Millenium Coastal Path
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
PEMBREY PWLL here? GL206DF address and postcode Country PAVILLION Park ASHPITS POND PORT BURRY Y R RESERVE BU R RY PORT Nature HARBOUR R PORT U address and postcode B address and postcode here? GL206DF here? GL206DF address and postcode here? GL206DF PWLL START PEMBRY & BURRY PORT cefn padrig llanell SANDY i WATER trafalgar PARK beacon burry port harbour TROSTRE LLANELLI Millenium coastal path FINISH Is as comnis consequia sit voluptaque lis acerupti asimaximpor aut harum rerum cus maximin cus et qui ipsam si te vel ius qui voloreh endion naturepe voluptio di non consequo con restist escipicat omnihit ut a volest, sa suntiosam, ear bynea gateway MILLENNIUM L lanelli COASTAL address and postcode penrhyn PARK & here? GL206DF Wetland gwyr BYNEA GATEWAY Machynys & address and post- Discovery code here? GL206DF Centre Bwlch y Gwynt Centre and field voles thrive in the semi-natural course. Half a century ago, though, it hosted grassland. thriving industrial communities, notably the ‘lost Millenium coastal path village’ of Bwlch y Gwynt, which had a dock, a Pwll Pavilion school, and iron, steel and tinplate works. Farther At the midway point between Burry Port and back still, tradition has it that Machynys was the Stretching some 13 miles along the shore between Pembrey Llanelli, Pwll Pavilion provides a handy refuelling isolated home of an ancient monastery – the Country Park and Bynea, this gently undulating car-free bike stop – hungry grown-ups gorge on hearty name may come from ‘Monk’s Island’ – and trail (part of National Cycle Network Route 4) is a wonderful breakfasts including the full Welsh (cockles, then a farm. Find out more with stops at the way to discover the diverse wildlife, dramatic landscapes laverbread, mushrooms, tomato, bacon, black fascinating panels erected by Llanelli Community and industrial heritage of the Carmarthenshire coast around pudding, egg), while there are ice-cream sundaes Heritage. Llanelli. And with a range of spots to pause for refreshments, for kids, along with a colourful playground. Look www.llanellich.org.uk ample play areas for kids and easy riding, the Millennium Coast for the pathside plaque marking the spot where aviatrix Amelia Earhart landed after her first Path offers the perfect day out for families. Llanelli Wetland Centre trans-Atlantic flight in 1928. The trail veers inland to skirt the scrapes and ponds of this bustling bird paradise. Vast picture Sandy Water Park windows open onto serene wetlands – watch The large rectangular lake that forms the for a range of species such as pink-breasted Pause at the RNLI station east of the harbour centrepiece of this appealing park was originally bullfinch, shoveler and pochard, seasonal Pembrey Country Park to buy a souvenir and find out about the local connected with the Llanelli (later Duport) visitors including wintering bitterns and tens of The dramatic dune forest west of old Pembrey lifeboat crew’s vital work. Steelworks that closed in 1981. Today the reed- thousands of other waterbirds, plus nesting little Harbour is flanked to the south by bleakly fringed lake is home to ducks, swans and other egrets and rarities such as spoonbills. There’s beautiful saltmarsh and sand flats, with big- Burry Port waterbirds, and in summer you can spot orchids also a tempting café, the Kingfisher Kitchen sky views south across to the tip of the Gower In the appealing little town north of the harbour, and other wildflowers while pedalling around the (free entry). With a play area, a colourful flock of peninsula. A wide track – flat but not completely look for the monument to Amelia Earhart, who verdant parkland. Caribbean flamingoes and a range of activities hard-surfaced – winds into the country park, became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic including canoe safaris and cycle trails in where there’s a host of family-friendly facilities in 1928 – her seaplane landed near here on 18 Millennium Coastal Park summer, there’s plenty to enthral young visitors. and activities including nature trails, an adventure June. Stop at Whitfords (www.whitfords.wales), a www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/llanelli/ playground and cafés, while at Pembrey Ski welcoming café-bar with stylish rooms, daily hot & Discovery Centre Centre you’ll find a dry ski slope, bike hire, Cobra and cold specials including light bites and main The imaginatively landscaped park opened by bynea gateway toboggan and archery range. You can also access meals, a range of ice-cream sundaes to delight the Queen in 2002 includes a wide, snaking path The eastern end of the trail has car parking and over 8 miles of golden sand at Cefn Sidan beach. children, and a spectacular range of home- winding between picnic areas and benches, with access to the train station at Bynea, as well as a www.pembreycountrypark.wales made cakes – the nutella cheesecake is sinfully access to golden sands from where kitesurfers large, well-equipped Gateway Resort touring and moreish. venture into the waves. At the heart of the camping site. Facing the sandflats and mudflats Burry Port harbour park, alongside the North Dock carparks, is the of the Loughor Estuary This former industrial harbour and dock, opened Ashpits Pond Nature Reserve striking, glass-fronting Llanelli Discovery Centre, – an internationally in 1832 to export coal, is now a picturesque East of Burry Port, the trail winds between providing tourist information and toilets. Upstairs, important location for marina overlooked by a row of colourful cottages. patches of community woodland, where a Flanagans Coastline Café offers terrific coffees, waders and other One of these now houses the bike-friendly network of paths and bike trails lead off between cakes, hot and cold meals and floor-to-ceiling wildfowl – the Harbour Light Tearoom & B&B (01554 830071), the trees. Detour to the vast, spiralling earth windows providing a vast panorama of the resort has a public offering a range of sandwiches, hot meals and sculpture on the headland overlooking the sands Loughor Estuary – an inspiring midway pitstop popular bar and transport note If you want to cycle the whole sensational home-baked cakes – the bara brith at Tywyn Bâch, with dramatic views east to for cyclists, young and old. restaurant, soft route in one direction only, and banana cake are ideal cycling fuel. There’s Llanelli and across the Loughor Estuary to the play area and pool, there are train stations at also a second-hand book stall, handicrafts and Gower. The trail winds around the inland section Machynys & Bwlch y Gwynt and sweeping views Pembrey & Burry Port, works by local artists for sale, and front garden of the nature reserve, past old industrial sites The headland south of Llanelli is now a peaceful across to the Gower Llanelli and Bynea . tables for al-fresco munching on warm days. where now kestrels, meadow pipits, butterflies swathe of green – a Nicklaus-designed golf peninsula..