overgrown gate

My Walk this Week 127 – Forest Passage and Soundscape

My passage through the forest on my walk this week took me from one half concealed entrance to another, past open field and marshland, along ageing track and abandoned rusty objects.

out of the woods

My entrance to the woods was through a rapidly disintegrating wooden passage (see the first post for this week) and my exit was through a small iron gate so rusty and covered in ivy that it was only possible to sidle round it rather than through.

My first photo of this gate was underexposed but I decided to keep itContinue reading

rusty ring perspective

Iron Standings and Rusty Rings

Iron standings, rusty rings and other objects – these are from a short stretch of the Scottish shoreline which I was walking along last month and which includes two old, small harbour jetties.

iron standings

The colours and textures of rust are always attractive to me and in this location they also reflect the colours and textures of the surrounding rocks and lichens.

So far as I can tell these small ports are not used any more, althoughContinue reading

River Tawe and the Copper Jack

Copperopolis 2c – Old Engines and A Trip Up the River

The rusty old engines I found as I turned a corner at the end of my walk this week around the old industrial buildings of Copperopolis in Swansea, brought a big smile to my face. The colours, textures and patterns of the old wheels and screws, cables and rails are wonderful.

Rusty wheel

The boat trips up the River Tawe pass by this old historic area of Swansea but I had a much better view of abandoned machinery than those on the Copper Jack. If you look back atContinue reading

Grass in the Bay

Natural and Man-Made

My walk this week took me through Swansea University’s Bay Campus to the open view it has of the expansive Swansea Bay. The combination of the natural and man-made had a number of crossover points – one of these was how cold it was with the wind chill coming off the sea, exposed as I was both in the open and amongst the buildings.

Beach Perspective

Other overlaps of the natural and man made came in the birdlife and young trees planted around the buildings, the moat-like sea defences (I suspect that, one day, these will not be enough), the rusting structure of an old disused outlet pipe onto the beach, and the industrial view looking east to Port Talbot.Continue reading

rusty fence

Local Viewpoint and Not Being Lost

I was asked twice on this walk if I was lost! I know the viewpoint well and the various routes to it but this was clearly not evident to those asking the question and I can only wonder what expression I had on my face to prompt it.

Local viewpoint

This viewpoint looks over my local landscape to the Loughor Estuary and the Gower Peninsula. As with the other local hills, it is a great place to climb to if you feel the need to rise above things rather than explore the more enclosed environment of the forest. Continue reading

rust in perspective

Rusty Railings Over the River

Having descended to the valley bottom on my walk up Cwm Dulais, I crossed the small footbridge over the Afon Dulais (“river” in Welsh is “afon” just as “cwm” is “valley”). Saying that the bridge railings are rusty might suggest that they are worn and falling apart but the rust is only a surface colouration rather than a deep and weakening phenomenon. What I assume is cast iron is as hard and strong as ever.

Continue reading

Abandoned Doorway to . . . Reviewing the Walk

Coming to the end of my walk this week in the local valley of Cwm Dulais, I reached this abandoned rusty metal doorway in an old wall. It must be well known locally but I am not certain of what it used to be the entrance to – I think I am going to have to do some local historical investigation . . . next stop, the local library.

Abandoned doorway

Continue reading

Old Industry

Behind the new apartments and Discovery Centre in the Millennium Coastal Park at Llanelli, there is another discovery to be made. Llanelli has recently been seeing some significant developments and they are good to see.

However, just because something is old and unused does not mean it has no interest. Walking back towards the Discovery Centre, the remains of industry in the area can be seen and I was drawn over to take a closer look. All photos taken on my iPhone.

Llanelli Old Industry-1

Llanelli Old Industry-2

Llanelli Old Industry-3

Llanelli Old Industry-4

Llanelli Old Industry-5

This last shot is of one of the old hydraulic rams used with the dock gates in the old Llanelli dock yard.

Llanelli Old Industry-6

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