Llansteffan

Day off today once I got got finished at nine this morning, and after getting changed and suntan lotion applied!! Well it was a warning on the TV earlier!!

So some new photos of new things I had not seen before! Some wild garlic above of course I have.... but not these actual plants!!  Should have picked some maybe?

This is Llansteffan Castle, very beautiful spot... we did a bit of a tour, heading away from here and down the M4, coming off at the Gorseinon turn, we took the road to Llanelli and onto Burry Port... stopped just before at the north dock area and had coffee up on the first floor out on the terrace decking, sitting in the sun... there were people is swimming costumes.... looked a bit chilly down on the beach... but they must have been hardy people!!!

Llansteffan Castle

Then off to Burry Port, did a drive through of both the car parks, but couldn't really see anywhere we wanted to stop at, we went into the town, still by car, and I ended up driving around the back alleys!! Such fun!!  Probably more there than we found and will return...

Llansteffan Castle

Still heading along the Carmarthen coast next stop Pembrey forest, a huge area, after paying drove through, parked and walked to and onto the beach, 7 miles of wide fine sand, beautiful... there was a beach clear up in progress and when having a coffee later we got chatting to a couple who were participating in this event, it was their second beach clean of the week, sponsored by McDonalds by the way!

After coffee we went walkabout doing a circumnavigation of the camping area and taking in the horse riding and picnic areas before going back to the car! Huge area, even has a doggie beach area which is good, here the beaches are a no go area for dogs from May through to September, which is good, although of course, that is only the rules for those who honor them!

Back in the car and off to Ferryside... which was a small town, which did, as the name suggests have a ferry that crossed the river to Llansteffan on the other side of the river, we had lunch in a bar/cafe next to the railway station, the track runs along by the side of the river Towy... the car park was free! Yes free!! Seeing as we had already paid 6 pounds for parking already it was a bonus!

Crab... past.

Jelly fish.... past.

Was very impressed with Llansteffan... took a while to get there, not possible these days to catch any boat across the river, so although as you can see from the picture below taken at Ferryside, there is the castle! But was 17 miles, over half an hour, a journey that meant going almost into Carmarthen and back out again! But well worth the trip and will do again, so anyone visiting will be going here now forsure!!!

The beautiful castle, the ice cream, the free.... yes again, car park!  The amazing beaches and countryside... walking along the beach we could see the castle and took a few steps up and walked along a wall to go towards the road and the route to the castle, stopping by to buy ice cream on the journey up!!  We also walked up the steepest incline like marauders of the past coming to conquer the ramparts and those within! Armed only with ice creams!! Lots of the place still standing and as you can see from above, even able to climb within up the steep steps...

Felt like being back in the Gibralfaro in Malaga....

The railway line at Ferryside, disappearing around the curve by the coastline...

Returning we missed a turn! As one often does and came back into Carmarthen a way we wouldn't have expected to! Passing a huge epitaph for a General Sir Thomas Picton.... oddly, or not, my great grandfathers middle name was Picton!!

TTFN

Marian