Читать книгу Walking on the Gower. 30 walks exploring the AONB peninsula in South Wales онлайн

38 страница из 48

The quarried stone was piled a short way from low water and marked with a post. Ships then sailed into the cove at high tide, located the posts and remained there until the tide dropped, leaving the ship beached and ready to be loaded before the next high tide. Some of the ships may have actually been scuttled by opening the sea cocks before the tide had fully dropped. As the ship beached the sea cocks would be closed with water partially filling the hold of the ship, breaking the fall of the cargo of rock as it was loaded. The remaining water would be drained out before the tide returned.

The houses nestling at the head of the beach were once four pubs serving the thirsty workers. The large white house was the Beaufort Arms and opposite it was the Ship Inn, but the Bull and New Inn are no longer in existence.

Continue by turning right once over the bridge, following the path past the National Trust sign along the western bank of the stream. Ignore the sign to Southgate where a valley joins from the left, once used to smuggle contraband to the Highway Farms in Southgate, and follow the sign to Bishopston and Kittle.