Our 'cottage near the sea'

This was our holiday home until we moved to Carmarthenshire, and is now available for others to enjoy.

Built in about 1863 (we think), the terrace of cottages - then called Silver Row - was constructed for workers in the local silver and lead works (now the nearby boatyard).

Burry Port itself only really came into existence in the 1850's, following the silting up of Pembrey harbour and the creation of a new harbour a little way down the estuary. In the last 30 years, the town has gradually given up its industrial heritage, and more and more people are discovering its fantastic location.

Saturday 20 August 2011

Shifting sands

Lazy day, watching the rugby etc., and we needed some fresh air to blow away the cobwebs, so we drove down to Burry Port, and parked by Pembrey Old Harbour. We were the only ones there, but then it was about 6pm.

As we climbed over the old harbour wall onto the west beach, the tide was quite a way out, and you could see how the tides in the estuary have moved the sand around. The sandbar seems to be getting bigger and the back part of the beach has more stones showing.

If you look carefully at the stones you will lots of them with bubbles frozen in them. These are really copper slag from 100 - 150 years ago. I wonder if they used this material as a barrier to protect the sand dunes, or whether 19th century industrialists simply dumped it? In any event, you can certainly find some interesting bits to use for a paperweight!


It also looks as if someone is farming mussels in the stream behind the sandbar. I wonder who it is - and whether they are allowed to do it?

Having walked to the end of the beach, we walked out past the lighthouse to the end of the (new) harbour wall. Strangely, there was a campavan parked alongside the lighthouse. As we got closer, we saw a handwritten notice-board outside it saying that they were radio hams trying to communicate with other hams throughout the world, and it was some king of special day, in which lighthouses played a part. They had a very tall aerial strapped to the lighthouse.

No camera, so I couldn’t take a snap for the blog. Have to use an old one.  (Our lighthouse must be one of the most photographed, as it so small and cute.)


Back past the yacht club, and we were intrigued to see how much it costs to ‘park’ one’s boat in the marina - about £800 a year apparently, even for the smallest boat.

Then past the ‘Lighthouse Cafe’ - which is a long overdue facility alongside the harbour, but it really does need a bit more imagination by the owners!

The ice cream van had gone from the car park by that time, so we couldn’t treat ourselves, and we decided that our waistlines voted against a walk over to Barry’s chippie for a tray of chips, and instead took the healthy option of walking back to the car along the coastal foot/cycle path.

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