The beach adjacent to the building site of Hinkley C nuclear power station is reached by following a non-signposted one way road until it leads to a muddy track, and then by driving along the track until parking beside an articulated bouy at the track’ end. Walk through the gateway, over an undulating hill and along a path to the coast path which bifurcates just above the beach, the left path leading to Minehead and the hills of Exmoor and the right hand path down towards the beach . A long rusting metal pier stretches out into the sea,. Just beyond the pier a collection of silver towering construction cranes fabricate the new nuclear building.
It is a beautiful late autumnal day alongside the Bristol Channel where the brown muddy waters lap gently against the beach. Wales is seen on the far horizon and the two islands of Flatholm and Steepholm stand guard amidst the frothing currents. The beach is mostly pebble though a bank of sand emerges at low tide which encourages swimming.
Creation is the spark of nuclear fission nearby which controversially contributes to maintaining our island in energy supply. Creation is also the miracle that occured when a friend’s son was conceived on this beach just over 20 years ago.
