Tales from 90 degrees North and beyond 2024: October 17 to 19 Wales south coast

Roadworks everywhere - and houses on the move!

I'm surprised we didn't see more car crashes.

Our journey south took some interesting turns due to an accident on the road which had traffic at a standstill and banked up for a long way. Impatient me decided we’d take a detour to avoid the traffic crush - but I missed a turn off. The end result however was an unexpected but delightful drive through ‘country’ Wales.

Lots of Rowan trees along the road but we couldn't pull over

Along the road I started to see stands of trees with bright red berries which I think were Rowan trees Sorbus aucuparia. These trees are surrounded by some interesting mythology and folklore in many northern countries. It was thought to be a magical tree which gave protection against malevolent beings. The tree was also called ‘wayfarer's tree’ or ‘traveller's tree’ because it supposedly prevents those on a journey from getting lost (it didn’t work for us obviously!). It was said in England that this was the tree on which the Devil hanged his mother.

Llyn (Lake) Celyn - a reservoir

The water level was pretty high - these people will be surprised when they return to their car!

Despite the meanderings and cut a long story short we eventually made it to Laugharne and our caravan park (Ant Hill) after dark under a Hunters moon also called a Supermoon. The Hunter’s moon is so called because it is the time of year when leaves start to fall and animals have stuffed themselves with food to last over winter so they’re nice and plump. Ancient communities would increase hunting at this time of year - or so the story goes. The next full moon is the Beaver Moon (worth investigating if you are into moons). The moon aside we were relieved that we had arrived as we were both exhausted.

Laugharne lies on the estuary of the River Tâf, and a number of other rivers, and after rain it floods. We saw the effects of that after just a small amount of rain – the beach front flooded and some cars were under water. It was a rather memorable place for me. It was here that renowned Welsh poet Dylan Thomas spent much of his relatively short life. Eighty years ago (minus 1 week) he wrote a poem to mark his 30th birthday and to celebrate Laugharne which he loved. We stopped to read this poem under the lowering walls of an old Norman Castle built in the C12th. He described Laugharne as a “timeless, mild, beguiling island of a town". I absolutely agree. Dylan was a prolific and published poet from childhood. At age 14 he wrote a romantic poem to the moon, maybe a full moon like the one we saw.

Clown in the Moon

“….. I think, that if I touched the earth,

It would crumble;

It is so sad and beautiful,

So tremulously like a dream.”

This is a perfect place for a hopeless romantic.

Laugharne Castle

Flooded beachfront at Abersoch

In the Medieval period, this and other fortresses, were built in this region to protect the waterways of South Wales against invasion but human presence in the region dates back 10s of 1000s of years. Excavations have found evidence that the caves in the cliffs acted as temporary shelter for groups of hunter-gatherers moving through the landscape over 50,000 years ago. And later findings of a range of flint tools indicate a series of occupations during the Stone Ages. These discoveries suggest that the township is probably the oldest still-inhabited settlement in Wales.

We took advantage of a fine day to do some washing and were watched! I saw this little chap from the van window feeding on fir cones. We also took a day touring this south eastern region of Wales – very beautiful. Enjoy this small collection of pix.

Intriguing clock tower

Old water mill taken from the window as we wizzed past

I almost captured this old water mill coming into Machynlleth. Unfortunately we couldn’t turn around.

The hedges are so neat and here's why - lots of haircuts

Pembroke Castle

Pembroke castle - no we didn’t stop to explore. There are layers of British, Norman, Welsh and Roman history that I simply don’t know but from what I gather it’s pretty complex dating back 2000 odd years.