The walk comes to an end........

O8 May 2010.

          I have made a decision to call a halt to my walk around the coastline in Aberareon, mid-Wales. Since my departure on 16^th. February from Bournemouth, I have covered more than 2000 kms.----- about 400 kms greater than the grand-daddy of UK long distance walks, the Land’s End to John o’ Groats, or LEJOG, in walker parlance. Although healthy and in good condition, I feel this is an appropriate time for me to call it a day for now. I made considerably faster progress than I envisaged, not only because the daily walking sections have been of greater distance, but because I mostly refrained from taking weekly rest days.

        Long in the planning, I have greatly enjoyed this endeavour and appreciated the opportunity that it gave to me to re-connect with this beautiful island and its cultured, friendly citizens. Every little town and village that I have walked through, where I have been greeted with a smile and friendly directions and assistance---thanks. Thanks to those folks who offered me a cheerful ‘cuppa’ tea as I passed their cottages and to those B& B owners who discounted my over night fee, or supplied a drink and sandwich ‘for the road’.

         I have travelled the world, but I do not recall another country where the people display such an elevated sense of common politeness and decency to strangers…..where people, greet, smile or wave as you pass. Even the sheep, bovines and equines in the fields, with whom I frequently shared my opinions on world events, thanks for your comments and encouragement.

        In the future, I may wish to complete the walk at my leisure and will do so with the fore knowledge that it will be an enjoyable and worthwhile experience.

       It was my privilege to have been associated in this venture with Trillium Health Centre, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada and I trust that my walk may have been helpful to their cause of encouraging an active and healthy lifestyle for all.

        Many thanks to the readers of this blog for their interest.

Day # 82 Aberystwyth to Aberaeron

Pic: The wild coastline leading to Aberaeron.      

Into the quiet streets of Saturday morning Aberystwth, Grey clouds threatening a rainy day. I sallied forth at an early 6.30am. Did not sleep well last night as my fellow gusts at the Sea Front Guest house were unable to adhere to civilized rules requiring one & all to wind down the noise after 11.00pm. Mostly these guest houses are converted homes with wall board partitions to create additional rental units and as such not exactly sound proofed. Many is the night I have had to share the dark hours with a heavy duty snorer in the next room! Such are the joys of budget travel.
        My walking route southwards along the Cardigan Bay coastline on the A487 highway to Aberaeron was a series of long climbs and descents--perhaps half a dozen in total, across the tops of the headlands as they met the coastline in high cliffs. The wind on the hill summits was almost gale force and even the hardy Welsh sheep were cowing in the corners of the fields for protection from the elements. Cold also, hard to believe that this is May. Not the morning to dally for long on a stile and enjoy a sustaining cup of hot coffee from my thermos. Kept as fast a pace as I was able through this windswept sector, descending into the small town of Aberaeron just after 1.00pm.
       I was immediately aware that my arrival coincided with the descent on the town of several hundred motorbike riders. All on, large bikes, Harleys, Hondas and BMW's, the riders mostly looked like very respectable middle aged accountants and small store owners. The did not augur well for securing a room for the night. Employing my tested and usually successful strategy of room hunting on the more obscure side streets as opposed to the central locations of town, I was lucky to secure the 'last room' at a small guest house; immediately afterwards the heavens opened and it poured. Oh! the satisfaction of knowing that I could have still been on those high hills with the sheep. So waking up early does have its advantages.
        After resting and lunching, I walked down to the sea-front of Aberaeron. The town's main shopping area is several blocks back from the beach and was impressed with the newly rebuilt and fortified sea wall that has been constructed. At least in this town, they are taking the threat of rising sea levels seriously.


 26.3 kms. walked today per pedometer.            Cumulative Kms. covered: 2032.5
Hours of walking today including rest stops: 6.5
Type of accommodation: B & B guest house
 Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 30.00, excl. breakfast.
 Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

Trillium serves over one million+ residents annually…the future of healthcare is here!  I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Please donate to Trillium Health Centre www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

Day # 81 Machynlleth to Aberyswyth.

Pic: Tile map of Aberystwyth.        

            Fortified by a most generous package of snack treats kindly donated by the very pleasant owners at the ‘Furnace’ B & B, my day began in heavy overcast that quickly generated into heavy and prolonged rain as I wound my way southwards, along the densely wooded and winding main road following the banks of the River Dyffi.

        My readers may sense an excessive preoccupation with weather conditions. The reason for this aversion to rain is that the precipitation greatly detracts from the enjoyability of the days walk. Apart from getting soaked,—even the best quality rain gear offers only partial protection, house heating in the UK has now been virtually turned off as mean daily temperatures rise. As a result, there is no-where to dry soggy clothes before next morning, when they must be donned again. Just a word here on footware. My Canadian Tire 69.00 dollar walking boots have been a resounding success. While every part of me frequently gets soaked, my feet have always stayed dry & comfortable. The heels, especially the right boot, are looking quite worn down now. 2000+ kms walked on concrete have not yet totally defeated the carbon rubber compound.

        Just after noon, with spirits at a low point, I treated myself to a very pleasant pub lunch at the unusually named (for Wales) village of Bow Street, about 8 kms north of Aberyswyth. During the past 20-30 years there has been a change-over of posted place names from English to Welsh spelling versions, with apparent acceptance by all that the Welsh version is most appropriate.

       Arrived about 3.00pm in an Aberyswyth bathed in bright, albeit cold, sunshine. A mid-size town Aberyswyth is situated at the estuary of the small River Affon Rheidol. Attractively ranged along the sea front the most prominent feature is the university and its buildings plus the presence in town of a large and diverse student population.

 28.3 kms. walked today per pedometer.                Cumulative kms. covered:2006.2

Hours of walking today including rest stops: 8.1/2

Type of accommodation: Sea Shore B & B

Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 27.00

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

I’m ‘Giving 110%’ to Trillium through my “4 Million Step Walk” because I can. Donate Now:  www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

Day # 80 Barmouth to Machynlleth.

   Pic: some road-side friends. Many interesting conversations I have held with these hardy animals! 
    

        With the knowledge that the day would be mostly of the rainy type, it was with difficulty that I aroused before 7.15am, especially as yesterday’s stage was rather extreme (for me at 30kms+) and the muscles were certainly protesting. The first stage out of Barmouth was to cross the Mawddach estuary railway bridge using the recently added pedestrian footway. This facility effectively saved me more than a 30 kms. round trip hike to the first up river crossing point. Magnificent scenery along the coast-line, made dramatically ominous by the low clouds that had descended almost to road level in places. My route today, mostly winding, on what is denominated as a major road, is so narrow in places that difficult and time-consuming reversing procedures are called for whenever two wide vehicles meet.

         Inland from the coast, my destination town of Machynlleth’s claim to fame is as an important rail junction for the lines that meet in order to follow the River Dyffi valley through the mountains.

        Today, May 6^th., is general election day in the UK. Apart from very occasional lawn poster boards for Plaid Cyrmri, the Welsh independence party, I have seen few signs of voter excitement for what the media are billing as the ‘election of the century’.

 27.0 kms. walked today per pedometer.                Cumulative kms. covered: 1977.9

Hours of walking today including rest stops:  7.5

Type of accommodation: B & B

Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 25.00 no breakfast.

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

4 million steps in support of the all our young and old who rely on Trillium Health Centre. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Donate now www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org  

Day # 79 Portmadog to Barmouth.

Pic: Harlech castle UNESCO World Heritage site.        

Finally, that month long run of favourable Spring weather has come to an end.

Leaving Portmadog at 7.00 am, I was welcomed by heavy overcast and light drizzle. It is necessary to understand that liquid known as ‘Welsh drizzle’…. very fine rain, almost impossible to see in the air—quite like a heavy mist, but it has the great ability to soak through to the skin.  5 kms. from Portmadog, my route took me across a narrow private toll bridge thus avoiding a long walk inland to achieve an alternative river crossing. Surrounded by major Snowdonia peaks, my coastal route was mostly reasonably flat with only occasional sharp inclines to ascend. I arrived early, 10.30am, at Harlech (famous for the nationalist ode-Men of H------) and also for the magnificent Norman castle--- a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. Decided to carry on southward along the Cardigan Bay coast through a series quintessential, small traditional Welsh villages, surrounded by the large and luxurious homes of affluent retirees and successful individuals from (England?).

         Due to the prevalence and popularity of DIY accommodation (caravans, mobile homes, camping) etc., the availability of traditional bed and breakfast offerings seems to be significantly reduced in these parts. I realized this as I continued walking for the rest of the day, eventually reaching the larger town of Barmouth. The distance and time on the road was more than my routine allotment and I was significantly fatigued when I eventually found my room for the night in Barmouth, luckily without much difficulty.

         As a young child I spent several family holidays in the Barmouth area and have to report that compared to 50+ years ago, it looks in 2010 to be noticeably ‘down at heel’, as it awaits this seasons quota of tourists. Another UK sea-side resort where the city fathers have apparently failed to come up with any cohesive business plan to market its significant natural attributes.

 34.7  kms. walked today per pedometer.                Cumulative kms. covered: 1950.9

Hours of walking today including rest stops: 10.0

Type of accommodation: Guest house.

Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 27.00 no breakfast.

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

4 million steps in support of over one million+ patients that rely on Trillium Health Centre. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Donate Now www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

Day # 78 Pwllhelli-to Portmadog.

Pic: Traditional Welsh cottage in Portmadog.         

With great reluctance extracted myself from the comfort of my sister’s holiday home in Pwllheli at 7.00am and back onto the road. Retraced my footsteps back (1 1/2miles) to the centre of Pwllhelli on a bright sunny morning, along deserted streets to resume the A497 along a spectacular coast line. A flat coastal plain, with the sea about a mile to my right side and mountains to my left. Great walking conditions that don’t get any better. A visual treat, especially in the bright spring sunshine was the view of Criccieth castle perched on a rocky cliff to the sea-ward side of the town. With little excuse to dawdle, I put the hammer down and was able to hang together 5 consequtive 4 kilometre hours, arriving at my destination of Portmadog at just after noon.

        Portmadog’s claim to importance is as a major route intersection for both the road along the coast and the main railway line that continues south along Cardigan Bay. Being located on the narrow strip between sea and the Snowdonia mountain range, the river bridge at the east end of town effectively saves considerable extra distance when travelling along the coast.

  21.5 kms. walked today per pedometer.                Cumulative kms. covered: 1916.2

Hours of walking today including rest stops: 5.0

Type of accommodation: Bed & breakfast.

Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 18.00, excl. breakfast.

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

In 2008 Trillium had over 700,000 patient visits. Trillium’s doctors and nurses are ‘Giving 110%’ to patients….will you? Go to www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org and donate now!

Day # 75 Trefor to Pwllheli, North Wales.

        Awake to view heavy mist rolling down from the nearby Snowdon mountain range as I departed my overnight B & B and headed for the final 12 kms. into Pwllhelli, an attractive small marketing & tourism centre situated on the northern coast of Cardigan Bay. Much favoured by the sailing fraternity. Winding narrow roads without footpaths are the norm in North Wales where local drivers understand the etiquette of passing at spots where there is frequently road width for a single vehicle. The routing today was mainly down hill and in dry but overcast weather, as I descended to the coast and arrived in the town just before 11.00am. Already the streets of  Pwllheli throng with the vanguard of tourists that will surge in as the weather improves. It has been 10 years since my last visit here and the signs of recent gentrification are evident. New construction has occurred along the seafront and the sailing club appears to be a dynamic operation.

         It is my good fortune that my sister and her family own a beautiful sea-front apartment at Pwllheli and I have the opportunity to make use of the accommodation for three days, over the long UK Spring Bank holiday weekend. Unfortunately my sister is unable to meet me at the apartment, so I have deigned this a quiet & relaxing rest (and laundry) walk break and will recommence my mileage early on Tuesday when my objective will be Portmadog (birth place of Lawrence of Arabia).

   

   12 kms. walked today per pedometer.                Cumulative Kms. covered:

 Hours of walking today including rest stops: 3.00

Type of accommodation: Staying with family for 3 days.

Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. N/A

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

 Trillium Health Centre has always been there for me and my family, I want to do my part and be there to support them. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you?  www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

Day # 75 Trefor to Pwllheli, North Wales.

              Awake to view heavy mist rolling down from the nearby Snowdon mountain range as I departed my overnight B & B and headed for the final 12 kms. into Pwllhelli, an attractive small marketing & tourism centre situated on the northern coast of Cardigan Bay. Much favoured by the sailing fraternity. Winding narrow roads without footpaths are the norm in North Wales where local drivers understand the etiquette of passing at spots where there is frequently road width for a single vehicle. The routing today was mainly down hill and in dry but overcast weather, as I descended to the coast and arrived in the town just before 11.00am. Already the streets of  Pwllheli throng with the vanguard of tourists that will surge in as the weather improves. It has been 10 years since my last visit here and the signs of recent gentrification are evident. New construction has occurred along the seafront and the sailing club appears to be a dynamic operation.

         It is my good fortune that my sister and her family own a beautiful sea-front apartment at Pwllheli and I have the opportunity to make use of the accommodation for three days, over the long UK Spring Bank holiday weekend. Unfortunately my sister is unable to meet me at the apartment, so I have deigned this a quiet & relaxing rest (and laundry) walk break and will recommence my mileage early on Tuesday when my objective will be Portmadog (birth place of Lawrence of Arabia).

   

   12 kms. walked today per pedometer.                Cumulative Kms. covered:

 Hours of walking today including rest stops: 3.00

Type of accommodation: Staying with family for 3 days.

Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. N/A

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

 Trillium Health Centre has always been there for me and my family, I want to do my part and be there to support them. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you?  www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org

Day # 74 Caernarfon to Trevor.

Caernarfon castle

      Breakfasted on fruit, bran & tea was ready at 8.00am to hit the road and commence the push out of Caernarfon towards the south. Readers may have noticed that where possible I try & negotiate B & B sans breakfast. The B & B standard offering of bacon & eggs is a little too heavy for me and apart from that, mostly find that I can negotiate a ‘fiver’ off the room rate.

       Weather today looking seriously like rain, heavy clouds covering the Snowdonia range of mountains to the south. According to my records, I have not had to walk in the rain since 31^st. March when I was in Hornsea on the east coast of England ie: a full month ago. Even the Welsh are discussing the lack of rain in the lush principality.

          In light drizzle, I make good progress along the northern coast of the Lleyn Peninsula through a coast plain dotted with small stone farm holdings and fields of sheep. Towns and even villages in this area are becoming increasingly infrequent and at noon I make a decision to cut the leg to the south side of the peninsula at Pwllheli into two parts and take advantage of accommodation availability in the small town of Trefor. Extremely Welsh in character, one hears mostly Welsh spoken on the Trefor street by locals; also note that almost everyone seems to be 60+---where have all the young people gone? The town seems to be geared up to shortly receive a massive influx of population that will holiday at the nearby caravan parks. This weekend is a national ‘Spring Holiday’ in the UK, although with cold, wet weather, I suspect most will stay at home this weekend.

 22.1 kms. walked today per pedometer.                Cumulative kms. covered: 1772.7

Hours of walking today including rest stops: 5.25

Type of accommodation: B & B.

Cost of bed & breakfast: pounds. 20.00

Please go to Flickr.com (traveller6666) to view pics of the walk.

Help me every step of the way by supporting Trillium Health Centre. I’m giving 110% to Trillium, will you? Donate Now:  www.trilliumhealthcentrefoundation.org