Day 13: Oystermouth Castle

After a languid morning, we drove to Oystermouth Castle in The Mumbles a little after 11am. The grey clouds loomed overhead and I fretted as Cazy attempted to find a free parking spot (both free of cars and free of tariffs). Rain pelted the windshield and  soured my mood but Oystermouth Castle beckoned.

What happened to yesterday's dazzling blue sky!?

Juggling an umbrella and the SLR camera, I approached the castle and proceeded through the entrance arch. After paying £5 for the two of us, I roamed with my brother through a multitude of rooms, stairs, nooks and crannies. We began on top of the visitor centre on a glass floor, apparently the location of the chapel. I stood in the confessional area for a time. Then we spent a while trying to find the other areas and that was fun due to our unhurried pace. We could see the obvious remains of fireplaces and a few of the nine toilets the castle ruins are reputed to have.

Don't look down!

We noted that the stones had two main phases - 12th and 13th century (indicated by red and yellow squares respectively). We also saw what appeared to be in situ rocks built into the walls. We clambered onto the curtain wall and took in the view of The Mumbles and Swansea Bay. The castle is perched atop a hill and earthworks - a good place to defend.

Spooky...

There is a Welsh flag flying at Oystermouth which I saw as the last laugh, the last claim on a castle built to keep the Welsh under control. By this time, there were only a few drops of rain which made things easier. We trundled down the narrow spiral stairs to a level near the visitor centre and purchased wares. I bought items to inspire my writing.

The last laugh.

We returned to our apartment for lunch then I finishe...did I finish my book this morning or then? I forget.

At 3pm, I forced myself out into the drab weather for a walk to Langland Bay. It was cool and windy which made the umbrella fight to escape my right wrist. I mostly relied on my rain jacket which was sufficient. The rain here comes in spurts, it seems.

The 1 3/4 mile walk to Langland was pleasant (probably two miles from the apartment) and I noted the crazy 45 degree angle of the cliff rocks. They looked smooth but were gritty and rough when I ran my palm over their dark surfaces.

Nearer to Langland, I saw a woman with her two grandchildren. They had come from a track that led into the bushes. The woman plucked a snippet from a plant next to the path and informed her grandchildren, “This is wild garlic.”

They all had a taste - it must have been strong from their reactions!

I turned back at Langland Bay and bought brownies on my way past the cafe at Caswell Bay.

Bedtime I think!!

Day 12: Caswell Bay

Our “holiday in a holiday” continues and I love it. The view is superb. This morning Cazy dropped me off at Swansea Bay and I meandered back through the shops at The Mumbles. I purchased postcards, thongs, a bag and some chocolate (a lollipop style treat with “Mumbles” written on it) then began the trek back to Caswell Bay. It wasn’t so bad - I'm very glad I practiced walking on fire trails in Australia!

It's all Welsh to me!

At Caswell Bay (the first entrance - there are two ways to get to the beach) I took photos then continued walking on the narrow winding road (I was terrified whenever I heard a car!) to the apartment where I met Cazy again.

Is this the best beach in Britain?

I ate lunch then visited our side of Caswell Bay, snapping voraciously at the scenery with the SLR’s telescopic lens. The water lapped at my thonged feet - cold but bearable. A blue sky and radiant sun crowned the view and many people were gathered on the beach. Quite a few dogs were leaping through the waves. I watched, bemused, as two teenaged boys climbed some of the cliffs to reach the track to Langland Bay. 

Camera porn!

I returned to our “home”. Maybe we'll do Oystermouth Castle tomorrow.

Bye. :D

Day 11: Caerleon

I'm writing this during the next day at picturesque Caswell Bay. We left Bristol around 10:20am - or the hotel at least. I would later discover that I left my soap and face washer behind. Whoops.

When we were checking out, Cazy told me he wanted to see a suspension bridge nearby - built 150 years ago by the ingenious Brunel. We fought with but surrendered to the satnav and found it. We paid the 50p toll and crossed the very narrow bridge. Cazy was taking photos as he drove! We passed underneath it shortly afterwards and realised just how high up it was. Astonishing feat. Brunel - what a guy!

I noted a disused railway and cliffs with lines at angles that suggested tectonic plate movement. 

We journeyed to Caerleon which has numerous Roman ruins open to the elements - all free to visit. We parked at the amphitheatre and walked to it. It’s a circle with evenly spaced lumps covered in grass. And it’s not small! We clambered over and through it. The masonry is impressive. When I jokingly quoted Caesar III in the centre of the structure it sounded overly loud and echoed. The acoustics still work!

"I heard there are jobs here - ha! I want to be a lion tamer!" - Caesar III

We walked to the barracks which I found because of the defensive earthworks leading up to where the wall should be (now a school). We crested the hill and then suddenly we saw it - the surprisingly large layout of the barracks. The foundations seemed to stretch on and on. We found a drainage system which I suspected was connected to the toilets and a sign nearby proved I was right - although I was looking at the wrong building (the centurion quarters)! We stood in the rooms, amazed that we stood where others had many generations ago. Millennia!

A lot of rooms for a lot of dudes.

I wondered if the guys in one corner wanted to go home to Rome or if they liked it in Britain.

Then we left Caerleon, driving past old buildings on the one-way street that looped us back around. I napped as we headed to Swansea. The traffic was yuck but we found Caswell Bay. We were early so we went nearby to a vendor on the beach - hot chips, hot dogs etc. 

South Wales: second only to New South Wales

We are in a superb beach apartment, although we just had our first tumultuous experience with an electric shower. 

Adios!