My walk this week around the gardens at Kunsthuis Gallery in north east Englandnon a beautiful end-of-summer day revealed a lot of colour. After crossing one of the wooden footbridges over a small river, I carried on past a creatively arranged children’s play area and then through a tunnel-like path amongst some trees to discover a wildflower garden at the extremity of the property.
This arc of pigeons arranged on the railings at the end of my walk this week in Roath Park, Cardiff, give the appearance of spectators at an event – but what is the event? I am pretty sure there was nothing going on out of our view here, that it is just a natural congregation of birds probably having a bit of siesta in the early afternoon, but your guess is as good as mine. Anyone got any suggestions?
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Roath Park Soundscape
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Literally – sitting ducks! But no danger to them I think. My walk this week around the lake in Roath Park, Cardiff was peaceful but not quiet. I wouldn’t describe either the lake or the park as overcrowded, but there was plenty of both human and wildlife enjoying the day there.
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To mark the end of each Taste of Gower walk we visit a local cafe, hence the name “Taste of Gower”. The Gower Landscape Partnership pays for the teas and coffees but there are always many other good things to be eaten as well, and that was no less the case for the Cariad Cafe in Penclawdd as it is for any of the other Taste of Gower walk locations.
The next Taste of Gower walk will be at Port Eynon on Friday 30th September (that’s next week). Details can be found here.
Cup of tea time at Cariad Cafe
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Taste of Gower – Penclawdd Soundscape
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On the Taste of Gower walks people don’t usually stop to look and listen to their surroundings. However, once we got up on top of the hill above Penclawdd, the views are in almost all directions are wonderful and the group could help but stop and gather to take it all in.
On a clear day like this, looking south and south west you can see the rest of the Gower Peninsula and across the Burry Inlet to Pembrokeshire in the distance. Looking west you see Llanelli, Burry Port and Carmarthenshire and looking north and north west you see as far as The Black Mountain.
Taste of Gower walkers
Closer to hand were other sights such as a circling buzzard and evidence that the tide was coming in rather than ebbing – the birds on the sand bank in the middle of the estuary were getting more and more crowded as we continued on our walk.
Overlooking Penclawdd
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My walk this week is from the last Taste of Gower walk that took place at Penclawdd on the North Gower coast overlooking the Loughor Estuary, its salt marshes and Burry Inlet.
As can be seen in the first image below, it was a beautiful day. Starting from the car park overlooking the salt marshes with the tide out, we were guided on the walk by Rod Cooper who talked to us about the industrial history of Penclawdd and its heyday with the copper works. The river Loughor apparently takes a different route now to what it did in the days of the copper works. At that time there was a harbour at Penclawdd which would have been necessary for the industry. That was back in the 18th and 19th centuries. Now it is all salt marsh and of course the benefit of that is the salt marsh lamb that is so tasty.
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My walk this week in Brynmill Park, Swansea allowed me to see some fabulous patterns and colours. I particularly liked this quite dark reflection of these huge grass-like plants. Sorry I can’t give you the botanical information on my surroundings but while that is certainly of interest to me, I cannot say that, if told either the common or latin names, I would remember them. I will, however, remember the patterns and colours of this corner of the lake in the park.
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Back down at sea level again in Wigtown Bay after my walk this week to Cairnholy chambered tombs, the weather has not improved. But you don’t visit Scotland for the sunshine and if anything the damp weather just added to the experience in the Galloway hills.
I am afraid there is no soundscape this week – back to normal next week.
Wigtown Bay Weather
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