WALK leaders from Penarth and District Ramblers are still seeking out places where there will be less mud following the heavy rainfall and Sheila changed her planned walk, opting instead for a local town ramble beginning from Barry Dock railway station.
The nine strong group heard the history of the Dock Offices – built as a calendar design featuring days, weeks and months of the year before pounding mud free pavements to overlook Cadoxton Court, with its still intact medieval dovecote before making their way to the delightful Victoria Park in Cadoxton.
Descending via a green lane, the Church of St Cadoc came next before a visit to view the site of the old Philadelphia Chapel, which was the first Baptist chapel to be built in Barry and which is situated next to the King Billy pub.
From Pencoedtre Park at Gibbonsdown, a climb via Ramsey Road led to Skomer Road and through a green area to reach the Church of St Dyfan and St Teilo, where the remains of the churchyard cross made a suitable place for mid-morning break to hear its history. Then passing below the White Farm development and crossing fields near Whitmore High School they entered Cwm Talwg Local Nature Reserve, managed by local residents, before heading down to Barry Waterfront.
After viewing the three-masted barque of the Lord Nelson, which accommodates able bodied and disabled people to come together on an equal level, they made their way along the Waterfront to return to their starting point, completely dry and mud free.
Shortish Stride to Sully Island
Sixteen walkers joined Joy for a Shortish Strides walk on a dry morning at Brockhill Rise and, heading to Penarth clifftop, the muddy wet path led them to a boggy field for the journey via Searchlight Lane to reach Cosmeston Country Park.
A circumnavigation of the eastern lake led to a stop for a morning cuppa at the picnic area before continuing past the western lake and descending to the bridge over the Sully Brook, from where a climb through fields led to Home Farm.
Then, it was onto terra firma to follow the road southwards to arrive at Swanbridge, where the tide was still on the ebb, exposing the rocky causeway to Sully Island and their intended lunch spot. Carefully crossing the uneven, slippery causeway and arriving at the western end of the island with its grand views across Sully Bay to Barry Island and the old docklands, they enjoyed a stop for lunch in warm sunshine, with absolutely no wind whilst gazing out over the very calm Bristol Channel.
Muddy paths in places brought them to the eastern end of the island where an Iron Age fort was sited and which has history of smuggling and wrecking and pirates. They gazed at a row of fishermen on the exposed sandbank at St Mary’s Well Bay. Returning to the mainland and following St Mary’s Well Bay Road back to Cosmeston, a tramp along the boardwalk led them through the car park and along Lavernock Road to return to their start after a superb spring ramble.
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Joy Strangward
- Penarth ramblers enjoy their weekend in Sussex
- Ramblers explore Sully Island
- Ramblers celebrate with a picnic in the park
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