A trip to Pembroke to the west of Swansea Thursday 15th May

We are having some lovely weather, and it is nice to see how people take advantage of the long summer days, having time after work for a cricket match, or to go sailing.  We joined the rest of them last night at The Mumbles, a pleasant seaside place a little along the bay.  We walked along the esplanade and had dinner at a popular Italian family restaurant.  I chose sirloin steak and red onions on a baguette, and it was lovely.  The bread so soft, and baked on the premises.  Then we had an ice cream.  There were people launching their boats, and doing a sailing race and these photos were taken at 7.45pm, check out the steam in the background from the industrial town of Port Talbot.

Today we made our way down to Pembroke, on the southern coast, and in fact the town where there is a car ferry to Ireland, and we had thought about taking the car across there, but figured we would miss too much of UK if we left from here.

But I had also watched a programme on TV about the old Fort at Pembroke, and while researching my g.grandfathers on the Durnford side, I knew that one of them was stationed there.  I presumed it was a tourist attraction.

On the way we stopped of at Llanelli Beach, for a photo stop to see the coast line.  It was mainly mud flats, but people were driving cars along the flats.  Along the way we passed through a lot of little coastal villages.

Next stop was Burry Port, a little village with an Ameila Earhart memorial.  We didn't know that she laned there in 1928. In fact she landed on the mud flats much to the delight of the residents who flocked down to see an aeroplane, something they had never seen before.

We walked a bit further and I spied a hairdresser at 9 pounds for a cut and blow dry, bit better than the 39 I had seen in Cardiff, so we both had a turn at the hairdresser.

Our next stop was Pembroke, and I still couldn't find anything about the fortress.  But we made it up to the top of a hill, and then I noticed a bit of a derelict building which I thought had promise.  I chatted up the local postie, and he gave me a bit of history about the place, as now they were doing it up for flats.

I told him the family name, Durnford, and he told me that there was a Mike Durnford on Beach Road, as we were going to take photos there, I thought I would ask if I saw anyone outside.  Anyway there were some good views over the harbour but I didn't find Mike!

The golf course adjoins the barracks

We drove back up the steep hill, and found the way into the entrance of the Barracks.  It has been listed as a heritage building, and despite the no trespassing sign, I went in and found an old gentleman enjoying the sun.  He lived in one of the flats, and told me they were having trouble finding the replacement glass panes for the broken windows in the rooms that they still hoped to turn into housing.

The Army used it during WW1 and WW2, then left the buildings.  It is built over 3 levels, one lot of rooms are below the road, probably for the plebs, and then two levels higher up.  It is built making a centre courtyard or parade ground, there are cannons around, and the old steel fencing would be very difficult to replace, as it is even branded with Queen Victoria's initials.

He also told me about the fort's resident ghosts, whose eyes you could see at night, that turn out to be the resident goats, who were grazing around the moat area.  During WW2 the bomb disposal unit was housed there, and 20 men went outside to test a bomb, one went back inside, and the whole remaining 19 were killed, the bomb exploded in the walls.

Lunch from the supermarket, about the only place that makes a proper small sandwich, and I am getting a bit challenged with the accents, it is almost Irish!  And they talk so fast, even faster than the Scots do, one lady told me.

We then went onto Carmathern which was home to the Phillips grandparents, as was Cardiff.  Not a lot to see here, but they did have a memorial to those who fought and died in the Crimean War.  

Our Matilda is showing her age, and our house sitters had to take her to the vet, she couldn't walk, had to have pain killer, and maybe ongoing treatments.  Given that she is 11, she is like us getting old.  

Thanks to Lyn and Mick for looking after her, I know Lyn would be anxious about her, and has done a great job with Matilda's weight reduction.                         

We walked to the village tonight for dinner, fantastic rolled lamb and one of the nicest Pimms I have had, they even took a photo to put on their website, as they don't get asked for them!  And still waiting for today's photos to download from the tablet, once again it has downloaded random photos and I cannot find the reason why it does this.

Pimms in a bottle!