Out west – Day 3

         

The day started with a stunning sunrise, a solid cooked breakfast and lots of proper coffee to shake off a minor hangover.

       

I drove out to Strumble Head to walk a section of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path that my mate Tim had recommended. The weather was perfect, blue skies, turquoise seas, hot sun and tourist free roads. It was immediately obvious that something was going on. Groups of people peered over the top of huge cliffs down into shady bays – ‘twitchers’ I thought, until I heard the crazed honking of dozens of fluffy white seal pups. This was a first for me.

I walked out to Trwyn Llwyd and back and on every inaccessible beach were groups of pups with the parents lazily sloshing around in the shallows seemingly enjoying the attention of the onlookers.

I was sitting on a hot rock in blazing sun eating my lunch when a glistening white ferry left Fishguard harbour and disappeared into St Georges Channel. It reminded me of months spent on the Greek Islands when I left college. I had to remind myself that it was almost October and this was the end of one of the worst summers I could remember.

I stopped at the amazing Pwll Deri Youth Hostel perched on the cliffs under Garn Fawr and filled up my water bottle. (When I got home, it turned out that my next door neighbour’s sister-in-law was warden there for years. What a perfect place to live).

I got back to the van tired, dehydrated and footsore. Looks like my trusty Salomon’s have finally had enough with around 400 miles of rough terrain under their belts. (Just bought some new ones, with a GTX lining for the winter – no way I’m going back to boots).

Back at base was another perfect evening cooking on embers, drinking organic cider from Hereford (nearly Welsh) and listening to all manner of creatures 'doing stuff’ in the trees over my head.