Some excellent views along route’s footpaths and lanes
ON Saturday, September 4, Andrew Padfield led the Carmarthen Ramblers on a five-mile figure of eight walk in the Llansteffan area. There were some excellent views along the route that followed well-used footpaths and lanes and included a section of the coast path. The day was warm and sunny with a clear blue sky and temperatures climbed into the mid-20s as the day went on.
The walk began at the car park in front of the beach in Llansteffan from where they took the footpath up to Church Road and then followed the road into the village to the Sticks Hotel.
Here they located an ancient track that led them steeply up the hillside beside a high stone wall to reach a field and as they looked back, they had a great view over the banks of the Towy estuary exposed by the rapidly ebbing tide, across to Ferryside.
Continuing through some fields they eventually met the farm drive of Lanfach on which they reached the highest point of the day at a height of 115 metres. At the end of the drive, they crossed the Llansteffan-llanybri road to follow a footpath sign indicated on the opposite side of the road onto the next section of the walk that led gently downhill across two fields now with the view of the sea ahead of them.
They crossed a country road into another footpath heading southwards through fields descending the hillside to Parc- Glâs. The group walked along the driveway following a sign marked “Bwythyn San Antwn” which gave access to a track at the side of St Anthony’s Well.
This ended at Scott’s Bay where they took a short break to watch the cockle picking in the estuary.
The walk resumed by going through a gate marked St Anthony’s Cottage and a section of coastal path and then a track uphill to Lords Park to pass by the farm buildings. After a short road walk along a minor road, they met the coast path sign indicating the way to Wharley Point. The path led along the clifftop on the eastern side of the Taf with the coastal scenery opening up. They found a suitable stop along this footpath and stopped for lunch in glorious sunshine and enjoyed the excellent scenery with a clear view of Laugharne on the one side, Ginst Point on Laugharne Sands and the start of Pendine sands across the Taf ahead of them, the confluence of the Taf, Towy and Gwendraeth rivers – now clearly visible with the tide fully out – and Gower on the other.
In the afternoon, the walk resumed by continuing along the coastal path back down to Scott’s Bay to complete a loop and then followed the path beneath the castle back into Llansteffan car park to complete the second loop.
Details of upcoming walks can be found on the website: www. carmarthenramblers.org.uk and new walkers are always welcome.