I wish I was a Tenenbaum

At the weekend, again in much need of friend therapy I headed to the Mumbles for my BFF Pugs birthday adventure.

We hit up our fave local spot Cafe Vallance for a romantic cheese & wine Brodeo.

Jamie and Miles met us after practice and Pugs' sister. I fell asleep drunk watching Mean Girls with Pugs and Jamie, standard.

It was awesome to get to see Batman again too.

In the morning we were meeting to go on an expedition to the Gower. Of course they were all on "Swansea time" so a 10 o'clock departure turned into midday after a Veggie sizzler at the White Rose.

We left the car and the stuff at Torbay, and headed off to the rendezvous at Mewslade bay. Mewslade is proper lush never been before, sea was proper choppy and full of jellies.

I was fully hoping to see Gower Chough for the first time, as I had heard they were in this area.

As we headed over the top there was lush views of a Kestrel hunting doing its classic wind hover.

Then I spotted 4/5 Chough foraging in the short turf again lush views.

As we headed off along the top there was a first for me, which I was pretty stoked with a Yellowhammer, although once common and present all year round I hadn't managed to see one until now, which tells me they are in decline sadly.

I drew this Yellowhammer when I got home to commemorate the sighting.

Three friends on a cliff

We stopped for the holy trinity of Chip Butty, Peanut butter Joe's Ice cream and Booze in Port
Eynon. I had a Black Dragon by Gwnt-y-Draig 7.2% bit rich for lunch time, but bloody lovely.

The inaugural shit punching contest took place back on the trail.

"Like that fella from the three rings!"

We headed on along the coast path towards Oxwich the path took in some sensational views and some stunning secluded cove that would be lush for wild swimming.

The final stretch was pretty killer through a large wood in search of Sasquatch. No sightings or scents of placenta unfortunately...

We got to the Oxwich Bay Hotel totally fucked, dogs barking bro one and all.

I had a pint of cloudy cider and then walked in the sea across the beach to Torbay to soothe my aching trots.

I hadn't been to Torbay before it was lush like the beach from Moonrise Kingdom!

We still had to walk to the car to get the gear too. Got the gear, set up a pretty sick camp on the beach.

Pugs set up a pretty sweet fire, whilst we got the BBQ's going, the wrongbow's started flowing.




















We ate some BBQ, collected more wood, Rez cooked a Tadik in the fire a traditional Persian rice dish, we chatted shit and enjoyed the fire for a couple of hours then hit the hay, all pretty knackered from the walk.

A fantastic expedition

Awkward family portrait by Jamie Morrison

I look forward to the extended version in August.

City Bouys - Walk the Gower available soon on slashsquash records

South of Boredom

I went for an awesome walk at the weekend. I was hungover as shit after being out to see Pale Angels at Le pub the night before. I've been trying to tick off pieces of the Welsh Coastal Path. At the weekend I did Barry Island to Rhoose Point. 

I set off along the old harbour (the boat graveyard) saw this old wreck called Menace II Society (see movie of same name from the 90s) 

This is Watch tower bay just out towards the knap passed the old harbour, lush when the tide is out.

This is the Watchtower, my dream home, I found out this morning it went under auction last week and sold for £60k, which I would have paid in the blink of an eye, had I had it.

Some awesome distressed type at Cold Knap pumping Station, spoilt by shit graffiti.












A rather unusual but awesome plant on the path, sometimes the patterns in nature blow my tiny mind!

I love the coastal path markers too, however, sometimes they can be a bit tricky to find. This is one of my fave spots as the path climbs up from the Knap towards Porthkerry the views behind are stunning. I saw my first Dunnock on the path today.

Once you get to Porthkerry, after the golden stairs, saw my first Goldcrest on the golden stairs so it will always be a special spot for me; you drop down into Porthkerry Park a stunning park.

I stopped for lunch in Porthkerry park. I had a delicious flask of Festive Chai (note favourite Scrabble Flask) Cheese & Gherkin sangers, crisps, a granny smith apple and a cereal bar. As soon as I sat down for lunch Buzzards started circling overhead.

After Porthkerry as the path heads towards Rhoose there are some stunning views again. At one point there is a stile, leading to a small secluded pebble beach, perfect for naked wild swimming.
















There is also this amazing sign about Bulwarks Camp an ancient Iron Age encampment.

When the path reaches Rhoose point you are officially at the Southern most point of mainland Wales which is amazing. They have reclaimed an old quarry and filled it in and put in some reed beds to attract wildlife. There were Mallards, Swans and a Little Grebe there that day but you can see Linnets, Peregrine, Ravens and Oyster-catchers.

There is a Welsh slate monument in a stone circle with a Celtic symbol to mark it being the Southern most point.

The sign marking the Southern most point of Wales Rhoose Point.

There is then a gap in the cliffs leading to another small secluded beach.

The final marker of the walk. Probably my favourite stretch so far such a nice surprise at the end.