Tuesday 23 November 2010

Johnston to Neyland Walk

I started the day with an 8.00 am swim to add to my lengths across the Channel! The weather was beautiful at that hour and I was very pleased to see it as it was the day for our U3A walking group fortnightly walk. This one being led by David.
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We drove to Johnston and started the walk alongside the single track railway part of which has been turned into a cycle track.
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Some easy walking to begin with as we left the railside footway and entered the wooded area.
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Rupert had to be kept in check !
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After rolling in the lovely smell of fox, he then investigated the muddy, swollen stream that was alongside the pathway!
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As we neared Neyland we passed the Marina, which is always full of boats. We queried whether any of them were ever taken out on the water, as the marina seems to be full at all times of the year!
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This part of the cycle path goes through the Wildlife Sanctuary and before reaching the Neyland Marina proper.
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The Town of Neyland was founded by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It was a little village on the Haven known as Little Milford. When the railway became established in 1853, the fishing industry also settled around the rail yard and with Brunel’s vision the Irish Ferry from Neyland to Rosslare Ireland started to trade.
For the next few hundred yards you pass under a road bridge built in 1970 leading to the toll bridge crossing over the River Cleddau completed in 1975.
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When you pass through the first set of gates, you go through the first of many cuttings in rocks made by Isambard Kindom Brunel's labourers when completing his historic construction of the Great western Railway from London, Paddington, with his envisaged transatlantic shipping line to America. When you look at the rock they cut through it was all done by hand with perhaps a little help with explosives.
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On reaching Brunel Quay there used to be a very fine statue of Isambard Kingdom Brunel overlooking the Cleddau Estuary. Sadly he was stolen in August this year and the bronze statue has never been recovered. There were two arrests in connection with the theft but no charges were made and the men were released.
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Naturally we ended the walk at the Marina Cafe!
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Ann x

2 comments:

Sue said...

Every good walk (and that looked like a GOOD walk) should end up in either a Cafe or a pub!!

Well done on nearly getting across the Channel, you're an inspiration.

Sue xx

mrsnesbitt said...

Wow! What a great walk! We were out walking today - in the deep snow! Yet more to come too!