 |
| |
 |
| The Tawe River flows into Swansea between two hills, Kilvey Hill to the east and Townhill to the west. We are on the west bank of the River Tawe looking upstream from just below the first of two road bridges connecting the west and east sides of Swansea. Today we are taking a look at this part of the river and then we going to cross over the second bridge to the east bank and follow the river northwards. |
 |
| This second, later bridge, just a couple of hundred yards upstream, was built to help reduce the traffic flow on the lower bridge. |
 |
| A small quiet grassy area between the bridges is an ideal spot to sit and watch the river flowing by... |
|
| ...or to look across at the sunlit terraced houses on the lower slopes of Kilvey Hill |
 |
| After crossing the bridge we look back over the river and facing us, on a plinth, is a Second World War anti-aircraft gun, similar to the guns which defended Swansea during the German air raids. It is a memorial to the people of Swansea who died in the raids. |
 |
| This plaque is attached to the monument. |
 |
| The "Round School" perched on the top of Townhill is a well known Swansea landmark. |
 |
| Until 1950, along the route of this cycle path, the Midland Railway ran passenger trains from Swansea to all the stations along the Swansea Valley. The Midland Station was just yards from this spot but after the line was closed the buildings were demolished and the area redeveloped. |
 |
| The path winds up the valley following the twists and turns of the river. Ahead of us is a walled picnic area and from there we get a fine view of the river. |
 |
| Before the Marina Barrage was constructed the river was tidal leaving muddy banks exposed at low water but now the water level is more or less constant. |
 |
| A narrow track invites us into a birch woods so leaving the rather less interesting cycle path we follow the narrow, sometimes muddy trail through the trees. |
 |
| Quite abruptly the birch trees give way to conifers and a little further on we find ourselves back on the riverside. |
 |
| In the early 18th century, the whole of this area, on both sides of the river was heavily industrialised. The copper smelting industry was attracted to Swansea because of the cheap and plentiful supply of coal and because the ore could easily be shipped from its source in Cornwall to the copperworks which lined the banks of the Tawe. Later, when the supply of ore from Cornwall was exhausted, sailing ships brought it from Cuba, and from Chile via Cape Horn. At one time there were thirteen copperworks in the Lower Swansea Valley but by 1870 the industry was in decline. Whilst the copper industry brought prosperity to the town it left behind a polluted wasteland of slag heaps and derelict buildings. Reclamation began in the 1960's, slag tips were removed, old buildings demolished, and today only fragmentary traces of the buildings remain. |
 |
| Our way back is along the lower slope of Kilvey Hill from where we can look down onto the Tawe. |
 |
| A little higher up the hill and we see the river below us and in the background, Mumbles Head. |