Jack Rissole and Pennard Cliffs

Finally made it down to Pennard Cliffs on Saturday. I hadn't planned on going anywhere, apart from to the vet's to pick up my cat's renal diet. I almost had to abandon plans to go anywhere. The reason? Well some people about nine doors away from me, own a Jack Russell. She hates me, and I have to say, the feeling is most mutual. Whenever the wretched thing spies me, she goes into attack mode. It wouldn't even let me out through my own gate on Saturday. I stood for ten minutes whilst the hateful little thing bared her teeth, snarled and rushed at me trying to snap at my ankles, whenever I tried to exit my garden. She ran off when I blasted one of the ring tones on my mobile at her - tasteless little git doesn't like Pete Burns, quite clearly - so I thought I'd sneak out. Lo and behold! The little bugger comes hurtling down the pavement, sounding for all the world like a canine Beavis and Butthead, going "yeah, yeah yeah", or at least that's what it sounded like, anticipation, no doubt, of tasting my flesh. So I legged it through my gate and to add insult to injury, I lost a false nail in the kerfuffle to escape. I then waited another ten minutes for someone to collect it and take it home - one of the kids. I'll be having words with the parents, I'm sick of that dog. If they don't keep it away from me, it'll be more Jack Rissole than Jack Russell, I promise. I'll make Pete Burns a fur shrug out of it - and I'm no fur fan.

Anyway, on to my trip to Pennard, where fortunately, the only dogs I met wanted to lick not eat me. It was quite a mild day, which I felt could have done with a nice breeze to whip the waves into a nice froth. Nevertheless, it was pleasant, if a little inundated with people. Still haven't got to grips with the settings on the camera yet, so these pics aren't quite to the standard I'd like them to be.

The first shot is my favourite of the day. I think I got to grips with that one fairly well - about the only one that turned out as desired.



I was intrigued to notice this little natural structure on the clifftop, complete with its own little fairy grotto of a cave. I was tempted to wander over and peek inside, but thought, "what if someone peeks back"? So, I contented myself with taking a snap of it instead.



As I took this shot, I thought, one day, when I feel well enough, I'll attempt to get down onto Three Cliffs and Pobbles, and then wander across to Oxwich. That day is probably a long way off, but it's something to work towards.



There's actually a very rough-hewn track down the cliffs to this little beach, but it looked too perilous to chance. It's a very steep scree, and the gradient, and the looseness of the material making up the path looked like an invitation to fall headlong, so I chose to remain on the cliffs. I decided to head along Eastcliff, but plan to walk towards Three Cliffs on my next visit, to get some pics to replace the ones I lost when my hard drive crashed last year. Anyone know the easiest way to get to Pennard Castle?








The clifftops hosted several clusters of these tiny litte violets. I tried my best to get good shots of them, but trying to crouch down with an arthritic back proved a bit of a nightmare. These are the only two shots that turned out with any degree of detail or clarity - the others were disasters.





Did I really say I fancied walking all the way to Oxwich? Hmm, maybe not, when I consider how far away Oxwich Head [or is that Point?] looks in the distance.





Is this Pwlldu Head? I guess it must be. Pwlldu's another place on my "to visit" list, but not on one of my solo trips, way too risky given the isolation of the place.



There's good old Cefn Bryn in the distance - planning a visit to Arthur's Stone soon, and maybe a Guinness in the King Arthur afterwards. But if the Bryn's suffering a cow invasion on the day, I'll be staying on the bus. Hate the smelly, poopy old things.



No, I didn't steal an image from a previous post - I just love photographing daffodils, and they'll all be gone soon, so please humour me and my daffodil fetish. I am Welsh after all.



Before I go - did you know that on Saturdays, there's a bus service between Oystermouth Square and Pennard Cliffs, via Caswell Bay? I caught it on Saturday, and as I was the only one on it, I assume most people are unaware of it. Here are the details of the 14B, operated by Pullman Coaches [remember, Saturdays only]. It leaves Oystermouth at 11.15, 14.15 and 16.15, reaches Caswell at 11.32, 14.32 and 16.32, before terminating at Pennard Cliffs at 11.50, 14.50 and 16.50. On the return journey, times are as follows: Pennard 09.50, 11.50, 14.50, 16.50; Caswell 10.04, 12.04, 15.04, 17.04; Oystermouth 10.22, 12.22, 15.22, 17.22. It goes via Bishopston and Kittle. The timetable also says it runs via Limeslade, but the bus I got didn't. Also, the one I caught on Saturday was six or seven minutes early, so that's something to watch for.

Oh well, until next time .....