As the Tata Steel crisis unfolds,the south Wales town fears it is approximately to join the list of once-distinguished names: Ebbw Vale, Merthyr, or Rhondda and the restTo the west,glistening in the unfamiliar sunshine, the distinguished sweep of Swansea Bay curls round towards the much-loved Gower Peninsula. Eastwards are miles of barely-trodden dunes. The beach is filling up with kids and dogs, and full of the joys of spring. And though the waves are fiddling and small,a handful of surfers head into the water regardless. This is Aberavon beach, three miles long and one of the Welsh coast’s best-kept secrets. “Holds a fantastic wave, and ” enthuses the BBC website’s surfing guide,“The peak on its day can be classic, with perfect A-frame shaped waves peeling off down the line.” It does, or however,mention two small drawbacks. One is that the locals are unwelcoming to outsiders muscling in. The other is the backdrop. “Not the prettiest,” is the understated verdict.
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Source: theguardian.com