'Penarth Head' - A view taken in the late 1950's or early 60's showing the remnants of the children's paddling pool.
I stand corrected here by David Ings who quite rightly pulled me up and stated that this wasn't the Council built children's paddling pool. That pool was situated closer toward the pier on the beach. I consulted my childhood friend Sally who lived for a while in the Esplanade Hotel and concluded that I did in fact used to paddle as a child in the area shown in the photo above. The seawater used to accumulate behind the lower 'walls' to a few feet and it was less slippery than the old pool. Sally did recall the new pool situated near the roadside.'The newer paddling pool rarely had any water other than grubby rain water but did have a joke inscribed on its wall . . "Did Humpty fall... or was he pushed" . . which made me chuckle!' Many thanks to David and Sally! [20200227]
I used to shiver whilst paddling there as a child and often marveled at my mucky, purple/blue skin afterwards. The Thayer's ice cream which always followed the dip was the standard remedy to overcome the discomfort and pending hypothermia! The lookout towers and walkways are now gone from the headland and the concrete monstrosity of a beach car park is not yet built. [001]
