Marcus Walks

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@josephkane829 3 күн бұрын

Stunning ❤

@cosmicpop 4 күн бұрын

The lonely arch at the 12 minute mark use to be called I think the "Bloody Bridge". I used to jump off it into the canal when I was maybe 10, in the early 80's. That part of the canal and the whole area was free from trees, and was a marshland. The tarmac path you're walking on at that point didn't exist, so the main way to get to that part of the canal was the road to the rubbish tip which is on the other side of the canal. I also remember a quarry on the other side of the canal. The whole area was much more open and not overgrown. My Dad worked at Wards for many years.

@marcuswalks 4 күн бұрын

Cheers, thanks for all the information 👍

@Chriswales 8 күн бұрын

Live around the corner from there, haven't been up there for years. Forgotten how nice it is. The TV show you were thinking of maybe Children of the stones. Was shown at teatime after school and scared the you know what out of me 😮

@marcuswalks 6 күн бұрын

That show was scary!

@huw3851 9 күн бұрын

I found this route looking at old maps and walked it starting from Pontrhydyfen. I does start on private land, a field sometimes with a sign, but there is a clear track and it's clearly much used. The very pleasant park at the end of my walk was a nice surprise.

@marcuswalks 9 күн бұрын

I'll take a look, 👍

@kevingriffiths-lx8pi 10 күн бұрын

The bridge where you ended the walk carries the Bwlch Road which starts at the lower end of Cimla, Neath and goes over to Cwmavon in the Afan Valley. You can also branch off to Baglan with a footpath through Bwlch Farm. Keep up the good work.

@marcuswalks 9 күн бұрын

Cheers - Thanks for the info! 👍

@avirti 11 күн бұрын

Hi marcus, i have discovered so many lovely walks in the porthcawl, bridgend, neath area because of your channel so just wanted to say thankyou for being such a good local guide 😊

@marcuswalks 10 күн бұрын

Thanks so much 👍

@johnmcdyer1573 14 күн бұрын

Albion steel works I used to get things from their scrapyard it was like an alladins cave once had a Douglas dragonfly motorcycle from there never got caught that was in the70s then push it all the way home along aberavon beach to where I lived

@karlos77p 14 күн бұрын

I used to ride my mountain bike up and down there when I was a boy. If you keep on walking you end up by cimla and T bone restaurant a

@marcuswalks 14 күн бұрын

Can you keep walking along the old line, there were lots of private property signs when I was walking. Not sure what was going on up there.

@karlos77p 14 күн бұрын

@@marcuswalks yes you can just keep on going if you look on Google maps you can see the main path and you can cut in by the road that leads to the T bone restaurant. And you can carry on walking on the pontrhydyfen and the Richard burton trail path and joint on to afan forest park. It was all part of the old railway

@LeeJonesNPT 14 күн бұрын

Thanks for the video Marcus, i walk/cycle the canal quite often as well as the nearby Tennant canal. The area that you started the walk was redeveloped in the late 80’s early 90’s there were many calls to the bomb disposal team at Hereford as the docks was used after the First and Second World War to receive used munitions and ships as you identified in your film and many old shells etc were found some of which were actually still live (presumably from bombing raids on Swansea/Neath/Port Talbot).

@marcuswalks 14 күн бұрын

Thanks for the info, it is interesting area. 👍

@NatSatFat 17 күн бұрын

Marcus you did it yet again! excellent walk, in a most obscure place ever, the space between Britton Ferry to Neath is empty! only grass & Trees there, nobody visits, but you give a full rundown on historic items "en route" brilliant,.

@marcuswalks 17 күн бұрын

Thanks very much 👍

@planeyt83 17 күн бұрын

Great video, very informative!

@marcuswalks 17 күн бұрын

Cheers 👍

@scottmorgan8845 17 күн бұрын

Now living in Berkshire but used to play along and in the canal at Britton Ferry. I lived in St Mary's close from around 4 years old till around 11 years old. Lovely to see some familiar sights through the wonders of the internet. 👌🥰🙏

@marcuswalks 17 күн бұрын

Thanks, glad it brought back some memories

@welldai 17 күн бұрын

I appreciate you only have a short period to talk in, but so much rich history along this stretch. The now demolished terraced houses near the part you describe as Giants Grave Basin, The old Isolation Hospital on top of the mountain to the right of the canal as you exit Giants Grave. The Bloody (or Ballast) (this was the brick mound you were discussing a mile into the canal walk) and the old 'Saltings high rise social housing that was located to the right of the first low bridge you walked under (known as the Tip Bridge). I saw you walk past my house. I came out and waved, but it was cut from the footage It is sad to see the canal in such poor state these days. I used to swim in there most summers when I was younger. Locally known sites such as 'The Swing', 'The Ship Inn' and 'The Bloody'. Keep up the good wor

@marcuswalks 17 күн бұрын

Thanks for the info, yes there's so much more history. It would be excellent if the canal was reopened in some way.

@jimscarlet 18 күн бұрын

Another cracker, and even though I walk this route a few times a week you were able to teach me a thing or two about the areas industrial past. The 5 foot 3 inch bridge you passed under used to carry the old Rhondda and Swansea Bay railway, which ran from Treherbert to Swansea, passing through the famous Rhondda tunnel, which will hopefully be re-opened sometime in the future...and another lovely walk. Love the channel, your attention to detail is a joy to behold.

@marcuswalks 18 күн бұрын

Thanks for watching. I enjoy doing these walks.

@markdurnell238 19 күн бұрын

Excellent video, passed by my street! I really enjoy your stuff, very informative, really hope you keep up the good work.

@marcuswalks 19 күн бұрын

Thank you very much!

@alanphillips7132 19 күн бұрын

At the side of BRITON FERRY library there is a metal big that was taken from the dock's. Keep up all the good work 👍

@marcuswalks 19 күн бұрын

Thanks for the info, cheers 👍

@3967742 19 күн бұрын

I remember seeing HMS Seraph at Wards in 1962. It was the submarine that carried the body of "The Man Who Never Was ". As a boy from the Melin (Melincrythan) I spent a lot of time down the canal as a child and at 15.45 in you mention a "pillbox". As a youngster we used to play in it but I believe it has been vandalised in recent times. It was on the side of the bridge that was on the end of the old "Galv" works. I think it would have been on your right about 150 yards before the bridge at 15.38 in. I haven't been down that area in 55 years so don't even know if I would recognise many of the things on the canal. Also the Metal Box wasn't a tinplate factory, they made cans for the food industry out of tinplate. A lot of my family worked there and I believe they made a lot of things for the war effort during WW2.

@marcuswalks 19 күн бұрын

Thanks for the info about that stretch of the canal. I was aware that Metal box made cans but apparently in the 1930s the company added the can manufacturing plant next door to the tinplate works alongside the Neath Canal.

@marcuswalks 19 күн бұрын

Forgot to mention how long was the submarine there. I vaguely remember seeing one when I was young.

@3967742 18 күн бұрын

@@marcuswalks The Tinplate works attached to the Metal Box might have been the Eaglesbush works which was near the railway line at the bottom of Milland Road (which is where Ray Milland took his stage name from), The "Eagle" as it was known was a tinplate reclamation works. I think in latter years the "Box" would have had it's tinplate from either Trostre or Velindra works. I have no idea if the "Eagle" building is still there as I haven't been to that area for 50 odd years. HMS Seraph was broken at Wards in 1962. Here is a Wiki link to it. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Seraph_(P219) I also remember HMS Bermuda being scrapped there and from that ship I think every boy in the Melin and Briton Ferry acquired steel helmets from it. About the "pillbox", I seem to remember it was only big enough for one man and it always stank of wee. lol.

@user-vw1ri4ri9m 19 күн бұрын

Hi Marcus. Another great video thanks for sharing. Lovely area of briton ferry docks I was there a few months ago love it. Keep up the good work you do. 👍

@marcuswalks 19 күн бұрын

Cheers and thanks for watching.

@user-vw1ri4ri9m 19 күн бұрын

@@marcuswalks Cheers Mate. You take care good luck with your walks.

@leightondavies8884 19 күн бұрын

Absolutely love this channel !!! My dad and grandad used to work in the Albion ( Baglan boy here , so loads of interest on all your stuff . Keep it up

@marcuswalks 19 күн бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it 👍

@LKBRICKS1993 19 күн бұрын

Excellent footage Marcus really enjoyed watching it.

@marcuswalks 19 күн бұрын

Many thanks!

@peterwhite9843 19 күн бұрын

I remember as a kid travelling from Bridgend going over Briton Ferry bridge and seeing HMS Tenby being scrapped which was made famous as the ship used in the funeral of James Bond in You only live twice.

@marcuswalks 19 күн бұрын

Thanks for the James Bond info 👍

@raybeaumont7670 19 күн бұрын

Cheers Marcus. I've often walked along the northern end of this canal around the Resolven area. I must pay a visit to this section, too. Much appreciated. Hwyl form the Rhondda.

@marcuswalks 19 күн бұрын

Hi, it's a bit quieter up the northern end.

@theredvic 19 күн бұрын

Lovely Walk, you can read Alexander Cordell's book, Song of the Earth, Family of bargees on the Neath Canal, his other Trilogy of Weslh life, including Rape of the Fair country are well worth a read, ive walked the canal many times, goes from industrial/Town (Neath) to serene farmland and well worth it.

@marcuswalks 19 күн бұрын

Thanks for the info 👍. I may walk away from Neath heading north next time so it gets a bit quieter.

@welshhibby 20 күн бұрын

Love these walks ❤

@marcuswalks 20 күн бұрын

Thanks for watching

@fireballpaul12 22 күн бұрын

You need to start a monthly walking club my wife and i would definitely sign up for that. 👍🏻

@marcuswalks 21 күн бұрын

I was thinking of something like that but I doubt I could make it a regular thing. Maybe in the future I may arrange a walk or two.

@fireballpaul12 20 күн бұрын

That would be a fantastic idea and one with a pub at the end would be ideal 👍🏻

@marcuswalks 19 күн бұрын

@@fireballpaul12 Yes, with a minibus return ride 👍

@alanphillips7132 27 күн бұрын

I love walking my dog's up there.especially on a dry winter's day.

@barrycrump6189 28 күн бұрын

Lovely, not a soul in sight.

@riveness Ай бұрын

Those coke ovens (which was the first section of plant on the steelworks that you saw) are now shut down awaiting decommissioning and demolition.

@richardmorgan9578 Ай бұрын

Hi Marcus, great video again. Merthyr mawr dunes really is a beautiful area , but the paths can be a bit tricky, especially as the deer are making new but very narrow paths throughout. These can very quickly disappear into the trees and marshy areas leaving no alternative than to retrace your steps and find another route. So these videos are really helpful in that regard. Another thing I was interested in is on old maps there’s a dune slack ( flooded in winter) that’s called ‘Pwll y Briton Tom’, It’s just downstream of ‘Burrows well’ and the spring. Do you know who ‘ Briton Tom’ ( or Tom Briton?) was? I’ve tried searching this out on the web but with no luck. I thought you’d be the guy to ask 😄. Cheers again Marcus, I might bump into you on a walk one day .

@marcuswalks Ай бұрын

No, I've no idea about Pwll Y Briton Tom. First time I've noticed it was when you pointed it out. I'll ask in the museum on Saturday

@richardmorgan9578 Ай бұрын

@@marcuswalks there’s a great resource on the web from the national library of Scotland, where you can look at old o.s maps from @ 1900 and compare with modern O.S maps or satellite images alongside. They cover the whole of the uk. There’s probably an equivalent from National library of Wales,but I’ve not downloaded that yet. It’s very interesting to see how the landscape has changed ( or not) in the last 124 years.

@marcuswalks Ай бұрын

@@richardmorgan9578 Yes, I've used that website, especially on my walk along the old Porthcawl railway kzbin.info/www/bejne/laeplmmOacutfZo

@PeopleWatchingMarcus Ай бұрын

Keep walking Marcus!

@LKBRICKS1993 Ай бұрын

Great video so interesting to watch.

@marcuswalks Ай бұрын

Thanks 👍

@user-yv1nr6qm6f 2 ай бұрын

A nice guide and walk, as always. I suggest you investigate Cwm Nash, from the area around the Plough and Harrow to the beach. There are several route options so you don't have to return exactly the same way. The total distance will only be a couple of miles or so. The pub is worth talking about. The area around it is littered with monastic remains. Nice lanes and field paths (well defined public footpaths) including the lovely woodland walk down the cwm. What I think looks like a ruined watermill part way down. Recent discovery of human bones emerging from eroded ground near the beach, thankfully ancient. Lots to talk about in a short and very scenic walk. But watch the tide. And did I mention the pub?

@marcuswalks 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for the info about the walks.I have done a few walks around this area kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGbClaeMjauIpac but there are always more to do. We have also done a pub lunch review of the old Plough and Harrow, it was very good.

@user-yv1nr6qm6f 2 ай бұрын

@@marcuswalks Ah, I missed that. I will watch it when I get a quiet moment. Thanks. You seem to find all the nooks and crannies so it is hard to suggest anything for you, but how about the part of the Taff Trail known as the Trevithick Trail, especially the part at or near Quakers Yard? I cycled it a few years back and thought it looked interesting and merited a return visit on foot. It follows Richard Trevithick's very early tram line.

@marcuswalks Ай бұрын

@@user-yv1nr6qm6f Thanks for that, I haven't done the Taff Trail or that area yet.

@cosmicpop 2 ай бұрын

I'm Briton Ferry born and bred, and used to play up the Incline as a boy. I'm living in east London now so it's lovely to see some of my boyhood stomping grounds/ My word it's overgrown now. From the carpark area you used to be able to see all the way up the incline, it was a spectacular sight.

@marcuswalks 2 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching, yes it was quite overgrown but not surprised with all the rain we've been having 🌧️

@cosmicpop 2 ай бұрын

@@marcuswalks you asked for suggestions of walks in your video. I can see you've done Neath Canal north of Aberdulais. Have you considered heading south from there, through Neath and Briton Ferry to the sea?

@NatSatFat 2 ай бұрын

Good Stuff Marcus, am a bit bewildered about the incline, it wens from the dock to the East, about a mile uphill, you said it received trucks from the Afan Valley, looks like the route must have been to Pontrhydyfen?, in the Afan Valley, but that looks like it must have gone down a steep hill again? to the Afan Valley, very strange arrangement, when they could have gone around on the flattish, Cymafon, Port Talbot, the Baglen before going into Briton Ferry, can't see the point in full trucks of coal going up & over the mountain? (but I have never been there or seen the situation) sny enlightenment?

@marcuswalks 2 ай бұрын

Hi, it entered a tunnel further up than Pontrhydyfen. Have a look at this walk I did a few years ago in the Afan Valley, I go into the tunnel. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iaGri62ijJWIgrM from around the 3:30 mark

@swans4012 2 ай бұрын

2/3 of the way up by the waterfall, on the right behind a cutting there's the remnants of a small building

@marcuswalks 2 ай бұрын

I'll take a look next time

@JBMtravels 2 ай бұрын

Hey there great video and I see this channel becoming big soon. Keep going 💪

@marcuswalks 2 ай бұрын

Thanks

@LeeJonesNPT 2 ай бұрын

I walk that route regularly coming from Ladies Walk Baglan up the Rhodfa Clarke incline and across to the Foel above Cwmafan, before coming back to Baglan through Briton Ferry woods.I am not sure about that private land sign towards the top, it seemed to appear out of nowhere. A local told me that it is as a result of some sort of family dispute as access was previously allowed across the land.

@LeeJonesNPT 2 ай бұрын

The Briton Ferry docks walk is in a bit of a state due to the demolishing of the old power station at the moment. I regularly walk up the Tennant Canal from Jersey Marine to Neath or Aberdulais full of history especially Neath Abbey and the various industrial heritage around Aberdulais, I also enjoy the Neath Canal walk from Briton Ferry docks up as far as Glynneath, loads of history and wildlife on both canals….and flat😂

@marcuswalks 2 ай бұрын

Hi, thanks for the info. I have done a bit of the canal walking up from Aberdulais but may do a bit more maybe I'll try the walk from Briton Ferry Docks

@adriancunningham2938 2 ай бұрын

I am sure that was a nice walk, burning off the cruise calories.. I miss those places. I live in Switzerland now but grew up in PT and those walks are beautiful. Keep walking!

@marcuswalks 2 ай бұрын

Yes, I need to burn off some cruise food. There are some great views but I'm sure Switzerland has its fair share.

@adriancunningham2938 2 ай бұрын

@@marcuswalks Not Welsh ones.

@raybeaumont7670 2 ай бұрын

Thanks Marcus - another interesting stroll.

@marcuswalks 2 ай бұрын

Thank you

@AdamTweed-d1v 2 ай бұрын

Hi Marcus, Thank you for doing this walk! I live in Swansea now but I used to live in Cwmafan, I had many friends in Briton Ferry as a lad and would often walk this way to see them ( at least three times a week). I have not walked it for about 30 years and it was fantastic to see it again and learn some more about the history! Keep up the good work! 😊👍 0:28

@marcuswalks 2 ай бұрын

Cheer, glad it brought back some memories. There are so many intersting walks in this area.

@welshhibby 2 ай бұрын

Marcus loving these videos. Im from Port Talbot originally but left in 1990 but I'm hoping to move back later this year. You've given me some ideas for walks ! Theres so much history in our area.

@marcuswalks 2 ай бұрын

Cheers, I will try and do some more over the summer.