Bay landslide left giant boulders along coastline
A DRAMATIC landslide on Gower has left giant boulders sprinkled along the coastal landscape.
The natural phenomenon at Oxwich Bay happened sometime during the weekend.
-
Counrtyside Council for Wales assistant reserves manager Nigel Corrick stands alongside some of the giant boulders which have fallen on to Oxwich Bay after a landslide
It is thought that heavy rainfall and cold temperatures were to blame as expanding, freezing water ripped huge chunks of rock from the cliff, just a few hundred yards from a coastal footpath.
John Lovett walks the coastline every Sunday morning and was amazed to discover the landslide.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013
"I have never seen anything like it," he said.
"It is truly a fantastic sight, some of the boulders are perfectly square and they have left a polished smooth sandstone cliff face behind.
"It is amazing."
Mr Lovett, who lives in Cockett, said: "It is quite clear that water which runs through crevices in the rock has frozen and then expanded, ripping it from the cliff.
"There are other parts of the cliff that look like cracking.
"It looks like another landslide could be possible and with a popular footpath so close it might pose a danger to the public."
Gower councillor Richard Lewis said coastal erosion was not uncommon in the area.
"We have had a tremendous amount of rain which may have dislodged something, and of course we have lost a few miles of coast through tidal erosion over the years," he said.
"But if we get a dry spell over Christmas the paths will be very popular and I will make sure there is no safety issue.
"There may have been no danger to the public this time but we don't want boulders hurtling towards people in the future either."
Swansea Council jointly maintains the coastal path with the Countryside Council for Wales.
A spokesman for the local authority said: "Initial investigations show there is no risk to public safety for people using the nearby footpath.
"We will continue to monitor the site."
sion.morgan@swwmedia.co.uk
Comments
by stonecatcher, Swansea
Friday, December 25 2009, 11:35PM
“I reckon it was that serial complainant woman who (oops describes herself as a questioner) throwing stones at the Civic Centre and Dunvant and Killay Wards, but they fell short into Richard Lewis' Ward.”
by Fatty, Swansea
Wednesday, December 23 2009, 1:09PM
“I don't think it was a landslide. I reckon it was a bunch of people standing there admiring the view and Medusa spotted them and turned them all to stone for enjoying themselves or having an opinion that didn't match her own. Merry Christmas 9 heads!! x”
by BNP MASTER, swansea
Tuesday, December 22 2009, 9:34PM
“look who gives a monkeys anyway, just build a wall around the whole of gower and burn it all!!!!
Shithole!!!!!!!!!!!”
by Albert, The Mumbles
Tuesday, December 22 2009, 9:14PM
“this sort of thing never happened before they started running bendy buses. The vibrations maybe?”
by Blarney., Hotel by Sea .
Tuesday, December 22 2009, 8:15PM
“I'm glad no one was injured here regarding this land slide.
But I find it most annoying when the E / Post fill's most of it's front page with a photo of above story, but have made no provision on the web regarding the sparse article "No action against Councillor found guilty of breaching rules" !
Come on E / Post:?
Give your LOYAL READER'S their right to air their view's?
Or, ? Should we start purchasing other newspaper's where we will have better reporting with the full fact's and more value for money, and where reader's can have their say via posted letter or on the web site regarding any or all articles that are published in that newspaper !”
by James Sheridan, Swansea
Tuesday, December 22 2009, 2:12PM
“I blame Ronnie Wood, as he has had his 'problems' with the rest of the 'Stones' recently!
Or perhaps Medusa from Swansea, might have got a bit excited when the 'Earth moved' at the week-end!?”
by jon, uplands
Tuesday, December 22 2009, 1:56PM
“pigmy chipmunks... surely”
by DJ, Swansea
Tuesday, December 22 2009, 12:32PM
“I lived in Oxwich for over 20 years from the mid fifties on. Landslides are nothing new, when I was a kid the road from what is now the Cliffside hotel up to the entrance to the church collapsed. As I remember, it was nothing to do with global warming or climate change(both unheard of in those days) it was just the most powerful force known to man, The Sea!!”
by Dave, Swansea
Tuesday, December 22 2009, 11:10AM
“Come on guys, this one surely has to be the nasty evil dredging that goes on in the bay! Or maybe, ground testing for wind farms has weakend the rock!”
by Jonathan, Sketty
Tuesday, December 22 2009, 10:48AM
“Global warming was not responsible for these rocks - it is climate change. Get with the programme!”