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Herbeys Blog
Day Out at Rhossili , Gower - Saturday 20th June 2009
After visiting Rhossili in March on a stunning sunny and
warm day only to find that my battery on my digital camera
- a Sony DSC-T70 - had run flat , Helen and I decided to
return in the summer to take some photos of this outstanding
location on the Gower Peninsula and one of our favourite places
for picknicking and walking.
The village of Rhossili sits right at the farthest point on the
Gower Peninsula - a place that was the first in the UK to be
designated as an area of outstanding natural beauty - and a
short journey from our home town of Carmarthen.
So we packed the rucksack with sandwiches , fruit and water
and a couple of books , jumped in our Ford Fiesta and set off
for Rhossili down the A48 and onto the M4 until we got to J47.
We then headed towards Gowerton via the A483/A484 and
then headed out to Dunvant and onto Fairwood Common near to
Swansea Airport. This road then takes you all the way into the
car park at Rhossili. All this in little over one hour driving at an
average speed. The sight that greets you when you alight your
vehicle literally takes your breath away:
 
Firstly you see the 3 mile stretch of sandy beach with Burry Holms
in the distance - a view that literally forces you to search for your
camera. You now know why the Gower Calendar more often than not
features this image on its cover. From the quickly filling car park
(£2.50 all day parking) the imposing image of Worms Head comes into
our view. You can walk out onto this headland at low tide but on this
day the tide was on the turn and access was closed to visitors.
After a few minutes kitting up we made our way behind the village church
and onto the footpath leading up to Rhossili Downs which overlooks the beach
and at its highest point provides panoramic views of the Gower. The Downs
are also popular with hand gliders who spend hours floating on the airwaves
created by the Downs.
 
The climb up onto the Downs is quite steep so we are a little surprised
to see a horse make its way gingerley to the top with a fully equipped
rider on its back. Looking around me I see that I am the only walker
wearing sandals - a big mistake - but at least the ground is dry and
on this occasion it is not too much of a problem. Helen , keeps telling
me to get some proper walking boots and its about time that I listen.
As you climb you cannot help but take more photgraphs since the view
gets better every ten yards that you rise.
 
Some twenty minutes later interspersed with a few breathers you
reach the highest point signposted with a with a white marker. We
take some time to take in the panoramic views and notice that you
can clearly see the long sandy beach at Cefn Sidan , Pembrey.
If you sit close to the edge at the top of the Downs the wind is quite
bracing even on a summers day. Its no wonder that people visit
this place from all corners of the globe to hand-glide , surf the waves
and fly their kites.
 
After a short pitstop we walk along the top of the Downs until we
cross the old World War II battlements that were built into the
hillside armed with large guns to shoot down the invading Luftwaffe.
My late grandmother told me that as a young woman she used to watch
the pitch battles between the RAF and the Luftwaffe over the bay and
each night the sky over Swansea lit up as the guns tried to shoot down
the approaching planes. But this is a time from another age , however I
do wonder sometimes why history is so sad?
 
From a mini peak looking down to the battlements we made our way
towards the next rise greeting other walkers making the opposite journey.
In the distance , we can now see the small village of Llangennith - host
to thousands of campers and surfers.
This sight brings memories flooding back to my teenage years when my
brother Howard and I cycled from Heol Tregonning (Morfa , Llanelli)
on a blistering hot day to Llangennith beach and back in one day. We
were so shatterd on our return that we must have eaten about four
platefulls of eggs , beans and chips - oh yes and a few gallons of orange
squash.
 
Eventually , we reach the far side of the Downs and gradually make
our way down into the challet and camping area. The journey down
appears much steeper than the climb or it just may be our impression.
Campers are arriving in droves , setting up tents or parking their camper
vans in a favourite corner , surfers are coming and going to and from
the beach which is a few hundred yards away. Everywhere is hustle
and bustle. We cross the camping area and trudge our way onto the
open beach , past the kite flyers and head for a quiet section of the beach
to eat lunch and take a well deserved break.
 
By now the sun is scorching and you can hear the relaxing sound of
the waves pounding into the shore. The tide has turned and the beach
is disappearing with each wave. The fishermen quickly grab their gear
and retreat to another safe spot. Their evening meal is assured with
two sizeable fish that look like sea bass safely in the net.
Fully refreshed we make our way along the beach browsing every now
and again at the long line of seaweed that was washed up with the
previous night`s tide. Amongst the pieces of wood and discarded sea-
shells we find two dead plaice caught on a fishermans trace with the
hooks still in the mouths. It appears that the catch got caught in the
seaweed and the struggle and the combined weight snapped the thin line.
 
A little further along we came across a number of stranded baby
jellyfish before ascending the bank via a narrow path that leads onto
some grazing land belonging to the white farmhouse. This farmhouse
is no longer occupied but is available for holiday rent. We hear that
bookings have top be made well in advance.
I remember that the Lions are playing the Springboks in South Africa
and try to get a signal on my mobile which is with Orange but the signal
is intermittent so I use Helen`s phone (O2) to get the latest score from
my mother-in-law. The reply is much as expected and it does not look
good for the remaining matches.
 
We are now at the end of the walk and slowly make our way up through
the farm exit and back to the cafe that overlooks the beach for a well
deserved cup of tea and a scon. Within a few hours we are back in
Carmarthen and looking forward to an evening meal in a first class
restaurant to finish off the day in style.
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