The trip to Nash Point lighthouse on 20 October 2024 was supposed to be the third Lighthouse Explorers group trip and the first outside of England! The journey to Belle Tout and Beachy Head, gorgeous lighthouses in Eastbourne, was the first group trip. The second trip was to Old Dungeness Lighthouse, a lighthouse set on a barren, otherworldly landscape. Nash Point lighthouse is situated in south Wales, and the nearest village is Marcross.
While the last two trips took place in the summer months, I assumed (incorrectly) that I’d get away with an October trip, as by UK standards, we’ve been having acceptable weather recently.
Getting to Wales
On Saturday, the trip began, as most of my lighthouse explorations do, with a nice long train journey: first to London Paddington and then from Paddington to Barry, Wales. From Barry, my plan was to cycle 20+ miles to my accommodation, including a slight diversion to visit the lighthouse.
You may have noticed that it was a day too early for the group trip and, therefore, may wonder why I made a detour to the lighthouse. 1) I was desperate to see it, as it was gorgeous weather, and I knew it would look beautiful. 2) I hadn’t noticed how much battery my phone had lost and had been too distracted by the lighthouse to appreciate the implications of having no water.
I drank through my water early in the trip, assuming I’d stumble across somewhere to refill it. I did not, so the cycle became increasingly slow and stilted.
At one point, I updated my AirBnB host about where I was and jokingly said that I was looking forward to some water. This turned out to be some not-so-subtle foreshadowing.
The lighthouse and its history
Two lighthouses, the ‘Low’ (west) and ‘High’ (east) lighthouses, were built on this clifftop in response to the Frolic shipwreck in March 1831, in which 78 passengers lost their lives. The Nash Sands had claimed boats prior to this, but Frolic was the final straw. The foundation stones for each tower were placed in October 1831, and they were lit just 11 months later, in September 18321
The low tower was discontinued in the 1920s as it was deemed no longer necessary, and the high tower still shines today. Automated in 1998, it was the last in Wales to be hit with automation and the penultimate in England and Wales.
During the final stretch, from the lighthouse to the accommodation, the need for water hit me like a ton of bricks. My legs felt wobbly, and seeing any hill made me feel like I might collapse. All the other cyclists on the stretch would grin at me with insanity in their eyes, high off of the Wales countryside. I felt an almost uncontrollable urge to ram them off their bikes.
The first evening
Finally, I reached my destination town. Unfortunately, I had taken a few wrong turns, but I was there against all odds. My lovely host, Bev, waved me down. It was then that the foreshadowing of my earlier text came to fruition. There was no running water in the house or surrounding area.
Thankfully, Bev had the foresight to fill up a jug and the kettle for me. Once I’d had the grand tour of the cottage, I crouched like a gremlin next to the jug and filled up cup after cup, pouring it into my thirsty gob.
After touching base with my partner and cat at home, I sought the local pub for dinner. It had been at least 8 hours since my last meal, and I was pretty desperate. Thankfully, I timed my visit perfectly and received the last meal of the night. It turns out that the pub was also victim to the burst water pipe!
The Day of the ‘Group’ Trip
The following day, I woke up fresh and ready to go to the lighthouse for our group trip. The water was back up and running, so I could wash the grime from the day before and hit the ground running.
The little yellow bike and I were back on the road and on track for the lighthouse, a 30-minute ride. The weather had looked stormy before embarking on the cycle, and the wind was picking up. Nonetheless, I made good time, and soon, the lighthouse was in my sights.
Unfortunately, the poor weather had put the lighthouse explorers off. Attendance was the lowest of all three group trips, at 1 (me).
Seeing some of the Lighthouse Explorers at this event would have been lovely, but I had a wonderful time nonetheless. It was a beautiful day to see the coastline, as the grey stormy clouds added a dramatic flair to the occasion.
I’ve learned a valuable lesson about avoiding stormy days in October in the future. Everyone will be happy to know that the 2025 Lighthouse Exploring Season will start in the Spring and finish at the end of summer.
Please sign up for the Lighthouse Explorers newsletter to stay updated with the latest news, including next year’s group trips! The lighthouses and dates will be revealed over the coming months. See you there!
Sources & Additional Reading
- Trinity House. “Nash Point Lighthouse.” Trinity House, http://www.trinityhouse.co.uk/lighthouses-and-lightvessels/nash-point-lighthouse. ↩︎
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