Coastwalk

Swansea → Port Talbot

Distance: 11.0 miles
Ascent: 232 metres
Duration: 3 hours 12 minutes

Finished, unfinished
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Swansea is heading east. While the coastline towards The Mumbles is well established, one you cross the Tawe the mood changes immediately. The post-industrial land here is working hard to transform itself into something new, pregnant with possibility but not yet ready to reveal what the child will look like.

So east Swansea looks unfinished. In between the patches of wasteland are new tree-lined avenues, boutique hotels and the occasional office block complete with running fountain. This is a place to come back to in a year's time. (My guess: marinas, flats and wine bars.)

Eventually the path meets the sea again at Aberavon Sands. Like the beach south of Tywyn, this one is impossibly empty given the time of year. Its vast expanse means there's no need for wind-shields or other artificial walls that divide up busy beaches. Here everyone's guaranteed at least an acre of their own, complete with flock of seagulls for entertainment.

At the end of the beach the industry begins once more with a port somehow holding out against closure. If closure eventually comes it'll be bitter-sweet. The transformation of our ports from heavy industry to leisure facilities seems unstoppable, but at least it opens up more of the coastline for walking.

Personal

The village school

A wrong turn in Tregaron on my way down to South Wales took me past the village.

I suspect there was tutting behind twitching curtains as yet another tourist stopped to take this photograph of the sign on the village school. But hey, you just have to don't you?