Millennium Coastal Path
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PEMBREY PWLL Country PAVILLION Park ASHPITS POND PORT BURRY Y R RESERVE BU R RY PORT Nature HARBOUR R PORT U B Harbour Pwll Road, Pwll Ski Pembrey 01554 834443 Pwll Road SA16 0EJ Monument PWLL START PEMBREY & BURRY PORT lanel SANDY “Wa l k i n g w it h L li the Sea” WATER Earth Sculpture Trafalgar PARK Beacon Burry Port Harbour TROSTRE LLANELLI Sandy Road MillenNium coastal path FINISH The Millennium Coastal path is a 22 Kilometre long, safe and traffic free path along the edges of the internationally important Carmarthen bay. Passing numerous sandy beaches, stunning lakes, great cafes and wildlife reserves, the coast path is a must do Bynea for the whole family. Gateway SA14 9TD MILLENNIUM COASTAL L lanelli PARK & Penrhyn Gwyr Wetland BYNEA Machynys & GATEWAY Discovery Bwlch y Centre Centre Gwynt North Dock Nicklaus Avenue SA15 2DG BUS SERVICES public 110 / 111 transport note MillenNium coastal path Bynea to Llanelli If you want to cycle the whole (Mon - Sat) route in one direction only, X11 there are train stations at Stretching some 13 miles along the shore between Pembrey Country Park and Bynea, this gently undulating traffic free bike trail (part Bynea to Kidwelly Pembrey & Burry Port, of National Cycle Network Route 4) is a wonderful way to discover the diverse wildlife, dramatic landscapes and industrial heritage of Llanelli and Bynea. (Mon - Sat) the Carmarthenshire coast around Llanelli. And with a range of spots to pause for refreshments, ample play areas for kids and easy riding, the Millennium Coastal Path offers the perfect day out for families. Pembrey Country Park in 1928 – her seaplane landed near here on 18 Sandy Water Park isolated home of an ancient monastery – the The dramatic dune forest west of old Pembrey June. Stop at Whitfords (www.whitfords.wales), a The large rectangular lake that forms the name may come from ‘Monk’s Island’ – and Harbour is flanked to the south by bleakly welcoming café-bar with stylish rooms, daily hot centrepiece of this appealing park was originally then a farm. Find out more with stops at the beautiful saltmarsh and sand flats, with big- and cold specials including light bites and main connected with the Llanelli (later Duport) fascinating panels erected by Llanelli Community sky views south across to the tip of the Gower meals, a range of ice-cream sundaes to delight Steelworks that closed in 1981. Today the reed- Heritage. peninsula. A wide track – flat but not completely children, and a spectacular range of home- fringed lake is home to ducks, swans and other www.llanellich.org.uk hard-surfaced – winds into the country park, made cakes – the nutella cheesecake is sinfully waterbirds, and in summer you can spot orchids where there’s a host of family-friendly facilities moreish. and other wildflowers while pedalling around the Llanelli Wetland Centre and activities including nature trails, an adventure verdant parkland. The trail veers inland to skirt the scrapes and playground and cafés, while at Pembrey Ski Ashpits Pond Nature Reserve ponds of this bustling bird paradise. Vast picture Centre you’ll find a dry ski slope, bike hire, Cobra East of Burry Port, the trail winds between windows open onto serene wetlands – watch for a toboggan and archery range. You can also access patches of community woodland, where a Millennium Coastal Park range of species such as pink-breasted bullfinch, over 8 miles of golden sand at Cefn Sidan beach. network of paths and bike trails lead off between & Discovery Centre shoveler and pochard, seasonal visitors including www.pembreycountrypark.wales the trees. Detour to the vast, spiralling earth The imaginatively landscaped park opened by wintering bitterns and tens of thousands of other sculpture on the headland overlooking the sands the Queen in 2002 includes a wide, snaking path waterbirds, plus nesting little egrets and rarities Burry Port harbour at Tywyn Bâch, with dramatic views east to winding between picnic areas and benches, with such as spoonbills. There’s also a tempting café, This former industrial harbour and dock, opened Llanelli and across the Loughor Estuary to the access to golden sands from where kitesurfers the Kingfisher Kitchen (free entry). With a play in 1832 to export coal, is now a picturesque Gower. The trail winds around the inland section venture into the waves. At the heart of the area, a colourful flock of Caribbean flamingoes marina overlooked by a row of colourful cottages. of the nature reserve, past old industrial sites park, alongside the North Dock carparks, is the and a range of activities including canoe safaris One of these now houses the bike-friendly where now kestrels, meadow pipits, butterflies striking, glass-fronting Llanelli Discovery Centre, and cycle trails in summer, there’s plenty to Harbour Light Tearoom & B&B (01554 830071), and field voles thrive in the semi-natural providing tourist information and toilets. Upstairs, enthral young visitors. offering a range of sandwiches, hot meals and grassland. Flanagans Coastline Café offers terrific coffees, www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/llanelli/ sensational home-baked cakes – the bara brith cakes, hot and cold meals and floor-to-ceiling and banana cake are ideal cycling fuel. There’s Pwll Pavilion windows providing a vast panorama of the bynea gateway also a second-hand book stall, handicrafts and At the midway point between Burry Port and Loughor Estuary – an inspiring midway pitstop The eastern end of the trail has car parking and works by local artists for sale, and front garden Llanelli, Pwll Pavilion provides a handy refuelling for cyclists, young and old. access to the train station at Bynea, as well as a tables for al-fresco munching on warm days. stop – hungry grown-ups gorge on hearty large, well-equipped Gateway Resort touring and Pause at the RNLI station east of the harbour breakfasts including the full Welsh (cockles, Machynys & Bwlch y Gwynt camping site. Facing the sandflats and mudflats to buy a souvenir and find out about the local laverbread, mushrooms, tomato, bacon, black The headland south of Llanelli is now a peaceful of the Loughor Estuary lifeboat crew’s vital work. pudding, egg), while there are ice-cream sundaes swathe of green – a Nicklaus-designed golf – an internationally important location for for kids, along with a colourful playground. Look course. Half a century ago, though, it hosted waders and other wildfowl – the resort has a Burry Port for the pathside plaque marking the spot where thriving industrial communities, notably the ‘lost popular bar and restaurant, soft play area and In the appealing little town north of the harbour, aviatrix Amelia Earhart landed after her first village’ of Bwlch y Gwynt, which had a dock, a pool, and sweeping views across to the Gower look for the monument to Amelia Earhart, who trans-Atlantic flight in 1928. school, and iron, steel and tinplate works. Farther peninsula. became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic back still, tradition has it that Machynys was the .