Dead poets' haunts (I): Promontory

South Wales, September 2016:

Fitness gurus will tell you that outdoor hiking has a myriad of benefits for body and mind. What they often omit is how much more varied than other types of exercise it can be, depending on trail, landscape and season. No matter. With a Canon and tripod in my hands, getting off the bus, setting foot on the beautiful village of Rhossili and ridding my arse of the pins-and-needles was my sought redemption and everything else an afterthought. Upon reaching the southwestern tip of the Gower peninsula, cliffs, bays and sandy beaches became plain to sight and a feast for my eyes was served up. Of course, that I had descended some 300 yards to reach the shore and walk on it for an hour only meant that I had to ascend my way back and be gently reminded that we are not getting any younger. Yet, the tasty Guinness, palatable food and affable regulars at the Worm’s Head Hotel were the just deserts to be received for my endeavours. Perched upon a steep cliff and overlooking the Rhossili Bay and eponymous promontory (whose name derives from “wurm”, an old English word for dragon), it is a magnificent setting that offers stunning views of the wild, yet peaceful. The Causeway, on high and low tide, was also a sight to behold. Having roamed the (almost) furthermost area of the peninsula, I decided to start the second day form where one is expected to start from: the start itself. The start was the Mumbles…

The short-lived Welsh poet Dylan Thomas is an enduring legend in the Swansea Bay area, on account not only of his literary works but his famous visits to the pubs along the famous Mumbles mile. He had described it as “a nice little village, despite its name” and he would often sneak off to its pubs as a young man when college was getting all too boring. In his works, he made references to both Mumbles and the series of bays in Gower, exalting their beauty. In 1956, three years after his death, the Gower Peninsula became the UK’s first Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Sixty years later, I came to acknowledge this award. To the west of Mumbles, on the meandering roads along the coast and into the countryside, one walks into an outstanding beauty. A diversely natural environment, the Gower Peninsula is renowned for its heaths, grasslands, fresh-and salt-water marshes and woodlands. Its mixed geology has given rise to a variety of scenery: dramatic limestone cliffs interspersed with sandy beaches and rocky shores, are the most prominent features of the coast. Save for the acrophobic, the waterfront walk on the cliffs is a sine-qua-non for the hiker, something to be experienced even once in one’s lifetime. So, what about the fitness tips?

Pardon my language, but the fitness enthusiasts can do one. Blistered feet and laboured breath go with the territory. I am not doing this for fitness. I am doing it for my pleasure and yours. So, right now it is Saturday morning. A bus journey, delayed by wild horses and sheep blocking country roads and mini roundabouts, has reached its destination. The hill has been crested, Worm’s Head has been sighted is ticked off a long, two-day agenda. Causeway, Mumbles, Rotherslade Bay, Langland Bay and Casswell Bay will follow. Lenses, sensor and viewfinder are dusted; polariser filters and lens covers are at hand; tripod is sturdy; all systems go. The rest will be business as usual.
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