Port Talbot: Easter Bank Holiday, 2024

Until now my time in Wales was limited to the Brecon Beacons where I’ve documented Green Man festival there across a few years. Port Talbot is decidedly not the Brecon Beacons, in fact I’ve read some opinions that it is the worst place in Wales to visit at all.

A large factor in this is the looming presence of the steelworks, which is right on the edge of the coast, and visible from seemingly anywhere, either in the form of the towering pipes, or the vapour and other fumes they emit.

I spent a few days in the area across the recent Easter bank holiday; while the plan had originally been to revisit Staithes in North Yorkshire trains and accommodation in Port Talbot were about half the price, and it’s always nice to visit somewhere new, just as it is to revisit somewhere familiar.

I took a minimal set-up, with only a 50mm on rangefinder, and 75 &150mm combo on medium format. I also brought a tripod, a very rare use case but my expected situations were more landscape and still life than anything fast-moving action.

On the first day I walked some of the town, and Aberavon beach.

The second day was spent mostly walking to get to Kenfig nature reserve, which turned out to be a highlight, with some of the best images of the trip.

The following day I hiked up towards the nearby reservoir, which gave the best views back over the town and of the steelworks.

On the final day I wanted to walk to Morfa beach, but had some trouble with directions, as many of the routes are now restricted by the steelworks. I ended up changing my plans and walking to Aberavon beach again, spending longer walking further along the coastline before returning to the station for my return train.