25/02/26 - On the Trail of...... Dylan Thomas

Dry Wednesday

Into Laugharne - a quiet estuary town with a famous son. The famous son who pronounced the place "the strangest town in Wales".

Dylan Thomas drinking in Brown's with Caitlin. They now share a grave.

I've been following Dylan Thomas around the globe already. I have drunk pints (yes, they served pints during Covid) in the French House/York Minster in Soho. This is where he lost the manuscript to Under Milk Wood.

I've holidayed in Newquay - where there is a sign for the fictional Llareggub near the Black Lion.

I've drunk in the White Horse Tavern, Greenwich, New York. Maybe not the 18 straight whiskies that led to his untimely death at just 39.

Can you see a theme emerging? It's a wonder he had time to write any poems with the amount of boozing he was reported to enjoy.

Laugharne is the location of his final home/writing place and indeed resting place. An Adventure Lab Cache takes me to all of the key locations, adding on his grave to the AA Walk originally plotted.

It's a mixed figure of 8 walk over Sir John's Hill to the south Delacorse to the North. The stretches along the River Taf estuary are stunning. The inland sections a muddy bog of overgrown brambles.

The lad himself, looking at the Norman Castle Ruins

The creator of the DT Birthday Walk lives at Salt House Farm. Prepare for a chat if you meet him

A simple memorial

The Boat House - his final home

His writing shed - formerly a garage for Laugharne's 1st motor car

Walk over - now for refreshments. The Internet is little help - Whatpub, Google and very annoyingly, establishment's own websites all have different and often incorrect opening hours.  I'm looking at you - the New Three Mariners.... Good Beer Guide 2026 accredited you may be but midday opening in the week, my hairy aris. 

And the ironic thing is for a town that celebrates a dipsomaniac? Not one of the four pubs is open on a Wednesday lunchtime. 

Laugharne - a dry in the sunshine hours town.

Mrs M - a paragon of sensibility - says that they should at least take it in turns to open on alternate days.

A special place in hell for when their own website is incorrect

Didn't even get chance to undo my wasitcoat

Closed

Closed

Closed - with the man's face on the sign

Even the cafe's were closed. The only sign of life? The Chipper.

My god, you get a lot for £13.

Walk Details

Distance - 6 Miles

Geocaches - 5

Walk Inspiration - AA Walks Through History, Walk 99

24/02/26 - The Royal Oak, Saundersfoot

The Miners Path

In the 19th century, Saundersfoot was a key exporting point for the anthracite coalfield that ran inland around Stepaside and Kilgetty. The harbour was built to ship coal across the Bristol Channel, and tramways once ran down through wooded valleys to the sea.

The tramways have now been converted to tarmacked footpaths and named the Miners Path - absolutely perfect for the conditions, when spring makes an appearance after the relentless rain. Today's walk completed in balmy 12 degrees. Warm enough for Mrs M to declare we should eat al fresco. A decision she soon changed her mind about.

We follow the tramways to Wiseman's Bridge, continue along the Wales Coast Path to Summerhill, before following the lovely Pleasant Valley back to our beginnings.

Coast Path to Wiseman's Bridge

Looking at Saundersfoot through a tram tunnel

Willow - on the Pleasant Valley

A mooch around the harbour and then the hunt for that most seaside of delicacies - fish and chips. 

Why not combine worlds? The Royal Oak is the village Good Beer Guide tick. It runs a lunchtime specials menu. Fresh haddock and chips for a tenner.  Washed down with some proper Welsh beer.

Mrs M convincing herself we should dine outside

Glamorgan Brewery Cwrw Gorslas

Defeat admitted - the view from the bar

Walk Details

Distance - 5.75 Miles

Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine

Geocaches - 11

23/02/26 - The Ship Aground, Pembrey

No Sea at Pembrey

Another dog-sit - Wales best Bed and Breakfast for a cockapoo - in the hamlet of Llanllawddog. An indication of the problems I am going to have getting the blog proofread this week. 

To escape the rain, we pick one of the several coastal walks that I have programmed. We are hoping that Penybedd Woods may provide some shelter.

Meet Willow - the latest Mappiman Victim of bad weather walks

The walk is forgettable. We follow St Illtyd's Way through the forest rides, cross the railway line and have a convoluted climb in the woods around a farm called Coed. The high ground should have provided sea views, but there's nothing doing. Mizzle.

Only Pembrey can save the day. A cafe - dog friendly and warm bara brith with butter. Two pubs in front of a sinister-looking church. The Red Lion long closed. The Pembrey Country Inn clad in scaffolding.

Pubs - 50% of them open.

The Good Beer Guide 2026 insists that we continue 3/4 of a mile towards Burry Port. The Ship Aground recommended and proudly proclaiming it is open 7 days a week. This consistency deserves support.

We find a solid boozer - thick, unplastered walls, a separate dining room and a surprisingly small bar. A collection of friendly locals and to justify the chef's wages, two couples ordering food.

Ship Aground

Just the two beers on - I choose a Gower Gold, which probably needs to be renamed Gower Cold. Freezing. Stuffed into a Worthington glass hardly showing a dedication to the landlord's art. But the local CAMRA must have found something to recommend.

Ignore the lacings and see the icings

Sand Dunes on the map surely mean the sea is not far? Pembrey Downs are protected by a creek system.

We saw nothing.

I cannot see the sea

Walk Details

Distance - 6.5 Miles

Geocaches - 0

Walk Inspiration - Country Walking Magazine, November 2024

19/02/26 - The Eagle, Cookley

Spin Eagle

The Eagle at Cookley is filed under "Locals" in the Worcestershire Historic Pubs book. Centre of the village and providing sustenance for the workers at the local metal-working factory. We then have some details of its names since inception in 1834. The Spin Eagle, the Eagle and Spur and now simply the Eagle.

First - a walk, which meets the requirement well. No mud. A jaunt down the Worcester/Staffordshire Canal - including the tunnel that cuts directly under the village houses. (For future reference, it is possible to get to the village - Google maps was unclear on planning). Solid paths through agricultural land connected to Lea Castle and back to explore the village.

Joining the canal near Caunsall

Which came first? The tunnel or the houses?

Surprisingly mud free

Entrance to Lea Castle

Inside St Peters

It looks like Cookley supported three pubs - The Red Lion is now a convenience store. The Bull and the Eagle sit side by side in the village centre, opposite the chipper.

Impressive in size, if not in colour

The Eagle is multiple houses knocked together, which provides a higgledy-piggledy internal experience, bars lead to corridors, which lead to a lounge containing the king of pub furniture.. The Chesterfield. The cask also needs to be hunted - the main bar looking disappointingly keg only. Two hand pulls on another bar - Wye Valley Pyoneer and HPA.

Walk Details

Distance - 4 Miles

Geocaches - 6

Walk Inspiration