Post 60 Travelogue

Walking, Wildlife, the Wales Coastal Path and others, all with photographs.

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  • This is my Travelogue
  • Walks
    • Castle Howard
    • Newby Hall and Gardens
    • Lockdown Walks
    • Scampston Hall, the Park and Gardens
    • RHS Harlow Carr
    • Kenfig Pool Walk
    • Llanrhidian to Llanmadoc Walk
    • Burry Port to Pembrey Country Park
    • Peterston Wentloog to Dyffryn Newport
    • Loughor Estuary part 4 – Pwll to Burry Port
    • Loughor Estuary part 3: Machynys to Pwll – Llanelli by the Sea
    • Parc Slip Nature Reserve
    • Lougher Estuary Part 2: Llanelli Wetlands to Machynys and Bwlch y Gwynt
    • Penclawdd to Llanrhidian
    • Oxwich to Port Eynon
    • Lougher Estuary Part 1: Lougher to Llanelli Wetlands
    • A Walk Around Llangynwyd Village
    • Loughor Castle to Penclawdd
    • Pengam to Peterstone Wentlooge
    • East Moors to Pengam
    • Port Eynon to Rhossili
    • Cowbridge Oasis
    • Castle-upon-Alun and Coed-y-Bwl Nature Reserve.
    • Three Cliffs to Oxwich
    • Caswell Bay to Three Cliffs Bay
    • The Mumbles to Caswell Bay
    • Swansea Marina to The Mumbles
    • Somerset Views
    • Jersey Marine to Port Tennant
    • A Stroll around Cosmeston Lakes
    • Further trips to Cwm Colhuw and Nature Reserve
    • Aberavon to Baglan/Briton Ferry
    • Visit to Dinefwr
    • Kenfig Pool to Margam
    • Cardiff Bay to Penarth Cliff Top
    • Rest Bay, Porthcawl to Kenfig Pool
    • Newton Point to Rest Bay, Porthcawl
    • Ogmore to Newton Point
    • St. Andrew’s Major Circuit Photos
    • Penarth to Sully Walk
    • Porthkerry to Fontygary Walk
    • Fontygary to Gileston,Limpert Bay Walk
    • Limpert Bay, to Summerhouse Bay Walk.
    • Summerhouse Bay to Cwm Colhuw Walk
    • Cwm George and the Salmon Leaps Walk
    • Cwm Colhuw to Nash Point Walk
    • An Interlude at Cefn Onn
    • Nash Point to Dunraven Bay Walk
    • Aberthaw Nature Reserve
    • Dunraven Bay to Ogmore Castle Walk
    • Barry Island to Porthkerry Walk
    • Return to Cwm Colhuw Nature Reserve
    • An Evening Return Visit to Aberthaw
  • Photo Galleries
    • Castle Howard Photos
    • Newby Hall and Gardens Photos
    • Scampston Hall and Gardens Photos
    • RHS Harlow Carr Photos
    • Kenfig Pool Photos
    • Llanrhidian to Llanmadoc Photos
    • Burry Port to Pembrey Country Park Photos
    • Peterston Wentloog to Dyffryn Newport Photos
    • Loughor Estuary part 4 – Pwll to Burry Port Photos
    • Loughor Estuary part 3: Machynys to Pwll Llanelli by the Sea Photos
    • Parc Slip Nature Reserve Photos
    • Penclawdd to Llanrhidian Photos
    • Lougher Estuary Photos Part 2: Llanelli Wetlands to Machynys and Bwlch y Gwynt
    • Lougher Estuary Photos Part 1: Lougher to Llanelli Wetlands
    • A Walk Around Llangynwyd Village Photos
    • Loughor Castle to Penclawdd Photos
    • Pengam to Peterstone Wentlooge Photos
      • East Moors to Pengam Photos
    • Port Eynon to Rhossili Photos
    • Cowbridge Oasis Photos
    • Oxwich to Port Eynon Photos
    • Castle-upon-Alun and Coed-y-Bwl Nature Reserve Photos
    • Three Cliffs to Oxwich Photos
    • Caswell Bay to Three Cliffs Bay Photos
    • The Mumbles to Caswell Bay Photos
    • Swansea Marina to The Mumbles Photos
    • Somerset Views Photos
    • Jersey Marine to Port Tennant Photos
    • A Stroll around Cosmeston Lakes Photos
    • Further trips to Cwm Colhuw and Nature Reserve Photos
    • Aberavon to Baglan/Briton Ferry Photos
    • Visit to Dinefwr Photos
    • Kenfig Pool to Margam Photos
    • Rest Bay, Porthcawl to Kenfig Pool Photos
    • Newton Point to Rest Bay, Porthcawl Photos
    • Ogmore to Newton Point Photos
    • St. Andrew’s Major Circuit
      • Cardiff Bay To Penarth Cliff Top Photos
    • Penarth to Sully Photos
    • Porthkerry to Fontagary Photos
    • Font-y-gary to Gileston Photos
    • Limpert Bay to Summerhouse Bay Photos
    • Summerhouse Bay to Cwm Colhuw Photos
    • Cwm Colhuw to Nash Point Photos
    • Cefn Onn Photos
    • Nash Point to Dunraven Bay Photos
    • Aberthaw Nature Reserve Photos
    • Dunraven Bay to Ogmore Castle Photos
    • Return to Cwm Colhuw Nature Reserve Photos
      • Cwm George and the Salmon Leaps Photos
    • Barry Island to Porthkerry Photos

Return to Cwm Colhuw Nature Reserve

I walk from home along the footpath towards the road that reaches the beach. High on a branch silhouetted by the sunlight is a Speckled Wood. Viewed from below it looks Shadeiridescent. Under a canopy of leaves the sun shines through, highlighting the Ferns, Lords and Ladies, Brambles and Ivy. A stream flows gently past, lined with Elder trees in full flower and newly emerging Hogweed. The Ash trees are full of squawking Jackdaws. Below them, swimming in the stream, is a Mallard with her chicks. The sunlight forms undulating patterns on the water as the ducklings cause ripples across it.

Jackdaw's in trees
Ducklings

 The next stage is on the road passing Ham Manor Caravan Park and downhill, woods to the left and house on the right. The Horse Chestnut trees are beginning to set fruit and the flowering Brambles are trailing over the walls.

I take the left hand path just past the coastal cottages track and ascend into the woods and the Nature Reserve, which is managed by the Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales. It is cool in here under the trees with the smell of earthy dampness. All the usual shade plants are here, the Brambles and Himalayan Balsam are rampant. I burst out into the sunlight with meadow to the left and hedgerow to the right. The meadow is full of colour with many types of grasses: Cat’s Ear (Hypochaeris radicata), Creeping Buttercups (Ranunculus repens), Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) and White Clover (Trifolium repens). The hedgerows are populated with Sloe, Hawthorn and Brambles, all growing alongside Thistles, Red Campion and Oxeye Daisies. Here and there are the yellow spikes of Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria). Insects are buzzing and a few butterflies are sunning themselves: Speckled Woods, Small Whites and a Red Admiral.

Just before the cliff edge you are walking among the castle ditches where an Iron Age Promontory Fort was located. This encampment dates from the latter part of the pre-Roman Iron Age and is a typical promontory fort depending for its defence on a combination of steep-sided valleys and cliffs. It may have been used until the 12th Century when it offered protection to local inhabitants. Until the 19th Century this event was re-enacted by local people on the 3rd May and known as the Annwyl Day Celebrations on Colhuw meadow.

SurfersAt the cliff I descend carefully, watching my footing as the path is a little rough in places. Out in the bay are wind-surfers: orange, blue and yellow sails, weaving in and out as the waves and wind takes them. At the cliff edge are clumps of Wild thyme and Kidney Vetch (Anthyllis vulneraria). I proceed to the beach car park and the walk home through Cwm Colhuw valley and rejoin the road passing Ham Manor. This section has been mentioned previously, still with plenty of dog walkers. The only thing to add was the cows had wandered further into the valley and were chewing the cud and messing the path through the fields. It is their field after all and they seemed peaceful enough as I passed them.

Since this area is my patch, so to speak, I will visit it many times. This visit was in June.

 

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