#dimexcuseswalk

[dimexcuses]

Spring Sunsets in Isolation. Pennard Cliffs March 2020.

It looks like we have a difficult time ahead, and it isn’t going to end soon. So while I have some time on my hands I am going to give the blog the attention it has long needed.

If you are looking to get your outside fix in these lockdown times maybe have a look down the rabbit hole of the adventures of my girlfriend Sharon and I as we post stuff and nonsense from Wild West Wales with our…

View On WordPress

[dimexcuses]

It is the tenth anniversary of the DimExcuses End of Summer Walk. An epic tradition that includes over 15 miles of the South Gower Coast. Starting on the first bus out of Swansea, we commence the walk at the breathtaking Rhossili Bay.

It is then a straight line forced march up and down the limestone slades and cliffs of the South Gower Coast.

The aim of this first part is to get to Port Eynon by 11am for a full breakfast in the Captain’s Table Cafe. The weather this year was perfect, unlike last year when we nearly drowned.

From Port Eynon we took the Wales Coast Path to Oxwich Bay for a well deserved pint of Gower Gold. You can see my Strava track of the whole route here. I also made a relive video you can see here.

Not only did we have perfect weather this year, we also had a perfect low tide that made our walk on the beach to Three Cliffs Bay and Pobbles a breeze.

Our next stop was in the Southgate Club, for another Gower Gold. We always get a great welcome from the Landlady, amazed at our epic ten year tradition. We changed the route this year to make the walk more accessible.  Instead of heading on to Pwll Du Bay and then finishing in the Joiners Arms, we this year headed out to Pennard Castle.

The reason for the route change was that we could then finish in the Gower Inn. This would then enable everyone to get the bus back to where we started. This worked out much better for everyone. So a perfect end to a perfect summer. A full gallery of the walk can be seen below (just click on a thumbnail). You should join us next year, DimExcuses.

Perfect end to a perfect summer. DimExcuses End of Summer Walk 2018. It is the tenth anniversary of the DimExcuses End of Summer Walk. An epic tradition that includes over 15 miles of the South Gower Coast.

[dimexcuses]

It all started with the DimExcuses End of Summer Walk, a yearly walk in September, 19 miles in 9 hours taking in the best of the South Gower Coast. Then there was the DimExcuses Mid Winter Walk, a 10K on the rest of the South Gower coast racing the sunset from Pwll Du Bay to Mumbles.

Now we are aiming to do four DimExcuses walks every year, with each one on the equinox of each season. So this was the first DimExcuses Start of Spring Walk. Starting at Gowerton Station we took the train to Pembrey and Bury Port Station and then basically walked a half marathon back along the Wales Coast Path.

I tracked the walk in two legs, before and after lunch. You can see the Strava data for the first leg here, and also a Relive video of the first part here.

We had the DimExcues Dogs Oakley and Molly with us, but Molly only did the first walk because she is a bit small for a walk of that length.

Oakley is big enough to do the whole lot and take it in his stride.

You can see the Strava for the second leg here, and another Relive video of the second part here.

It was a great walk, and we were lucky with the weather. The only issue was that the whole 14 miles were on tarmac, so that took a hard toll on knees, hips and backs. We are used to the grass and sand of the DimExcuses End of Summer Walk.

It was a cracking day and we did it all in about six hours including lunch. A full gallery of all photos is below, just click on a thumbnail to see the larger photos. So we are now thinking about a DimExcuses Mid Summer Walk, you should come on that one, DimExcuses.

DimExcuses Start of Spring Walk 2018. It all started with the DimExcuses End of Summer Walk, a yearly walk in September, 19 miles in 9 hours taking in the best of the South Gower Coast.

[dimexcuses]

There is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing. Three Cliffs, Pobbles, Winter 2017.

There is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing. Three Cliffs, Pobbles, Winter 2017.

Winter is upon us.  Temperatures are barely above zero and snow is hitting the UK with a vengeance.  Gower may have eascaped the worst of the snow but it is bitter cold with biting winds.  Yet as Ranulph Fiennes is so famously quoted as saying “there is no bad weather, only inappropriate clothing”. I am permanently wearing a baselayer, I have some cracking Skins thermal ones and I have broken out…

View On WordPress

[dimexcuses]

The best of South Gower in one day.

The best of South Gower in one day.

We often have visitors down over the summer. It is amazing that those from further afield tend to embrace the must see sites, while family and friends often neglect the little gems on their doorstep. So this summer we have been sharing our favorite beaches with all our visitors. At the start of the summer we took some family members on our legendary Three Cliffs Pobbles Loop, and last week we…

View On WordPress

[dimexcuses]

Take the High Road, Pobbles & Pennard Cliffs. 19th August 2017.

Take the High Road, Pobbles & Pennard Cliffs. 19th August 2017.

Sometimes you have to change your perspective on things. Usually a quick straight walk down Pobbles Bay, Gower is my go to quick walk for taking my dog Molly to the beach. But I fancied a change and a different view of Pobbles for once. Pobbles is my favourite beach. You can read my DimExcuses Pobbles Beach Guide here. It is also a beach visited on my classic 5km Pennard Castle, Three Cliffs Bay…

View On WordPress

[dimexcuses]

Almost Summer. Three Cliffs Bay, 28th May 2017.

Almost Summer. Three Cliffs Bay, 28th May 2017.

Finally summer is nearly upon us, leap frogging over a cool but dry start to spring in South Wales. So as we head into the second bank holiday in May 2017 there was no where else to go but Three Cliffs Bay, Gower. This time Molly, Sharon and I brought along some family and friends. We took our regular Pennard Castle, Three Cliffs and Pobbles Bay loop. Pennard Golf Club have done some path work…

View On WordPress

[dimexcuses]

#StormWatch. Low Sun & low tide, Caswell to Langland.

#StormWatch. Low Sun & low tide, Caswell to Langland.

What a weekend of weather, massive tides, storms and snow. Though the Gower salty air made sure we had no snow, we still had blue clouds passing us over the rocks exposed by the huge low tide. Molly the French Bulldog and I were on our usual Gower Coast #StormWatch, but the storm had long since past Gower and we were left to walk in the following calm and drink up the low sun as we walked from…

View On WordPress