Log No 235. Tue 4th Feb 2014 - Swansea to Porthcawl, 24 miles (3604 miles walked)

I needed an early start so I was up at 06.00 and after my normal breakfast of weetabix and toast
& marmalade made my sandwiches for the day then drove into Swansea.

It was raining when I got up but had stopped before I set off walking 2 hours later.

Today was mostly walking on tarmac and began with the cycleway on or adjacent to the A483.

I crossed over the River Neath on the road bridge and came into Port Talbot on the A48 and A4241 getting to the sea front by following the cycleway along the minor roads.

The weather was better than it has been for some days now with some sunshine in a mainly blue sky, I could have done to wear my peaked cap but I haven't bothered putting in the rucsac this past while.

I continued along the promenade then to get by the Steel Works I came inland round the docks back to the A48 which the cycleway followed using minor roads to Margam.

I turned off the A48 onto the B4283 heading for North Cornelly.

After passing under the second railway bridge the Wales Coast Path used a footpath for the first time today, going under then alongside the M4 to get to the road at Mawdlam.

Staying on the road to the Visitor Centre at Kenfig then back to a footpath through the dunes of Kenfig Burrows.

With all the rain there has been the existing pools on the Burrows had grown considerably and lots of the path was underwater.

I had to make frequent detours to get round the flooded areas, even having to get onto the beach in one section.

Coming into Rest Bay a plastic footpath and railing had been constructed along the edge of the golf course but this had been badly damaged during the storms and was closed but with the tide out I was able to get by it ok.

The golf course had also suffered and members were still stone picking and pumping the excess water back into the bay.

The sky had clouded over by the time I got to Porthcawl and rain didn't look far away.

It was 15.15 and I had done 24 miles, the bus back to Swansea was a slow one going all round the houses and I never got back to the camper until nearly 18.00.

The rain had started by the time I got to Swansea and it had become very windy, I drove on to Port Talbot where I was stopping for the night. The camper is fairly rocking in the wind.