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 french bulldog cross Molly.

We headed out in isolation last Friday to get some final spring sunsets before holing up in the house of the foreseeable.

Three Cliffs never fails to impress. It is our favorite walk. This time we took the Pennard Cliffs route because we thought it would be the best way to ensure we didn’t meet anyone else and if we did we could easily keep a good distance between them and us.  Molly was obviously looking the other way.

So just as spring starts to spring into life we all find ourselves a bit stuck in. Hopefully this sunset will be enough to tide you over.

Please take a look back on previous blog posts. Highlights include:

The Darth Mannion Beach and Swamp Challenge.

The DimExcuses End of Summer Walk.

Or a lot of surfing with the #Mentro21 Project.

Or you can follow me (DimExcuses) on twitter or instagram. Hopefully you will find something to amuse. But for now make sure you stay in and stay safe, there will be sunsets for us to find after all this, DimExcuses.

 

Darth Mannion X Gallery 3.

Here is the third gallery from Darth Mannion X. The Darth Mannion Beach and Swamp Run Challenge 2019.

The first gallery can be found here. 

The second gallery can be found here.

The main Darth Mannion X page can be found here.

Click on a thumbnail to open the images.

Darth Mannion X Gallery 2

Here is the second gallery from Darth Mannion X. The Darth Mannion Beach and Swamp Run Challenge 2019.

The first gallery can be found here. 

The third gallery can be found here.

The main Darth Mannion X page can be found here.

Click on a thumbnail to open the images.

Darth Mannion X Gallery 1

Here is the first gallery from Darth Mannion X. The Darth Mannion Beach and Swamp Run Challenge 2019.

The second gallery can be found here.

The main Darth Mannion X page can be found here.

Click on a thumbnail to open the images.

Darth Mannion X

A little later in the year, and a little later in the day, Gower’s favorite beach and swamp challenge, the Darth Mannion returns for its tenth year. Also returning was a bit of Gower sun for the brave long distance, river running, sea submerging athletes who dare to enter it. A welcome return from the snow of last year.

Photos from previous years can be found here:

Darth Mannion 9, 2018.

Darth Mannion 8, 2017.

Darth Mannion 7, 2016.

Darth Mannion 6, 2015.

You can see all the action for Dartha Mannion X 2019 below:

Darth Mannion X Gallery 1

Darth Mannion X Gallery 2.

Darth Mannion X Gallery 3.

All done, see you 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. 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.

Raining Cats & Dogs. Swansea Bay 10k 2018, Gallery 2.

Just like last year, Swansea Bay 10k was a total washout in 2018. The downward stretch wasn’t too bad, you can see gallery 1 here, but by the return it was hammering it down.

But Swansea Bay runners are a hardy lot and thousands charged through despite the rain. The only tougher bunch was us spectators who didn’t get to run to keep warm.

No matter what the weather though it is still one of the best 10k races in the UK.

Here is the full gallery 2 showing the runners in their rain washed glory, and don’t worry I will see you all next year, no matter what the weather is throws at me, DimExcuses.

Nice Weather for Ducks. Swansea Bay 10k 2018, Gallery 1.

Firstly apologies that it has taken me a couple of weeks to put these pictures up, I have been really busy. This year’s 10k was a total wash out, with runners and spectators getting totally soaked.  Very similar to last year then.

Here is a gallery of the runners heading down to Mumbles on the first 5k. The rain held off for this bit, it was on the way back that it poured down. I was is my usual spot at Blackpill.

So here is the first gallery in all its glory. Gallery 2 can be seen here. click on the thumbnails to open any picture, DimExcuses.

Hunting the Fen Orchid. Kenfig, June 2018.

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. 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.