0:00:02 > 0:00:05Fancy a walk with inspiring views, a great poet
0:00:05 > 0:00:08and a couple of pints along the way? I do, so let's get walking!
0:00:09 > 0:00:11That's it for today. I'm off!
0:00:29 > 0:00:33Today's walks take us both through town and country,
0:00:33 > 0:00:35as we retrace the steps of Dylan Thomas,
0:00:35 > 0:00:40exploring the landscape, people and places that shaped him.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44And while we know he liked a good drink, he also loved a good walk.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47I've got two corkers for you today.
0:00:47 > 0:00:52Later, I'll be in the wilds of West Wales, walking from Fern Hill,
0:00:52 > 0:00:54the farm that meant so much to Dylan,
0:00:54 > 0:00:58and through some stunning countryside to Llansteffan.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02But first, I'm off to Swansea for some fabulous seafront views
0:01:02 > 0:01:05and a stomp around Dylan's home town.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08- Shw mae?- Helo. Shw mae? Shwd y'ch chi?- Iawn, diolch.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12You don't get very far in Swansea without coming across some
0:01:12 > 0:01:16tribute or other to one of the city's favourite sons.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18And in true Dylan Thomas fashion,
0:01:18 > 0:01:20we're going to begin at the beginning.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24In fact, at Five Cwmdonkin Drive, where Dylan was born.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31And standing here, where he would have stood as a boy, looking at
0:01:31 > 0:01:35the same view, you can imagine what it must have been like for him,
0:01:35 > 0:01:37growing up here in the family home.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41So this really is the perfect place to start my Dylan Thomas tour.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Dylan's childhood home has been lovingly restored.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51It was newly built in 1914 when the family moved in.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53Dylan's mother was a seamstress
0:01:53 > 0:01:56and his father an English teacher at the local grammar school.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59All I need now is a guide.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04I was born in a large Welsh industrial town.
0:02:04 > 0:02:09'And who better than actor Adrian Metcalfe? He's a huge Dylan fan.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12'His first ever professional job was in a London
0:02:12 > 0:02:14'performance of Under Milk Wood,
0:02:14 > 0:02:17'directed by none other than Sir Anthony Hopkins.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21'He lives locally, so I'm in safe hands.'
0:02:21 > 0:02:23- Hello, Adrian. - Hello, Derek. How are you?
0:02:23 > 0:02:26- I'm all right, nice to meet you. - Pleased to meet you too.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29So, you've been to the place where it all began. If you'd like to follow me,
0:02:29 > 0:02:32we'll keep going uphill and I'll show you some more of Dylan's town.
0:02:32 > 0:02:33Looking forward to this.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41So, we're in Swansea, Wales' second largest city.
0:02:41 > 0:02:46We start at Cwmdonkin Drive in the Uplands area, then we wind
0:02:46 > 0:02:50our way down through three lovely parks until we reach Swansea Bay.
0:02:52 > 0:02:53It's then a short stroll
0:02:53 > 0:02:55along the Wales Coast Path
0:02:55 > 0:02:57before heading to the city centre
0:02:57 > 0:02:59and pausing at Castle Square.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Then dropping back down to the Maritime Quarter to end
0:03:02 > 0:03:07the day with a drink in one of Dylan's infamous watering holes.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15So, Derek, here we are, going up Cwmdonkin Drive.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20I'd just like to take you over here, so we can see some of the views that Dylan was treated to as a child.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23That is an amazing view. You can actually see the curve of the bay.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Absolutely. Dylan talks about Swansea being at the side of a long
0:03:26 > 0:03:30and splendid curving shore, and there it is.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34'Dylan lived on this street with his mum, dad and sister until he was 23.
0:03:34 > 0:03:38'And it was here as a young man that he wrote some of his most
0:03:38 > 0:03:40'well-known work.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43'Our first stop, one of Dylan's favourite haunts.'
0:03:43 > 0:03:46Here we are, about to enter Cwmdonkin Park,
0:03:46 > 0:03:50a place that Dylan wrote about over and over again.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52I've always wanted to come here.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02- It really is another world in here. - Absolutely!
0:04:02 > 0:04:06Dylan talks about it being a world within the world of his sea town.
0:04:06 > 0:04:11- It's a place that stories can be told.- Let your imagination go wild.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14'Bursting with hiding places and full of adventures,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17'Cwmdonkin Park was a magical place for the little boy
0:04:17 > 0:04:20'and a great source of inspiration.'
0:04:21 > 0:04:24I'm going to show you an original feature from Dylan's day
0:04:24 > 0:04:27that he actually writes about in one of his poems.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29The poem is called Hunchback In The Park.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31He talks about a fountain basin.
0:04:31 > 0:04:35He says, "The fountain basin where I sailed my ship,"
0:04:35 > 0:04:37and this is that very fountain basin.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40It must have been a small ship!
0:04:40 > 0:04:44I think when you're that age it probably looked enormous.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Anyway, let's keep going.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49'The park really is worth exploring.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52'If you look hard enough, there are Dylan connections everywhere.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55'There's even a Dylan Thomas shelter.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57'But we won't be needing it today.'
0:04:57 > 0:04:59Sun's coming out.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04Get it right sometimes!
0:05:04 > 0:05:08'Next, we drop down through Uplands, passing the place where Dylan
0:05:08 > 0:05:13'would have spent Saturday mornings with the cowboys and Indians.'
0:05:13 > 0:05:17MUSIC: Theme from Bonanza
0:05:18 > 0:05:22This bank here is on the site of the Uplands Cinema
0:05:22 > 0:05:25and it was here that Dylan said that he used to
0:05:25 > 0:05:28whoop for the scalping Indians and bang for the rustlers' guns.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32You can't beat a good old-fashioned Western, can you?
0:05:35 > 0:05:39'Dylan's love of film lasted his whole life.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42'During the Second World War, he even wrote a number of public
0:05:42 > 0:05:47'information film scripts for the wartime government.'
0:05:47 > 0:05:49On this road was his first school,
0:05:49 > 0:05:53the place that he calls his dame school.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58'Dame schools were primary schools, run by women from their own homes.'
0:05:58 > 0:06:02Looks like an ordinary house. His granny could have lived here!
0:06:02 > 0:06:06He says in reminiscences of childhood, "Never was there
0:06:06 > 0:06:12"such a dame school as ours, so firm and kind and smelling of galoshes."
0:06:12 > 0:06:17'I can just imagine the children's wellies lined up by the front door.
0:06:17 > 0:06:18'A lovely image.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22'I wouldn't usually give you a reading list for my walks,
0:06:22 > 0:06:23'but on this occasion,
0:06:23 > 0:06:28'a book of Dylan's poems is great to have in your back pocket.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31'Now, Adrian is supposed to be taking me on a city tour,
0:06:31 > 0:06:35'but it's packed with unexpected green spaces.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37'Swansea is blessed with its parks.'
0:06:39 > 0:06:43What a delightful park. And I didn't know that Swansea was so green.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46You're not the only one. It's a very green city.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48We've seen Cwmdonkin Park, this is Brynmill Park,
0:06:48 > 0:06:52and we're now about to enter the largest one, which is Singleton Park.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56'Singleton Park originally belonged to the Vivian family,
0:06:56 > 0:06:58'who were local industrialists.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01'It was bought for the public by the council in 1919.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06'Next, a treat.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09'We have to cross the dual carriageway to get there,
0:07:09 > 0:07:12'but once you reach the waterfront, you're in another world.'
0:07:13 > 0:07:16- Oh, wow! What a wonderful city beach!- It certainly is.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23And on a day like today, with the sun shining, you can see all
0:07:23 > 0:07:26the way through the sweep of the bay, all the way down to the Mumbles.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29On a really good day, you can even see Porthcawl.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33- So, where to next? Are we walking along the beach.- No.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Actually, we'll follow the path. It's just up here.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38Wales' new Coast Path.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43'Being up on the Coast Path makes the best of those views.
0:07:43 > 0:07:47'And an added bonus, no sand in your socks!'
0:07:47 > 0:07:50- This really is a playground for the people of Swansea.- Yes.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53They've done a wonderful job of opening it up over the last
0:07:53 > 0:07:56few years. They've even made a fitness trail.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59Oh, yes. I fancy having a go at this.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01Here we go.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05Weatherman keeping fit!
0:08:08 > 0:08:11As if I don't get enough exercise on these walks!
0:08:14 > 0:08:19- We'll never finish our route walking like that, Derek.- Spoilsport!
0:08:20 > 0:08:24- Good for the calf muscles, though! - I'm sure it is!
0:08:24 > 0:08:28'We're now walking along the route of the old Swansea
0:08:28 > 0:08:30'and Mumbles railway line.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32'It was the world's first passenger railway
0:08:32 > 0:08:36'and often used by Dylan to go to his rehearsals
0:08:36 > 0:08:39'at the Little Theatre in Mumbles.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43'Turning inland, we pass the war memorial
0:08:43 > 0:08:46'and begin walking towards the city centre
0:08:46 > 0:08:50'past a site that had rather unusual significance for Dylan.'
0:08:50 > 0:08:53This is St Helen's, the scene of one of Dylan's greatest achievements
0:08:53 > 0:08:56because, surprisingly enough, it's not anything to do with writing.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59It was here, at the age of 14, that he
0:08:59 > 0:09:02won the Swansea Mile for the Swansea Grammar School.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05- Really?- Absolutely. And we've got the cuttings here, just to prove it.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07There he is.
0:09:07 > 0:09:12- Hardly recognise him.- And what's more, we've got the final proof.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15- There it is. "DM Thomas." - And he came first.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17He did indeed.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20Well, I never knew that. Dylan Thomas was a bit of a young athlete.
0:09:20 > 0:09:25And he was very proud of this. During his legendary drinking sessions, later on in his life,
0:09:25 > 0:09:29he used to drag this out and show them to people and say, "Look at me! I'm an athlete!"
0:09:31 > 0:09:34'Now, you learn something new every day
0:09:34 > 0:09:37'and Adrian shows me where the name Swansea Jack comes from.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39'And it's all down to this fella,
0:09:39 > 0:09:44'a black Labrador called Jack who saved 27 people from drowning.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47'And there's me thinking it had something to do with football.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53'It's time to pound the pavements again and we head
0:09:53 > 0:09:56'back along St Helen's Road and make our way through rush hour.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03'If you don't fancy facing the traffic,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06'then you can always jump on a bus back to the centre.'
0:10:08 > 0:10:12- Shw mae?- Helo, shw mae? Shwd y'ch chi?- Iawn, diolch.- Thank you.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18'Right, after three miles, I need a drink.'
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Well, Derek. This is the Kardomah cafe
0:10:23 > 0:10:26and this place captures the spirit of old Swansea
0:10:26 > 0:10:30and it was in a Kardomah like this one that Dylan and his friends would
0:10:30 > 0:10:35meet and talk about art and poetry and music and drink their coffee.
0:10:35 > 0:10:36'During their teenage years,
0:10:36 > 0:10:40'they would come here to put the world to rights.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43'In later life, most of them became involved in the arts.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47'Known as the Kardomah Boys, they would record programmes for the BBC.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53'The original cafe no longer exists, but this one,
0:10:53 > 0:10:58'built in the '50s, oozes nostalgia. And the coffee's not bad either!'
0:10:58 > 0:11:02- Thank you.- Thank you very much. - Ta-ra.- Bye-bye.- See you, then.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Got to make the most of these city walks.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09'Dylan left school at 16
0:11:09 > 0:11:13'and started work as a cub reporter for the South Wales Daily Post
0:11:13 > 0:11:17'and he'd soon taken a liking to a different kind of refreshment.'
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Now, it's at about this time, 17 years old,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24that Dylan loses the cosy cafe culture and discovers the pub.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27And there was one pub in which we know he spent a great
0:11:27 > 0:11:30deal of time in the centre of town, called The Three Lamps.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32And that was just here.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35But it's not there any more.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39'Because a decade later, in 1941, Swansea would become
0:11:39 > 0:11:42'a victim of devastating World War II bombing raids.'
0:11:44 > 0:11:46February 19th-21st, 1941.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50After three nights of heavy, high incendiary bombing, almost 41
0:11:50 > 0:11:55acres of Swansea, from here, over there, were completely flattened.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05'230 people were killed during the three-night blitz
0:12:05 > 0:12:08'and more than 400 were injured.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10'Swansea was reduced to rubble.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12'Dylan wrote about the destruction
0:12:12 > 0:12:14'of his town in the play Return Journey.'
0:12:18 > 0:12:21- Now, we've got some photographs here of the area.- Blimey!
0:12:21 > 0:12:24- It was completely devastated. - Totally.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27And there's that building, there.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31- And they had to rebuild the city centre from scratch.- Almost, yes.
0:12:31 > 0:12:36'As a result, much of Swansea city centre was built after the war.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38'But some buildings did survive
0:12:38 > 0:12:42'and serve as a reminder of the city's rich history.'
0:12:42 > 0:12:45We're walking through a bit of Swansea that actually survived
0:12:45 > 0:12:48the attack and one of Dylan's favourite haunts.
0:12:48 > 0:12:53- Now, this is Salubrious Passage. - It's a bit dark in here!
0:12:53 > 0:12:57And a place which has Dylan's name attached to it quite a bit.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01'This was a place where sailors and drinkers came to meet women,
0:13:01 > 0:13:05'haggle over deals and plot trouble. And Dylan loved it here.
0:13:05 > 0:13:10'And with the light fading, there's only one thing left to do.'
0:13:10 > 0:13:12Right, the final stop on our city walk.
0:13:12 > 0:13:17- And the perfect place to do what Dylan would have done, and get the pints in.- Your round!
0:13:21 > 0:13:24'The Queen's Hotel is one of the oldest pubs in Swansea,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27'so this is almost exactly how it would have looked
0:13:27 > 0:13:30'when Dylan came here to enjoy a drink or two.'
0:13:32 > 0:13:36Well, what a walk it's been. I've really learned a lot about Dylan's life here
0:13:36 > 0:13:40and how his ugly, lovely town left its stamp on him.
0:13:40 > 0:13:45So here's to his Swansea and my next Dylan Thomas walk. Cheers!
0:13:51 > 0:13:55And if you fancy trying this or another one of our walks,
0:13:55 > 0:14:00go to our website at bbc.co.uk/weathermanwalking.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04It's got everything you need, from route information for each walk,
0:14:04 > 0:14:08maps to print off, and some photos we took along the way.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12Next, I'm heading further west,
0:14:12 > 0:14:15to the spectacular Llansteffan Peninsula.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18We'll be walking through the rolling hills of Carmarthenshire,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21all the way down to the Three Rivers Estuary.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23As well as stunning views,
0:14:23 > 0:14:26we'll be finding out about Dylan Thomas' rural roots
0:14:26 > 0:14:30and how this lush countryside helped to inspire one of his most
0:14:30 > 0:14:32famous poems, Fern Hill.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46Bore da. Single to Fern Hill, please.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49'My journey starts with a short bus ride from Llansteffan.'
0:14:49 > 0:14:52Nice to see you too.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55'The nearest stop to Fern Hill Farm is a request
0:14:55 > 0:14:58'stop at the turning off for Llangynog.'
0:14:58 > 0:14:59Diolch.
0:14:59 > 0:15:01'All I need now is my guide.'
0:15:01 > 0:15:05Artist and broadcaster Osi Rhys Osmond
0:15:05 > 0:15:07grew up in the South Wales valleys,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10but came to live in Llansteffan 30 years ago
0:15:10 > 0:15:13after falling in love with the place.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16He shares Dylan's passion for the arts and the great outdoors,
0:15:16 > 0:15:20and today he wants to show me why this little corner of Wales
0:15:20 > 0:15:23played such an instrumental part in Dylan's life and work.
0:15:26 > 0:15:27Shw mae, Osi?
0:15:27 > 0:15:30- Nice to meet you.- Nice to meet you. Welcome to Dylan Thomas country.
0:15:30 > 0:15:34- I've got a very interesting walk to take you on.- Looking forward to this.
0:15:34 > 0:15:35So am I.
0:15:38 > 0:15:43Today's walk is set on the beautiful Llansteffan Peninsula.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45After coming off the bus, we take
0:15:45 > 0:15:46a country lane to Fernhill Farm
0:15:46 > 0:15:48before dropping down
0:15:48 > 0:15:49through the fields and lanes
0:15:49 > 0:15:51to reach the village of Llanybri.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53From here we enjoy a stunning stroll
0:15:53 > 0:15:55on the Taf estuary
0:15:55 > 0:15:57before reaching Black Scar Point
0:15:57 > 0:15:58and hugging the headland
0:15:58 > 0:16:00all the way back to Llansteffan.
0:16:00 > 0:16:05That's nearly 12 miles, though you can do it in sections if you want.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16'Dylan's strong links with this area aren't very well-known
0:16:16 > 0:16:19'and Osi wants to put that right, so I'm all ears.'
0:16:22 > 0:16:25I'm going to take you on this walk because I think it's so important
0:16:25 > 0:16:29that people understand how much this area meant to Dylan Thomas.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31How it formed his imagination.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33I believe that the things that surround us in our childhood
0:16:33 > 0:16:37are so critical to making us the person we are.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39Well, I know about Laugharne and Swansea
0:16:39 > 0:16:41and how important they were to Dylan's life,
0:16:41 > 0:16:45but I didn't realise this part of Carmarthenshire was so influential.
0:16:45 > 0:16:46Well, it's critical.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49His family farmed around here
0:16:49 > 0:16:52and almost all the way down to the sea, and he spent his summers
0:16:52 > 0:16:56and weekends meeting relatives and exploring the countryside here.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02'And there was one special place that Dylan loved exploring.'
0:17:04 > 0:17:06Here we are, Derek, Fern Hill.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10'This is the dairy farm where Dylan's beloved aunt Annie lived.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12'He'd come to stay here as a little boy,
0:17:12 > 0:17:16'and they say he was a bit of a rascal and spoilt rotten.'
0:17:16 > 0:17:19His time here left a huge impression on the young Dylan and his love for
0:17:19 > 0:17:24the place resonates through every line of his poem Fern Hill.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28"Now as I was young and easy under the apple boughs
0:17:28 > 0:17:33"About the lilting house and happy as the grass was green..."
0:17:33 > 0:17:37It's changed greatly since Dylan's time.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41But somehow I still get the feeling and the sense of that wonderful poem.
0:17:41 > 0:17:46This was the barn where he wrote.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49This is the yard where he was happy as the day was long.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54This is where he was carefree.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57- "In the sun that is young once only."- That's right.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01For a small boy from Swansea, confined in that suburbia,
0:18:01 > 0:18:06to come here to this rural paradise, great, unfettered freedom.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10Well, from the poem and actually being here, you can get a sense of
0:18:10 > 0:18:13what it must have been like for Dylan when he was here as a boy.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16He really brings that over in his work.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20'Nobody's living here at the moment and there's no public access'
0:18:20 > 0:18:23but we've had special permission to come in.
0:18:23 > 0:18:25And what a privilege to feel such a close connection
0:18:25 > 0:18:27to Dylan as a child.
0:18:32 > 0:18:36'Soon we're heading in the direction of another family farm.'
0:18:36 > 0:18:40- It's great walking through here. - It's wonderful. Nice and shaded.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Got a little bit of a wood to go through first. After you.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Weathermen first, I always say.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50We'll make our way down here.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53This was a walk Dylan would have done.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56'Osi reckons the young Dylan may well have escaped down here
0:18:56 > 0:18:59'when there were chores to be done on the farm.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01'And what a fabulous place to hide.'
0:19:03 > 0:19:05Well, this is a bit of a difference, Osi.
0:19:05 > 0:19:10It is, Derek, we come out of the darkness and into the light.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12It's like somebody's turned a light on.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14Just look at the view.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23And we're going down into that valley in the same way
0:19:23 > 0:19:24that Dylan would have done.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Down to see his relatives at the next farm.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30'The path takes us through Pentrewyman Farm
0:19:30 > 0:19:33'where he had another aunt and uncle.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36'Dylan would have had no shortage of places to stop off
0:19:36 > 0:19:38'with all these relatives dotted around.
0:19:40 > 0:19:41'Joining the lanes once again,
0:19:41 > 0:19:45'we head inland and it seems we're not the only ones out for a stroll.'
0:19:47 > 0:19:49Shw mae? How are you?
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Are you enjoying your walk?
0:19:52 > 0:19:55- Yes, thank you. - Where have you been so far?
0:19:55 > 0:19:57From Llangain.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00- Well, you've got the weather for it. - Well, that's why we came today.
0:20:02 > 0:20:03Cheerio.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06'I love meeting fellow walkers,
0:20:06 > 0:20:09'and I quite fancy a set of those sticks too.'
0:20:09 > 0:20:13We're coming up to Blaencwm now and another very important house.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15His parents came here to live, he came here as a teenager,
0:20:15 > 0:20:17he came as a young man.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22- He was a bit of a nomad, wasn't he? - There were times, yeah,
0:20:22 > 0:20:24there were times when he didn't have a roof over his head
0:20:24 > 0:20:27and he knew that there'd be some kind of welcome here,
0:20:27 > 0:20:28this is where he came.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37You are now entering what I call
0:20:37 > 0:20:41the Llansteffan Peninsula Bermuda Triangle.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45- Bermuda Triangle? - Well, many, many visitors get lost.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49They enter these lanes, never to be seen again.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51So we could walk up here and disappear.
0:20:51 > 0:20:52This could be the last thing we ever do.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56- I hope not.- So do I.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58'These single lanes can be a nightmare to navigate
0:20:58 > 0:21:02'if you don't know where you're going and phone signal is poor,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05'so double check your route and take a good map with you.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07'Or just download mine off the website.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10'But before we go too deep into the unknown,
0:21:10 > 0:21:12'Osi has someone he wants me to meet.'
0:21:12 > 0:21:15We're going to meet someone who's very special.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19Mrs Heulwen Morris, who is one of Dylan Thomas' last surviving
0:21:19 > 0:21:22relatives, in this part of the world anyway.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29- Hello, Heulwen.- Hello, Derek.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33THEY SPEAK WELSH
0:21:33 > 0:21:35'Heulwen is Dylan's second cousin.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37'He used to come here as a small boy
0:21:37 > 0:21:41'and also later on in life with his wife Caitlin.'
0:21:41 > 0:21:45- Did you know Caitlin very well, his wife?- Yes.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49- She would come up after they were married.- What was she like?
0:21:49 > 0:21:51Very pleasant woman.
0:21:53 > 0:21:57- Plenty of energy, you told me. - Plenty of energy.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01If there was work to be done, she would come and do it with them.
0:22:01 > 0:22:06- Different to her husband.- Yes. - He'd be off walking.- Yes.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09It was lovely to meet you and thank you very much for your time.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11Bye.
0:22:13 > 0:22:18- Well, what a special lady, Osi. - That was an incredible experience.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20There's not many people like that left,
0:22:20 > 0:22:22and I think she's absolutely wonderful.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25- She is, it was worth stopping to say hello.- Indeed.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Well, there's one good think about walking at this time of year
0:22:35 > 0:22:38- and that's we can pick blackberries. - That would be lovely.
0:22:38 > 0:22:40Little feast on the way just to keep us going.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44There's a juicy one there, I'll have that one.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47- Good crop this year too.- Excellent. - Because of the nice weather.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50That's why we rely on you, Derek, bring all this lovely weather.
0:22:50 > 0:22:51It's all my doing.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56'And with a belly full of berries and bathed in this lovely
0:22:56 > 0:22:59'September sunshine, it feels like life is good.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04'But little do we know what's just up ahead.'
0:23:12 > 0:23:14So what are we going to do now? We're trapped!
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Derek, we're going to move on the path
0:23:16 > 0:23:19and we're going to move with great discretion.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21- They're scared of you, Osi.- Yeah.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25Hey!
0:23:25 > 0:23:28'These playful young heifers are extremely curious
0:23:28 > 0:23:30'and think it's feeding time.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34'But with no food on offer, they soon get bored and take off.'
0:23:36 > 0:23:38It's like being on a ranch.
0:23:40 > 0:23:41'Leaving us to make our escape.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45'But it serves as a reminder that public footpaths do cut through
0:23:45 > 0:23:48'working farms, so do take extra care.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53'After our brief encounter the landscape opens up again
0:23:53 > 0:23:58'as we make our way down through more fields towards Llanybri.'
0:23:58 > 0:24:02Well, this is good farming land - lush and green.
0:24:02 > 0:24:03Yes, it's wonderful.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07And of course, before Dylan Thomas' time it produced a lot of milk,
0:24:07 > 0:24:10and it still does. But the pattern of farming has changed.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14Now there's just one big producer instead of 20 or 30 small farms.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16Just one big farm.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20But the thing that makes it all possible is this beautiful red earth.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24The red sandstone in this rich soil has a high mineral content,
0:24:24 > 0:24:28so it acts as a natural fertiliser, keeping the grass nice and green.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30I could do with some of this in my garden.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32You can put some in your rucksack,
0:24:32 > 0:24:34and when you get home fill your window boxes.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36You'll have the most beautiful window boxes in Barry.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47'As the day wears on, the skies cloud over
0:24:47 > 0:24:48'and we start to get a bit chilly.'
0:24:53 > 0:24:55'We arrive at Llanybri.
0:24:55 > 0:25:00'Dylan didn't come here for a cuppa, but for a pint at the local pub.'
0:25:00 > 0:25:05Here we are - The Farmers Arms. Dylan came here for a drink often.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08To prop up the bar and share his stories.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10'But sadly no time for a drink today,
0:25:10 > 0:25:13'we still have over five miles to go
0:25:13 > 0:25:16'so we plod on and before long we spot the estuary
0:25:16 > 0:25:17'and the River Taf,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20'catching a glimpse of Laugharne in the distance.'
0:25:22 > 0:25:26Now we're going to see a completely different set of landscape.
0:25:29 > 0:25:30'Below us are the salt marshes'
0:25:30 > 0:25:32on the banks of the River Taf.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36These marshes are formed from sea water flowing upriver.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38And it's in areas like this that salt marsh lamb
0:25:38 > 0:25:41and beef are reared for their unique flavour.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47The mighty River Taf was once a busy waterway,
0:25:47 > 0:25:50carrying goods up to Carmarthen.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54Today, it's heavily silted, so only small boats can travel along it
0:25:54 > 0:25:57'and this is the point where the river meets the sea.'
0:26:02 > 0:26:05- There's so many different landscapes on this walk.- It's amazing.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Open fields, woodlands, country lanes.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12'We're now on the Old Pilgrims Way.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16'people have been walking this route to St David's since the Middle Ages.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19'But we're heading to Black Scar Point for fantastic views
0:26:19 > 0:26:21'over to Laugharne.'
0:26:22 > 0:26:24Is that the boathouse I can see over there?
0:26:24 > 0:26:26That's the boathouse.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28And of all the places he lived, that's the place where he settled
0:26:28 > 0:26:30and where he lived for the longest period.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32So just over there is where Dylan
0:26:32 > 0:26:35and the locals would have caught the ferry across to Laugharne?
0:26:35 > 0:26:37That's right. Black Scar Point.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40The thing was, this ferry couldn't always come close to the shore
0:26:40 > 0:26:44cos of the mud and the tide, so the ferrymen would have to carry them.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Very often carried Dylan.
0:26:46 > 0:26:51So think of the great poet being carried by the big, strong ferryman.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54I can see why Dylan would have loved this place so much.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56It's got everything, all the things that inspired him.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59But what he's looking at is where he came from.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03That landscape that we've walked through, that primal landscape
0:27:03 > 0:27:07that inspired his poetry, where he spent those happy childhood days.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10Come on, we're nearly finished. We've got a bit further to go.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18- It's been a long walk, Derek. - But worth every step, Osi.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22It has been wonderful, but Derek, the best is yet to come.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Oh, wow. That is stunning.
0:27:33 > 0:27:34We've arrived at Wharley Point,
0:27:34 > 0:27:38with amazing estuary views in all directions.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44This is where I come most evenings to sit and watch the sun go down.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47To paint, look at the birds, look at the estuary.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50This to me is the wonderful point where we can actually say,
0:27:50 > 0:27:52"God, isn't it all so beautiful?"
0:27:52 > 0:27:55- This is the Three Rivers Estuary? - Yes, this is it.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57It's absolutely stunning.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02The magnificent Three Rivers Estuary is where the rivers Taf, Tywi
0:28:02 > 0:28:04and Gwendraeth meet
0:28:04 > 0:28:08as they flow into the Bristol Channel and out into the Celtic Sea.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10And is that Worm's Head I can see over there?
0:28:10 > 0:28:12You can just about see it in the mist.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15- I can see why this is such a special place for you.- It is.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18This is where I think I would like to jump off from here
0:28:18 > 0:28:20and launch myself into eternity.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23The light's fading, we've got a little way to go, so let's press on.
0:28:23 > 0:28:24OK.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31'I am tired, but those gorgeous views over Pendine Sands
0:28:31 > 0:28:33'aren't half keeping me going.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36'No wonder this place gets the creative juices flowing.'
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Well, this walk has been a real eye-opener.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50In a corner of Wales often forgotten by Dylan fans, we've walked through
0:28:50 > 0:28:55lush farmland, hidden villages and finished with an amazing estuary.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58It doesn't get much better than that. Ta-ra.