Category: Carmarthenshire

18th June 2016

This walk is certainly one of our more challenging, and longest – but it joins up two completed sections (having already walked from Llansteffan to Carmarthen and from Kidwelly to Llanelli). So we set off at 8.15am to drive to Kidwelly station just in time for the 9.30 train. It was a bit of a surprise to have to put our arm out to stop the train, but thankfully it did stop and we got on and paid the £9.60 fare. The train station at Carmarthen was deliberately the end point of a previous walk so directly we set foot off the train we were at the start of the coastal path – and today was one of those rare days when every step taken was part of the coastal path.

Waiting for the train to arrive – arms at the ready

The start point outside the station

Thankfully within a mile of so, through industrial estates, we hit upon a McDonald’s – albeit the worlds slowest McDonald’s – nearly 20 minutes for breakfast to arrive – we thought about sending Cleo through the drive thru.

Then we were on our way and the main road soon became a slightly quieter road (but with no pavement) and then, once we had past through Croesyceiliog, we turned right down a country lane. Finally, after 3 miles of walking we got our first glimpse of the coast.

The river Tywi estuary

The lane to head along

There is a certain irony to the next part of our walk as it was shortly after Sharon said that it was the best signposted path she had seen, and asked me to picture it, that we got lost!!

We are not sure how, but we missed a turning and ended up following a road and added about a mile to our journey but, after a “sun cream and water” break we made it back on to the coastal path and headed down to the estuary, through Ferryside and to the beach.

Across the train tracks to the beach

Site of our lunch

So after setting off at 9.45 it was now 1pm and time for some lunch. We had over 8 miles under our belts already and so deserved the sandy sandwiches (more mayonnaise next time Andrew – noted) as our feet recovered from the morning. The view from the beach was our previous walk and the castle at Llansteffan. Then on we went, deciding to stick to the path and straight away we headed up some steep inclines.

Up some steps, across a field

and down some steps

Cleo faster than the camera could focus

The next part was all woodland paths and fields, again with no coast line. And it has to be one of the least walked parts of the whole coastal paths, judging by how overgrown it was.

Cleo is there – trying t get through an overgrown gate

A view from the field

We walked through various farms and gardens along the way,  stopping at a farm house where a very pleasant lady thought that Cleo was her dog and tried to call her back inside. Then through a tropical forest with a step descent then a climb back up through a field again and our first paddling pool of the coastal path.

Part of the forest walk

A paddling pool?!!

Beautiful farmhouse with a lovely lady to chat to

We then headed through Llansaint and the drop down to Kidwelly began, all along an overgrown track.

Annoyingly we could see the train station across the rail bridge but had to walk to the road bridge – we say annoyingly, but when we got to Kidwelly we saw the castle and, more importantly, the Gatehouse tea rooms.

Well it would be rude not to wouldn’t it, and even Cleo joined in on the act:

Passion fruit cake, and Strawberry and Rhubarb cake

And a sausage for Cleo

The castle itself looked magnificent and a very reasonable price of £12 for a family admission so we shall return there with all the kids to get our money’s worth.

Kidwelly Castle

Into the stocks for Cleo

It was then a short walk up the high-street to get back to the car and, just as we arrived the 4.30 train was pulling in. Not the most scenic of days, but plenty of hills and a variety of fields, woodland, coast and town made this a very enjoyable day. And the stats – 15.5 miles walked taking our total to 186.3 miles, and 683.6 miles to go.  Soon be at 200 miles we hope.

Andrew and Sharon

23rd April 2016

It is unusual for us to walk on back to back days, but with the caravan booked for the whole weekend  we planned 4 days of walking and this is the second and by far the hardest. The book says it is 15 miles in total, and also very hilly (that will please Darren), and it is quite a trek just to start out.

To be honest – we only planned to go as far as St Clears today (about 10 miles) – hence we parked the car there in the morning (7.30!!) and got the dog friendly bus into Carmarthen, had breakfast at Wetherspoons and waited for the dog unfriendly bus (back in the rucksack again Cleo) to Llansteffan. Off at the same bus stop as yesterday but this time we went left not right and headed for the beach and the castle.

Back in the rucksack

To the beach and castle

For once we were prepared and even knew that low tide was just before 2, so as we walked along the beach we could see the tide receding. The official coastal path then heads up the hill and past the castle – but Sharon has this wonderful theory that we should try to always be as close to the coast as possible, and that if the path sometimes goes in land a bit, then we should seek alternative routes.  Today was one such day. The beach was so appealing to Sharon that she decided to see if we could walk on it for as long as possible and miss a few of the hilly bits.

As close as we got to the castle

Shall we go this way

Sinking in the sand

Tide receding

Our feet were sinking quite deep in the sand, at some points above the tops of the walking boots, but the sun was shining and we had the whole beach almost to ourselves.  We reached a rocky part and after climbing over a few rocks we saw a guy and his dog sitting on the rock waiting for the sea to retreat far enough for him to get the fish out of his net.

Climbing over the rocks

The fishing nets

We asked him if we could carry on along the rocks and get to the next beach and a way up to the coastal path. He laughed a bit and said it would be possible in about an hour once the tide went out enough and that on the next beach there we would see a blue rope which would lead to our exit. So off we set (with his cries of “good luck” still in our ears), more mountaineering than walking and definitely slower than if we had walked up the hill, but it was fun.

Pendine across the estuaty

Some of the coves

At times the drops between rocks were 10 feet or more and we eased ourselves down the slippery rocks until finally we made it to another beach. We walked along looking for the blue rope but to no avail, and at one point almost got completely stuck in the sand as we sank up to our sock tops in it.

We passed a man farming muscles, and then continued around a corner where we could then see no way past – it was all estuary or marshland and after a bit of exploring we turned around and walked back along the beach till we found another fisherman who showed us where the blue rope was – to be fair, we had to go in through a stream and woodland before finding it and then use the rope to climb up a very steep hill.

After you my dear

What a view though

Sharon led the way up the hill and at the top we found the coastal path and the more traditional view.

We were quite behind now so decided to stick to the coastal path for the rest of the journey, even though it had to go inland at times, and it was a mixture of lanes and fields.

We found a lovely quiet spot for lunch and a snooze in the sun.

At one point we went past a farm and the sign said to go through the farmer’s field, so we did and then got completely lost wandering from field to field, stepping boot deep in cow slurry this time (Andrew!!) and after an hour we gave in and went back to the farmhouse to ask for help. Turns out the route was through a field of cows (who were very interested in Cleo) and the farmer had taken down one of the signs to avoid people using it we think. We found an alternative route through a neighbouring field and continued up and over the hills.

One of the many pointless gates not attached to anything

Looking a little tired now

Finally we approached St Clears – well as close as the coastal path went to St Clears by the boatyard.

The coastal path then headed off to the left to Laugharne, or the car was right to St Clears – but even that was 1.5 miles away so we decided (foolishly) that we might as well finish off to Laugharne and then get a bus back to get the car.

I was running out of phone battery life at this point and we needed to rush for the bus so pictures are limited, but it was much the same as the other side of the estuary and we spent a lot of time on or near the road. Finally we made it to the bus stop in Laugharne just in time for the last bus of the day. Laugharne itself, pretty as it looked, will have to wait until we have more time another day.

So the stats – we were supposed to do 10 miles of a 15 mile coastal path walk – but with detours ended up doing 17.4 miles of walking and all 15 miles of the section. Our total ascent was 1501 feet which was pretty impressive. That takes us to 123.9 miles of the coastal path completed, and 746.1 to go. And another walk to come tomorrow!!!

Andrew and Sharon

22nd April 2016

With a weekend away in a caravan in Pendine booked up we decided to tackle a few legs of the coastal path over the weekend. Friday was the only poor  weather forecast for the whole weekend but with an early enough start we might just be able to beat the rain. The only problem was that having parked in Carmarthen, the bus to get us to Llansteffan to start the walk wasn’t until 11.40 – time for Greggs!!

We were stood in the bus station with Cleo, when a woman approached us and said “they don’t let dogs on the Llansteffan bus anymore, after one did a poo”. Sharon was worried that if she did the same then all middle-aged women would be banned from the buses as well – but our problem was that we needed that bus – and we needed Cleo to be on it.  So we walked around the corner, put Cleo into the rucksack and subtly got on the bus – thinking we got away with it.

I say “thinking we got away with it” as when we got off the bus in Llansteffan the driver said “hope the little fellow enjoys the day”, and I don’t think he was talking about Andrew!!

After a false start in the wrong direction we headed up a very long and steep hill:

The start point

A very long steep hill

But the view at the top of the estuary was well worth it

And that was most of the walk really – across a few fields, along a few roads (often with the coastal path popping in and out from behind a hedge) and (according to Sharon) mainly uphill, although Strava was to disagree).

We then found ourselves in a lovely BlueBell forest, which proved a good spot for some lunch on a bridge by a stream.

Re-fueled and re-energised Sharon had a game of hide and seek while Cleo took to some showjumping.  Then we climbed some stairs and through a gate to cross the main road:

Then after some more woodland and some more ups and downs we met some fellow coastal path walkers – although I suspect they are slightly more dedicated as they had been walking for a week and had got from Swansea. We shared a few tales of misadventures and then off we went to have some more!!

Very patriotic

A crocodile

Man of poppies

An arts centre proved good for a pit stop before we headed along a floodplain, passed behind the B and Q that you always see when heading to West Wales and pass some fish sculptures. The pace picked up as the rain began to fall.

The bus station was on our left but we wanted to end at the train station so that we could pick up from there another day. So we crossed on the Pont King Morgan footbridge and found the station.

So today’s walk was 11.5 miles in total in 3 hours 26,  of this 9.5 miles was of coastal path making 108.9 miles walked and 761.1 to go!!

Andrew and Sharon