A longed-for beach walk at Llansteffan

All this year, I have wanted a seaside walk but since it has rained almost every day, or been so perishing cold we didn't want to leave the house, let alone go to an open beach with a rip-roaring bitterly cold wind, it has been put off.  Llansteffan will be familiar to many of you who follow my blog as it's our nearest beach, and when we fancy a bit of sea air, it is the default place to go to, as is Pendine, just along the coast.  No chance of an ice-cream here on Friday, as the kiosks and wee shop were still shut, but we enjoyed a walk instead.

I am not sure if I am looking at the right little white blob, but there is a cottage on the hillside on the right of the river Towy, which is one I stayed at in 1971 and 1972 when visiting a dear pen pal of mine and her family (father and sister).  I fell in love with Carmarthenshire and when we were looking to move from Dorset (and after Devon had got beyond our purse as prices were shooting up week on week) we looked at a few properties in Wales and fell in love with and bought the house we live in now . . .

This turned out rather well - shooting into the sun - but ideally the figures should have been closer to the centre to my mind.  In the far distance are the trees of Pembrey (and beyond them the fabulous sandy beach of Cefn Sidn).

I couldn't resist this photo - Sea Foam.  There was a lot of it on the beach.  When I was small I had a big collection of plastic horses, some of which I painted.  My favourite was a strawberry roan I called Foam Fleck.  Looking at this foam on the sand I was transported back to being about 9 years old . . .

The row of cottages along the little lane which leads to the beach car park.  Many are let out as holiday homes now.  Not so dissimilar to the days of the Miners' fortnight (when my grandfather and his family may well have been amongst those who caught the train down here to Ferryside, and stayed there or crossed to Llansteffan on the little ferries across the river.  Not hard to imagine just about every room in every cottage being let, and sub-divided with sheets or sacking to cram in as many families as possible.

As you can see, the tide was WAY out.  In glacial times this must have been a very flat plain at the edge of the glaciers which stopped just short of the Gower.

Scotts' House in Scotts' Bay.  Yes - it did once belong to a relative of THE Captain Scott.

Some interesting geology here, where layers of rock have been thrown up at angles when the earth was being formed.

Looking back towards Ferryside.  For once, not a close-up as I wanted to give you an idea of the distance I'd walked.  A short walk for me, but probably a couple of miles by the time I was back at the car (Keith turned back early as he was feeling tired.)

Finally, view by Wharley Point, looking across to the very end of Pendine Beach where the red flag was flying and there were occasional sounds of firing from the ranges.  I had intended to walk around the corner up on the river inlet which leads to Laugharne (on the far back) but it was a bit wet underfoot from a river which flows onto the beach by Scotts' House, and I only had non-waterproof trainers on, so I turned back.

A few more photos tomorrow.