Dylan Thomas Birthday Walk

On the morning of October 27th 1944, Dylan Thomas set out on a walk along a 19th century cocklers' path on his 30th birthday, as a result he wrote one of his great works, 'Poem In October'.

Here is the opening verse -

It was my thirtieth
Year to heaven stood there then in the summer noon
Tho' the town below be leaved with October blood.
Oh may my heart's truth
Still be sung
On this high hill in a year's turning.


The walk has been developed by landowner Bob Stevens (pictured above with BBC newsreader Jamie Owen), or Bob The Dog (as he breeds dogs), of Salt House Farm down on the marsh, and there are panels with verses of the poem. The walk from Laugharne up and around Sir John's Hill takes around an hour and a half but the views from the top are spectacular.


Half-way up (above) there is an option to head down to the marsh which follows the Wales coastal path. You will pass Salt House Farm, where Bob lives.

This walk can take you down to The Ginst beach, or up into Broadway, a village just to the west of Laugharne. This path was for cocklers and farm workers at high tide to reach the marsh. You can read more about it on this website. The Birthday Walk was featured on the BBC Wales Weatherman Walking programme when Derek Brockway visited the township.

When the path turns up towards the field if you head on a few hundred yards you can see the ruins of two workers' or cocklers' cottages (one pictured below).




The view from the start of the Birthday Walk, over a century ago




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