doing on the trail and off it (total mileage . I have been pretty blessed with the buses using a 63B, the 303 and an X2 to connect up bits of the trail and where I had left the car. I walked from my base camp in Porthcawl on several days which was unusual.

I was vindicated in the choice I made in the summer when I stopped on a very hot day too – which was a relief. I need to trust my instincts about this more. I have usually carefully plotted where the possible exits are and how to connect with buses etc, and this is time well spent!

The weather, though initially rather cool with a stiff wind – has been dry through out. I have also combined with watching the early stages of the World Championship mostly in the afternoons and evenings!

At the weekend the weather was lovely which meant it was very unusually busy! I met anglers, walkers, runners, swimmers, Duke of Edinburgh expedition survivors (on Sat and Sun), a large queue going to a street food festival near Ogmore, and lots of families on and round the beach and headland at Dunraven!

On Sunday, I redid the walk I abandoned earlier at low tide, which reduced the section in the sand dunes from several miles, to just about 1 so as not to aggravate my ankle further!

Lovely stretch of coast path and very few issues with navigation – even if I have not achieved a great distance. I am back soon staying on the Gower, but can hopefully join up to where I finished in Kenfig somehow!

And the trail total is 524.3 + 19.3 = 543.6 miles!!!