Solstice day 2009

The kind lady in the visitor's centre at Caerphilly recommended the Gower Peninsula in Souther Wales as a place to see. She was right - it's lovely - felt a bit like the Isle of Wight actually.

I followed her directions and the GPS and headed for the end of the peninsula. I was riding along quite late in the day (I had walked around the castle in the morning, and lost some time waterproofing the tent at the guesthouse) when I sensed the opportunity for a photo stop, in a series of bends, through trees, with rock walls either side. There are a lot of these over here (UK) but not many where it is safe to stop for a pic. Oncer I had stopped and was taking pic's, a man appeared from over the wall. He had bee walking his dog, heard me pull up and came to inspect the bike. He took some photos of me and said he had been to Australia (Narrogin) and commuted 100 miles to work and back each day on a Yamaha Thundercat. He suggested I head over to Hillend where there is a lovely beach (with sand) a good campground, and a pub for a meal, so that's what I did.

Hillend is near rhossili which will be easier to find on a map. The whole west coast of the peninsula is a beach. The campground attendants were very conscientious, but gave me a discount (£10) for the night and I camped amongst the families. There was a time this would have made me miserable, missing my kids, but I seem to have grwon through that stage and was quite OK. I rode up to the Kings Head pub for dinner and carefully back again on the usual road only wide enough for one car.

Met another couple of blokes at dinner one of whom was involved with a charity planting trees in Scotland. He had been working on the Isle of Skye, where I hope to go too.

Didn't get much sleep - there was a party up the valley and it's amazing how the sound travels, no rain though so I set off early (for me) in the morning.