Staying in Burry Port , my imagination was fired by the tales of “Gwyr y Bwelli Bach” – Men of the small hatchets – these were the tight knit band of local families who looted the cargo of the many shipwrecks along this coast. Survivors of the wrecks must have been horrified, having survived the cruel seas, to then be confronted by this determined bunch of reprobates.
Much of the walk is along the Millennium Coastal Path, the huge power station that dominated this area has been demolished, and the heavy industry which dominated the area has been replaced with 13 miles of leisure walkways, cycle trails, several nature reserves and a Nicklaus designed golf course at Machynys.
The old Strade Park, has given way to a housing complex, but the goalposts with the traditional sospan fach, a nod to the tinplate industry in Llanelli, marks the spot.
Penclawdd on the other hand is the centre of the cockle picking area, a photograph in a pub in Burry Port showed a woman and her donkey on the sands in Penclawdd – the women have now been replaced by men on tractors licensed to pick!
The walk was helped along by brilliant sunshine, sparkling seas, blue skies and the very friendly locals.