Solidarity with everyone on strike, especially the rail workers. Last week it meant driving several return trips to Cardiff to get the Northerner to work, and on Wednesday I decided to stay in Wales and make a day of it.
I'd already walked a fair bit of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast, betimes with Son the Younger and our old collie, Ted, more recently with Cwtch. This time Cwtch and I decided to explore the area around Llantwit Major, starting at Cwm Col-Huw beach.
Looking west towards St Donat's
Looking back to where the river flows through a gap in the cliffs onto the beach
I'd checked before our trip and found the beach described as dog-friendly; it was only when I got back home that another website informed me dogs were banned from May to September; anyhow, we didn't get told off or escorted from the area, and we definitely left no trace.
After we'd wandered down to where the River Col-huw meets the sea, we made our way back to the steps at the start of our walk, looking for fossils on the way, but the best one we saw was far too large for our mantelpiece.
Our walk started with a climb up the steps to the path that leads inland, along the high valley side of the River Col-Huw to Llantwit Major ...
... with views looking back to the coast.
Speckled wood butterfly
The first obstacle we encountered was a picturesquely bent kissing gate, which I had a job squeezing through with my backpack on my back. There then followed a series of stone stiles the length of the walk, but which I'm posting pictures of now. Needless to say, Cwtch is now a dab paw at scrambling over them.
We then walked along the narrow and appropriately straight path called Church Lane. Cwtch was very interested in some sheep we passed. They remained unimpressed.
A 13th century dovecote
I'm making an exception for this stile and posting a larger picture of it because I love how worn the stone steps are, how much use it must have seen over centuries.
Ogney Brook by St Illtyd's Church
The 9th and 10th century Celtic Stones housed in the Galilee Chapel
Unfortunately, the floor of the church was being stripped, so it wasn't possible to get right inside and have a proper look at all of its treasures. I did get a glimpse of some of its mediaeval wall paintings ...
... the Norman font ...
... and a couple of its effigies, but I'm really going to have to go back for a proper look, maybe when the dog beach ban ends in October. (Sadly, I expect the railway workers and train drivers will still be on strike, unless we get a change of government.)
Incidentally, Llantwit Major has been targeted recently by far-right activists trying to foment discord over a nearby refugee facility. Good to see the town resisting by offering them Welsh cakes. Seems like a sound place.
Mediaeval preaching cross in the churchyard
Leaving the church, we retraced our steps to the mediaeval grange, which included the dovecote we saw on our outward journey. The grange belonged to Tewkesbury Abbey from the early 12th century to 1539.
Our route then took us back to the coast over a series of stone stiles between fields. At one point I heard a roll of thunder, which turned out to be a herd of very curious, very persistent cows.
chamomile
Back by the sea there were more sheep, these waiting to be sheared in the ruin of Sheeplays Barn.
After a short stretch skimming a wood, our path took us back along the edge of the cliffs to the beach, where we were careful not to get too close to the crumby edge or tread on this Lackey moth caterpillar.
Back at the car park, a final glance up the beautiful Col-Huw valley and it was time to head for the horror show of the M4 and Cardiff on strike day. We'll be back.
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