2025 Gower Pilgrimage - Day 2

 St Cenydd’s, Llangennith to St. Gwynour’s Church, Llanyrnewydd, Penclawdd

What a lovely morning to start our second day's walking. According to our resident Weather Forecaster (Ali) we were going to have sunshine all day. She had predicted the rainfall that we had yesterday but also had predicted that it would stop at around 2pm. It didn't! Still, she was bound to be right today.

The 1st church (we'd "done" the church in Rhossili yesterday) was St Cenydd's at Llangennith. It is supposedly named after Cenydd who was abandoned as a baby and raised by seagulls and angels!!

From there the route was supposed to climb gently a bit then skirt the hills to take us down again to 2nd church at Llanmadoc. The views across Rhossili Bay were spectacular, the path was a bit steeper than I was hoping and it seemed to go on for ever.

On the downward slope, as we headed for church number 2 we came across half a dozen "wild" ponies with their foals. The foals were sprawled, fast asleep, across the pathway blocking it very successfully. We stopped, encouraged, clicked our teeth/mouths, gently clapped our hands, asked the mums encouragingly to move them on. All to no avail, the foals slept peacefully on. There was nothing we could do without upsetting them all which could well have turned nasty.

After about 1/4 of an hour of encouragement all of the mums and most of the foals had moved aside out of our way. All except 1 inquisitive black foal who became very interested in me (I was in front of Ali!) He (yes, it was a boy!) came closer as I purposely turned my back to discourage him. He nudged my arm. I ignored him. He nuzzled again. I ignored him again so he nibbled me!! I didn't appreciate that and told him so! With rather sterner "encouragement" we moved him away and he reluctantly let us pass!! What is it with me and animals?

The churches that we have encountered have all been rather special. Steeped in history with their beginnings in and around the 6th century many of them were rebuilt in the C12-C14 and later rebuilt in Victorian times.

At each church there is a stamp that pilgrims use as proof that they've visited the church. Ali was IC Stamps and has made an excellent job so far. each church has its own stamp marking out some feature or sign peculiar to it's area.

On the way between Llanmadoc and Cheriton I decided that I needed a rest! Not intentionally - my foot twisted in a small dip in the ground and, as I was heading slightly downhill, I tumbled forward ending up reclining on my side as Ali kindly took a photo!!

At St Andrew's church, Cheriton we met a retired priest called Roger who chatted to us about the history of this church in particular and the history of the Church in Wales in general. He was a lovely man and we felt a little guilty disturbing his prayers. We left as quietly as we could, only my squeaky boots ruining our departure.

From Cheriton to Llanrhidian we followed the Wales Coastal Path and found the going quite hard with some difficult, stony, slippery, trip-hazards, muddy patches. We were hoping to reach St Rhydian & St Illtyd's church for lunch but our stomach's begged food before that. It had been raining off and on fairly lightly since we'd left Cheriton so waterproofs had been donned. We found a few mossy boulders under some trees beside the path so decided that would be a good place to stop. We settled ourselves on the boulders and unpacked our lunch. With that it started to rain. In fact it started to pour with rain. Oh heck! It started to hail down on us!! There was nothing we could do other than get further under the trees and continue munching on our sandwiches whilst the hail stopped but the rain continued and the drops from the branches plopped on our heads, our sandwiches and our back-packs!

After a hasty, soggy lunch we continued on our merry way to St Rhydian's & St Illtyd's. The entrance to the churchyard was a little difficult to find but we arrived at the porch expecting to find a sheltered seat only to find the seating either side was full of statues and storage. The door to the church looked closed but, to our surprise, was not. We entered and found a large, slightly impersonal church. It's saving grace was a pew behind the font bathed in sunshine and with plenty of leg-room in front. We'd had lunch but a warm, dry place to sit, munch Haribo's and send an email or two to Paula was too good to miss.

From there to the next couple of churches was a comparative breeze along a flat, tarmacked marsh road. We really managed to get a wiggle on.

Only two down-sides; firstly the climb from the marshland towards the finish, we climbed 90 plus meters overall but 40 or so of those in the 1st half mile, almost vertically!

Secondly, when we finally reached St Gwynour's at Penclawdd we couldn't find the stamp and the church was locked!

Another about 14 miles completed. Ali & I are still talking & smiling! Denise is still amazing: our chauffeuse, cook, housekeeper and referee!! Let's hope the weather is a little more predictable tomorrow. Ha! Ha! Ali is sacked as Weather forecaster!!