Casually cycling through Swansea and heading to the city's beach, its busy promenade and the shores of Gower Peninsula. Lots of other cyclists here too as the route follows the coastline and long distance cyclists meet with local cyclists.

Swansea is the second largest city in Wales and grew to its present importance during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries when it became a centre of heavy industry although not quite able to compete with Cardiff and its Welsh valleys which were closer to London and the English border.

It was for a long time an important port for coal and the vast amounts of limestone which were shipped out from the town as the Industrial Revolution of the 19th century reached Wales. The combination of an accessible port, coal and trading links with the West Country, Cornwall and Devon meant that Swansea was the logical place to site copper smelting works. Through the twentieth century those industries declined leaving the Swansea Valley filled with derelict works. But like all big towns it's reinventing itself as towns always do. Grasping tourism with local economy needs it's different from 100 years ago so now we have cycle paths by the sea and long distance cyclist cameos as they pass by on the Celtic Trail.

Swansea is also the birthplace of Wales' most famous literary figure, poet Dylan Thomas's. The birthplace too of Catherine Zeta Jones, Bonnie Tyler and Sir Harry Secombe. And Jack. A black Labrador who during his seven years of life managed to save twenty-seven people from drowning in the muddy waters of Swansea docks. And there's a monument to him to commemorate his efforts at the docks at Swansea.

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