Three Crosses and Mumbles

This is the Old Dairy, part of Crwys Farm in Three Crosses, a village in Gower that developed around it in the 19th century, primarily to serve a series of small, shallow collieries in the area. One day when it wasn't raining we glimpsed the sea on the south coast of the peninsula through the patio doors, and the northern coast was visible from open green space just down the road. So, well placed to visit the whole of the area.

Which is what we did, despite the rainy weather, for the six days we were there. 

The current farm buildings were built in the 18th century, and have a pleasing degree of quirk about them. The upstairs bedroom in particular has the sort of floor that makes you feel a bit drunk.

It took our collie, Cwtch, a while to settle in. She tends to become hyper-alert when we go anywhere new, and won't let either of her monkeys out of her sight, despite the holiday home owners trying their hardest to make her feel at home. 

There were three wet days. The third we devoted to Dylan Thomas; more about that in another blog. The first we just stayed local, opting to walk Cwtch in the nearby wood, where we might keep dry - or might have done if the gate had been unlocked. (We later discovered there was another way in, but we didn't have time for a revisit.)

The second damp day we went to Mumbles, which wasn't as lovely as I'd anticipated. First, there was the aforementioned rain. Second, nearly everywhere seemed to be shut, including the pier, which was recently damaged by fire. Third, the whole of the front is being dug up to improve the town's sea defences. 

We'll have to revisit some time when the weather's better and the renovations done, and for all that I'm being critical, we had a good walk, and a pleasant lunch in The George, where drinks were half the price they are in Bristol. Important to keep some perspective here, I think.

Oh, and look at this: a repurposed mine used to collect money for shipwrecked mariners, with a plaque exactly like the ones on mines positioned on top of the Ness at Shaldon and on Teignmouth sea front, that were removed many years ago. A real jolt back to the past.

When in Wales, Cwtch is quite blasé about coming across ice cream shops and cafés named after her, but this is the first time we've seen somewhere that's appropriated one of her nicknames.

Mumbles pier and surrounding buildings were definitely giving off some Clevedon vibes ... 

... with a hint of Birnbeck pier at Weston in the location of the old lifeboat station. In fact, there are several buildings in the locality that seem to have accommodated lifeboats in their time. Here are two stone plaques adorning the 1883 Mumbles lifeboat boathouse, which is firmly on dry land. 

And the Mumbles themselves ... 

... complete with gulls and a shag pretending to be batman.

The great thing about this part of Wales is that it's close enough to Bristol to be daytrippable ... so one fine day, we'll be back to revisit Mumbles.