Since my last update I have yet again found my way to the edges of Wales, drawn by the love to walk with the sound of the sea. With steep ascents and descents and amazing, turquoise coloured waters, Pembrokeshire treated us to sunny days and challenging paths. Views across to Skomer Island were a highlight, as well as walking at Strumble Head and seeing South Stack Lighthouse. A chap lent me binoculars to spot the puffins flying off from Skomer and we sat in the sun chatting about birding destinations he had visited. I couldn’t get a boat to Skomer on this trip as no dogs are allowed for obvious reasons! Definitely gives me an excuse to return to this part of the Welsh coastline though.
One of our campsites was just a short 25min walk to Freshwater West beach, the film location for Dobby’s grave for any fellow Harry Potter fans reading this. It was an incredibly beautiful stretch of beach, but sadly had so much plastic rubbish. I collected what small pieces we could and filled some dog poo bags with the array of coloured, broken and sometimes sharp objects hoping that every little might help.
Our final walk in this part of Wales was from the busy town of Tenby through woodland and meadows to Saundersfoot. It was slightly more challenging than I had thought, so decided on an ice cream treat and the bus back!
From Pembrokeshire we headed to the Gower and despite some cloudier skies, we still were able to enjoy great walking. One day I met a friendly couple with their young toddler who was already tackling the coast path whilst clutching a flower she had picked, guarding it as her precious treasure. If only all adults still remembered to find the time to observe such small details.
Deciding on a change of scenery from the coast, one afternoon we discovered a woodland and I found a spot to hang up the hammock and enjoy the warmth of the late afternoon sunshine reading my book. Poppy of course always has to jump in the hammock too. This was also where we spotted our first bluebell this year; my Grandad’s favourite flower.
Lots of the walks I have done on my trip through Wales have been recommended by friends who I met on my Jordan trip and who I was lucky enough to visit and spend the loveliest of evenings with on Easter Saturday. They treated me to delicious food and it was a real pleasure to spend time chatting and feeling the warmth and love of their beautiful home - a huge, heartfelt thanks Del and Len. I loved seeing the dramatic coastline south of where they live, walking from Southerndown to Nash Point and another lighthouse.
Castles have featured as coffee stops. I usually park up for free, (people who know me well know I hate paying for car parking,) make a coffee and photograph these formidable and sometimes fairytale like buildings. Visits have included Carreg Cennen, Caerphilly with it’s moat and Raglan, as well as the monastic ruins of Tintern Abbey. The drive to Tintern was one through lush, green Welsh valleys. It was beautiful and definitely told me I was now in the south of the country.
For those of you celebrating Easter, I hope you spent a great weekend doing the things you love with those you love. After a long walking and driving day on Easter Sunday, a small bag of double chocolate Easter eggs were demolished in the van whilst the rain and wind made its return outside. With a small, warm spaniel laying sound asleep next to me, a film to watch and tired legs, I couldn’t have wished to be anywhere else.
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