Martin's Mag.

The restoration of this canal requires it to cross both the M5 motorway and, a mile or so to the west, the A38. The A38 crossing is under a roundabout at the junction with the A419, and it is not officially completed yet. We walked from Framilode, past Saul Marina and then climbed over several closed footpath barriers to gain access to this small part of the restored canal. Nearly as exciting as it sounds.

Summer temperatures but it’s still Spring! We continued westward from the river at Llantwit Major beach, past Tresilian Bay and St Donat’s Point. At St Donat’s is a large complex of impressive buildings now forming the centre of the UWC Atlantic College. We wandered in through some open gates and walked through the length of the site until we we very politely asked to leave. Details of the college were hard to establish. There were no obvious students and and the staff all seemed about the same age and smiled a lot. Searches on Google seem to highlight the status of students (foreign royalty) rather than the subjects taught.

From St Donat’s we continued westward to Monknash, at the head of a valley, The Nash Brook, about a kilometre from the coast, where we were staying. Monknash has a nice pub, The Plough and Harrow, but not much else.

Then on to Southerndown, just south-east of Ogmore-by-Sea, passing Traeth Beach and the Dunraven estate, with extensive walled gardens, and Dunraven Bay, where we paddled, albeit, in my case, with my boots still on.

Still April but the hottest day of the year, so far, brings the punters out at the Clevedon Marine Lake.

Traditional start to the day with a demonstration of my artistic skill. Sally’s egg being quite realistic, in my opinion. A definite improvement on my 2018 attempt: https://martinsmag.com/2018/04/01/happy-easter/

Later at G&A’s house and an egg hunt for the kids:

More post-industrial walking, this time along the river Avon, east Bristol.

Sally’s painting of leaves from a ginkgo tree in the magnificent gardens of the Penny Brohn Cancer Care Centre in Pill.

Sherston, west of Malmesbury, is a nice, peaceful, historic village on an arm of the river Avon, along which we walked, as well as some of the remoter parts of the Roman Fosse Way.

Westward along the south Wales coast, passing some spectacular natural and man-made views. The Victorians certainly knew how to build things to last. There are several disused limestone quarries near the coast, some now nature reserves, some just desolate, at least for the time being. We explored the remains of a 19th century lime kiln and were pleasantly surprised that there were no health and safety restrictions, or entrance fee, museum shop, etc. I hope I’m not speaking too soon. We walked past the decommissioned Aberthaw coal Power Station, which, after dismantling, is destined to become a “green energy hub”.

Then on, with the massive power station behind us, never seeming to get any further away, past Limpert Bay, Summerhouse Bay, Stout Bay, ending at the mouth of the Afon Col-huw to the west of Llantwit Major, and a welcome, but rather officious, beach café.