Across Carmarthenshire

Back to Carmarthen with a bit of luck the worst of the winter storms have passed. It is now the end of February, and whilst it is not exactly tropical, there are signs of hope springing up all around us.

Today’s short walk from Carmarthen to Ferryside was rather functional. There’s not really a lot to be said for it, it was just to give me a bit of a start on tomorrow’s stretch to Llanelli.

So, leaving Ferryside the next day, it was a pretty easy journey along the path, skirting Llansaint and then reaching Kidwelly. That is a lovely place. I noticed the Methodist church, - it is hard not to notice it, it is on the main road and also right on the side of the coast path - and I also noted that I know the minister there. There was a coffee morning being advertised, but it said that it started at 10, and it was now only 9:30. I know I would have been made welcome and would have enjoyed a coffee had I shown my face, but I would also have had “Twenty questions” if other Methodist churches that I know are anything to go by! Not that this is exclusive to Methodism, and apologies if this is inaccurate here. As I said earlier in the blog when I was opposite the Methodist church in Llandudno having a coffee morning, invite me back sometime of you want to know more about the walk.

Not that everything relating to the walk today was plain sailing - there was further evidence of the storm damage from this past winter, and I had to avoid Pembrey forest, presumably because of fallen trees. There were signs and notices pointing out the diversion, and then the path was re-routed inland. It followed minor roads before leading onto an old railway track. The problem was, on the railway track, the diversion signs ran out, and at one stage I thought I was going to get lost when I realised that I was in danger of heading further inland than I really needed to be. However, when I then spotted a railway bridge, I was able to get my bearings, and it turned out, happily, that I was not lost at all. By heading onto the bridge, I could reach the main road and walk into Pembrey.

I passed through Pembrey and then stopped for a sandwich in Burry Port. That is the home town of a Methodist Minister who has made something of a name for himself – the Rev the Lord Leslie Griffiths of Pembrey and Burry Port in the county of Dyfed. It sounds grand, but he is very down to earth, and I have a lot of time for him.

After Burry Port, the path led by a sewage works. I cannot possibly comment whether that led me to think of anyone or not.

The afternoon was glorious and the walk from Burry Port to Llanelli was along a lovely bit of coast path. It was buzzing – a sunny afternoon in February half-term week, there were people out for a walk, walking the dog, going for a bike-ride etc. It was as good as late February gets. Indeed, having planned for a day’s walking in February, I was prepared for a cold walk, and was wearing 2 pairs of socks, one quite long to offer more warmth to the legs – I had to stop and remove these, it was so warm. For a moment I even regretted not having my shorts with me, but that would have been too hopeful, and I didn’t wish to scare people away!

There were also signs around here commemorating the achievements of Amelia Earhart, the first woman to cross the Atlantic by air. She didn’t pilot the plane – though she was later to become the first woman to pilot a place across the Atlantic, but pilot or not, she made the crossing, and this is where she landed.

Sadly, the glorious weather didn’t last, and I got to Llanelli just as it started to rain, but what a great day it was.