It was last September when I went back to Cardigan in order to start the next stage of the walk. Day 1 was very gently, just a short walk of 4 or 5 miles, only taking about an hour and a half, the real work being done the next day.
Leaving Cardigan and crossing the river Teifi it is also farewell to Ceredigion and hello Pembrokeshire. Logistically, this is going to present some interesting challenges - it is the part of Wales that is furthest from home, and, being rather remote, is not all that easy to get to.
The first town in Pembrokeshire, St Dogmaels, is also the official start of the Pembrokeshire coast path. It was encouraging seeing the waymark at the side of the road, a great encouragement of how far I have come, but also rather sobering to realise that this bit of the Wales coast path alone is over 180 miles, and there is a long way to go yet. Still, covering the distance won't be done by admiring the scenery, so on we go.
Actually, that day I didn't go much further, just to the next village, Poppit Sands, and the youth hostel there which was my home for the night.
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I was very glad of that start the next day. Had I needed to start from Cardigan I don't think I would have reached Fishguard that day, and looking back, I still don't think I fully realise how close I came to admitting that I had bitten off more than I could chew.
The distance today was approaching 25 miles. I have done that sort of distance before, even on some earlier stages of the walk, but I hadn't allowed for the various ascents and descents of the cliffs which also need to be taken into account. And when I say cliffs, I mean cliffs, some are 500 feet above sea level - in some cases with a vertical drop straight down to the sea from the cliff edge which is sometimes very near the path! Some of the warning signs are pretty graphic in their description of what can happen!
Still, I have already covered the highest part of the Wales coast path when I was on the Lleyn Peninsula and my phone thought I was in Ireland (!), so it can't be that bad, can it?
Yes, it can! This might not be the highest point of the Wales coast path but it is the highest point of the Pembrokeshire coast path and it must come a good second! The climbs are worth it, for the views are spectacular, but don't underestimate them.
I was led to believe from my guidebook that once I had made the initial ascent, it would be pretty much a level playing-field with chance to get the breath back over the coming miles. Don't you believe it! the ups and downs come thick and fast!
I did, however, get to Newport (yes, another Newport!) at lunchtime, and it was a pleasant place to stop for a sandwich and some water. Leaving Newport, the path goes along the beach, which was fine as it was low tide - but there is a diversion inland marked should the path be covered by the sea!
Approaching Dinas head, I was getting very tired, and wondered if I might be allowed to take a short-cut. Well, that was answered when it turned out that I had missed the turning for the short cut, so onwards and upwards, and with more climbing, it was upwards alright! (By climbing, I mean walking uphill, not actual climbing with ropes etc!). But was with other ascents, there were great views to reward the effort of getting uphill, and it also offered me my first glimpse of Fishguard - but that was still a good 6 miles or so away! After leaving Dinas Head, there was at least a chance of a sit-down and glass of lemonade in Pwllgwaelod before the final apporach!
The final approach itself is on road, which is quite a welcome relief after all the hills. Not that Fishguard is flat. The road drops down to the harbour, which is pleasant enough, but then there's one final uphill into the town. It was almost too much. When I got there, it was all I could do to get to the bus stop and wait for the bus back to Cardigan where I'd left my car. It had been a very good day's walking, but a very tough one as well.
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