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" 5. Rhossili Beach with Sandra and Jackie "

Date & start time:    Thursday 5th October 2017.       ( Map ref SS 417 881)

Location of Start :    Sunset View Cottage, Rhossili, Gower, South Wales, UK.

Stayed at :                 Sunset View Cottage (self-catering holiday house).

Places visited :         Down to the beach and back, plus a couple of short walk for Harry.

Walk details :            Two hours, 2 miles, 250 ft - 77 m of ascent.

With :                          Sandra, Jackie, Ann and our dogs, Rufus, Harry and Dylan.

Weather :                    A breezy day again but with lovely sunshine once more.

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On Wednesday evening and Thursday we were entertaining again.

On previous occasions visiting Swansea we've often stayed at Sandra and Jackie's house.

This time we can entertain them at our holiday cottage, as an extra way of saying thanks.

Sandra and Jackie arrived last night and stayed over.

Gareth and Luke came over this morning once Rhian had left for work.

He and Rhian are sharing maternity / paternity duties over the next few months.

Sandra took the opportunity to hold Luke . . .
. . . and enjoyed her time playing with him.

In the shelter of the cottage walls, Ann and Sandra take the chance of a little light sunbathing.

Harry is much improved after his "wobbly-dog syndrome" episode

but the vet advised only short walks as he is not balancing properly and consequently his walking is very slow and unsteady.

He seems to want a walk, so while Sandra and Ann soak up a little more sun . . .

. . . Jackie and I and the three dogs (spot Dylan) take a stroll close to the cottage.

I think the quizzical expression was a mid-sentence capture . . . Jackie asking

" How far do you think Harry wants to go ?"

This will be fine . . . we'll pause and enjoy the view here then go back.

On the headland opposite, the sheep seem just as mad as they are on the Lakeland Fells.

Once one sheep finds a crazy sheep track . . . the next half dozen or so all want to follow behind !

Check out the exposure on that path to the right.

- - - o o o - - -

Time for a walk after lunch for all others,

apart from Harry.   He'll take time out in the house today

and have bonus sleep time instead.

 

The walk committee decision was to go down the track

to the beach and perhaps dip a toe in the water.

- - - o o o - - -

Today's small group . . . Ann, Jackie, Gareth, Luke and Sandra (and myself of course).

We set off down the track to the Old Rectory and the beach.

An unusual double-purpose gate, the smaller one set within the larger.
Dylan leads the way down to the foreshore.

Jackie sneaked a photo of me on the way down the track.

Rather than drop straight down to the beach we walk along to find an easier descent.

We found one close to the stream.
The supply of fresh water has allowed watercress to thrive.

Looking across towards distant Burry Holms . . . with a big blue sky above.

The stream we walked alongside now spreads out across the beach towards the sea.

It has a great deal further to flow at the moment due to the low tide.

We walk down across the wide expanse of sand to the tide-line

but I get distracted by some sea creatures along the way.

Common otter shell and a razor shell.
An oyster shell . . . but no pearls.
A cuttle fish shell and a trough shell.

The cuttle fish shell is not a shell of course . . . it is the porous back bone from a deceased squid.

Another casualty of the storms and the receding tide . . . an upturned barrel jellyfish about a foot or so wide.

There has been an increase in sightings this year it seems (article - Daily Mail).

Down by the waterline.

The gulls are taking time out . . . but fly off as we walk towards them.

Dylan is heading into the surf to see something that has caught his eye . . . I call him back.

It's an upturned Moon (?) jellyfish.
It is rolled over by the waves.

All jellyfish have a sting that helps trap their prey and also protect themselves from being attacked.

That sting, depending on the variety of the organism, can affect humans too.   Moon jellyfish could give you nasty rash but are not fatal.

The only thing Dylan could get is a stinging nose or tongue if he got too close.

Best to keep him away.

Shells, jellyfish and a great big Worm !

We re-trace our steps back up the beach, passing these strange posts. 

Could they be the remains another wreck ?    Who knows.

Bare ankles feel the stinging of the wind-blown sand.
Someone poses for a photo on top of the Helvetia wreck.

Dylan and I walk across to capture a picture of the old timbers.

'Trig Dog' becomes 'Helvetia Dog'.

- - - o o o - - -

 

The amount of timber of the old wreck that shows on the beach

seems to vary every time we see it.

This stock photo is probably from a few years back.

 

I think the major factor is the depth of sand on the beach

rather than the amount of decay of the ancient timbers.

 

- - - o o o - - -

   
Time to head back . . .
. . . up the cliff path to Sunset View.
   

Back on the top of the world . . . and time to greet Harry once more.

Sandra and Ann decide to give him a second short walk,

so that Sandra can also see the refurbished National Trust car park and the new turf seat.

It's a great evening for the classic view of Rhossili Bay.

- - - o o o - - -

- - - o o o - - -

Time to think about supper.

Just four as Gareth has already returned home.

Sandra and Jackie lend a hand to make it

a combined gastronomic experience.

Mushroom, leek, cheese and fresh tagliatelle

with wine and a pine nut topping.

- - - o o o - - -

Cooking dinner coincided with another fine sunset.

Jackie's shot through the kitchen from the hallway.

. . . and her close up of the sun reaching the horizon.

My shot was delayed slightly till the sun was half obscured.

Zooming in on the Worm and the post-sunset sky.
Jackie again getting that slightly different shot.
   

. . . and mine, as seen through the viewing screen in the last photo.

Ann takes time out to enjoy the spectacular colours . . . then goes back to drain the pasta !

The scene between main course and dessert.

Then over coffee, the colour finally changes to a deep pink across the whole north western horizon.

Time for Jackie and Sandra to head back to their home in town after an enjoyable day together.

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Panasonic Lumix TZ60, my Panasonic Lumix Gx8 Camera or Jackie's camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . friends to share our dinner.

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Previous walk - 4th October 2017 - 4. Kitchen Corner and Fall Bay

A previous time up here - 18th - 22nd April 2015 - Swansea Holiday 2015

Next walk - 6. Porteinon Walk and home

5. Rhossili Beach

           

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