" 3. Swansea and West Wales ~ Mumbles to Druidston ~ "

Date & Time: Monday 13th May 2013.

Locations : Swansea and the Pembrokeshire Coast.

Places visited : Cwmdonkin Park, Mumbles and then off to Druidston.

Accommodation : The Druidstone Hotel, Druidston Haven, Pembrokeshire.

With : Ann and the dogs, Harry and Bethan.

Weather : A lovely blue-sky day in prospect.

Monday morning and time to depart for West Wales.

After saying our goodbyes and thanks we set off on a circuitous route around town visiting places and people we hadn't seen for a while.

Taking up on Saturday's theme of Dylan Thomas, we drove down to the Uplands (I know that sounds weird but it is true)

and called into Cwmdonkin Park to see the renovations and upgrades to the park that we used to overlook from our old house.

Dylan Thomas's family home on Cwmdonkin Drive.

It is the 100th anniversary of his birth next year and they are investing money in improving the park that he immortalised in his poetry.

 The old and the new . . . signs at the park entrances.

A new play area with climbing frames and a small zip-wire.

In the background, a triangular memorial shelter.

The Bowls Pavilion has apparently had a cafe added.

The central pathway has been widened and paved to form a central focus to this part of the park.

Seats have been added and the old drinking fountain will be restored to working order.

The Water Gardens have been cleaned up and improved.

A new pond in the area that used to be lost in the shrubbery.

The Dylan Thomas Shelter has a larger paved area

and will be the central focus of future entertainment in the park.

Oh . . . and yes the loos have been improved and upgraded with energy and water efficiency features.

- - - o o o - - -

After our quick stroll around we headed for the Mumbles where we visited Ann's relatives

and caught up with the extended family news.

Looking at The Mumbles Pier through the trees at Norton.

There seems lots going on over there . . . a new boathouse for the lifeboat and the lighthouse itself is covered in scaffolding.

The Big Apple . . . not New York but Swansea style.

This iconic building served me ice creams when I was a kid  . . . I'm pleased to see it is still here . . . and is looking good.

The Pier seems to be thriving too.

The old lifeboat house to the left is now too small for the current boat and so a new structure is being added to the outer end of the pier.

As part of the work, the old pier itself will be spruced up and live to tell another tale.

Around the corner . . . the two islands of the Mumbles . . . with the lighthouse perched on the outer rock.

- - - o o o - - -

We spent the rest of the morning visiting friends and after a slight hiccup in our travels, where we had to return to pick up

a few items inadvertently left behind, we made it down to West Wales and commenced the second half of this short vacation.

- - - o o o - - -

Welcome to the Druidstone Hotel, Druidston Haven, Pembrokeshire.

This lovely old cliff-top family home has twenty six rooms in the form of main house and cottage accommodation.

Situated on the edge of the cliff, with only the garden and garden wall between it, the sea and America !

First task after settling in was to visit the beach . . .	. . . straight down there . . . mind the steps.

The tide is out and the soft golden sands of the bay are laid out below the beach of pebbles.

From below, the size of the cliffs and the height of the hotel can really be appreciated.

Dogs will be dogs . . . enjoying the sticks on the beach.

Harry has forgotten how the sea water moves and is surprised by a fast moving wave

flooding up the gully that he had just crossed dry-footed.

Our room is the one at the top !	The southern headland of Druidston beach.

Ann catches me in the afternoon sunshine as I swap lenses to record the scene.

Waves pounding the base of the cliffs are a never ending source of interest.

Out to sea, the southern headland of St Brides Bay, Little Haven's Stack Rocks

and out there in the distance, the rocks and sounds leading out to the island of Skomer.

The bay has good holding ground and is used by the ships using the port of Milford Haven

as a temporary anchorage while they wait to unload or to collect their next cargo from the refineries.

Lovely sunshine . . . we could bask for the rest of the afternoon	. . . if we didn't have to wear a thick windproof coat !

More silhouettes again as we walk back along the bay.

A study in sand and water.

Druidston Haven looking south across the wide mid-tide beach.

The prominent rock of Rickets Head off Nolton Haven

as we look north along the coast, this time to the top end of St Brides Bay.

- - - o o o - - -

Time to return and change for dinner . . . that sound posh !

Our attic room, one of two, is set out in classic knotty pine from head to foot.

Double doors open out onto the balcony . . .	. . . and there is a round window to view the sunset.

From the garden we can appreciate the full extent of the western sky.

The headland is St Brides northern extent . . . Ramsey Island

matching the position of Skomer at the southern tip of this large bay.

The last rays of the sun for today . . . set over the lumps and bumps of Ramsey Island.

Beautiful yellow in the sky . . .	. . . turn red as we take in the whole picture.

Finally as the light fades . . . the colours change once more.

Gone are the rich vibrant yellows, the warm red glows . . . now the pinks fade to cold blues as the evening draws to a close.

Time for a warm fire and perchance a nightcap ?

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Canon Sureshot SX220 or my 1100D Digital SLR.

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

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