At
Lighthouse Inn there was a notice saying that the way east along the
embankment was closed because of work on a bridge by National Rail, across
which the path used to go at the end of the embankment. We had noticed this the day before and
found out from the internet that the way was closed until the end of
June. So we set off on the nearest
alternative by road B4239 into which the path eventually runs. When we got to this junction we found that
the embankment way was open after all, a new temporary bridge having been
provided! (Moral: don’t trust
information from anybody.) That we had
missed this part of the walk was particularly sad because we would now be on
or by roads for several miles, although from the B4239 the coast walk briefly
left roads on a paved path across grassland, over the Afon Ebwy, under the
A48 by a tunnel whose walls were gaudily decorated by local gangland, and
eventually into a road through an industrial estate. We were in Newport, at least its southern fringe. A few streets later we passed the preserved
Transporter Bridge, which if it had been working could have provided a much
needed lower crossing point of the River Usk and saved several miles of
walking. All one can do is look at it
with regret. The path then follows
busy main roads to the A48 road bridge, although a new park area off the road
going under the bridge meant we could get a few minutes respite from the
noise and dust, a route which the official path has not yet recognised. Having crossed the wide Usk we took a road
south and then east entirely through factories to the other end of the
transporter bridge, where a path led down the east bank of the river. This gave a little respite because,
although there were factories above us beyond the inland scrub and hedgerow,
there was saltmarsh on the other side, with English Scurvy-grass
conspicuously in flower. Within a mile
we were forced inland by factories occupying the bank and passed through more
fumes and noise until we found ourselves following a cycle path towards Pye
Corner. This ran through rough scrub
with little natural interest but at least it was "sort of"
rural. An excellent wooden seat here
with a high back gave great support to our lunch-time rest. Before reaching Pye Corner we turned south
off the cycle track into footpaths through a meadowland reserve. This was damp grassland recovering from
more intensive use, as could be told by the fact that the dominant plant was
Meadow Buttercup, but there were a few Southern Marsh-orchids to brighten the
way and we saw our first Small Copper of the trip. Straight ahead all the way was the
prominent steeple of Nash
Church. We then reached the Nash road and crossed
this following the coast path, but now we were in unpleasant poached cow
pasture, with no plant interest, difficult rough ground (that would be
especially difficult in wet weather), and frisky-going-on-belligerent
heifers. There was, however, a Mute
Swan nesting on a stream bank here, apparently unperturbed by the
cattle. Only after a mile did we find
ourselves in more pleasant paths through the edge of the Newport Wetlands
National Nature Reserve, leading to the visitor centre run by the RSPB. Here we got a refreshing drink/ice-lolly
sitting before a picture window overlooking a large
pond which had Mallard, Coot, Moorhen and Little Grebe. From here we phoned for
a Newport
taxi back to our start.
|
Newport Transporter Bridge
River Usk and road bridge
|
No comments:
Post a Comment