Hotel Penwig breakfast was very good. A small cooked veggie breakfast was 2 sausages, tasty ones, 2 poached eggs, also tasty and beans. Weak coffee.
Went off to book a 2 hour dolphin boat trip and had a Grumpy Mule coffee from a fish and chip shop before going to the boat. At last a nice cup of coffee. I’m sure there is good coffee to be had along the coast but the hotel trade makes a habit of weak breakfast coffee for no apparent reason and no excuse these days when the fish and chip shop is able to do it.
Got chatting to nice family from Manchester whilst waiting for the boat. A fellow blogger. We were only a handful on the boat which I liked as we could spread out and move about. Not a dolphin in sight. Oh well will have to come back. Lovely day to be on the sea and great to see most of my walk yesterday. The boat turned at Llangranog. We did see seals and loads of sea birds.
This is George
Full boat
Back to New Quay. Up the road to the bus. I’d asked directions at the pub earlier which I heard as “next to the greenhouse” but was meant as “next to the green house” and took me a while to realise. Still tired I guess. My car was still at the college car park, free because half term. Nice to be reunited with shoes not caked and crusted in Mud. Tesco then Borth to visit Chris for a couple of days.
The path, the Mud
This section of tarmac started in the middle and ended quite soon after
Lovely dry path
When I come back for the rest of the path I will do shorter mileages.
There are several converted railway carriages along the way. Must have been a lot of bother to get them sited. And then they are probably quite cold to live in.
I’m doing this walk to raise money for research into amyloidosis. My JustGiving page.
I know Chris would have liked to do this walk as it’s by the coast that she knows so well and goes past her favourite camping spot at Mwnt. I miss walking with you my trusty companero, my darling best friend.
Croissant then sausage and tomatoes for breakfast. I didn’t eat the fried bread as it was not fried in butter. Coffee was a bit weak. I set off at 9.30 as it was a bit further to go today. 10 hours later I reached New Quay. Ow! From Aberporth the path goes to Tresaith, it’s Tarmac most of the way, lulling me into a false sense of confidence. Espresso at Tresaith but horrible. Then back to Mud to reach Penbryn. Stopped for expensive almond and plum tart at The Plump Tart. I thought she was quite well rounded but a bit stingy on the portion she gave me.
Then to Llangranog where I was already thinking of throwing in the towel but no buses so no choice but to continue. It would have been sensible to stop here but I didn’t know how bad the paths would be. Thick clay Mud weighs down the boots and slows you down. Plus there are a lot of ups and downs on the route. A lot. I chatted to some Ramblers’ volunteers doing path work near Llangranog.
The weather was fab, the views were stunning but I worried about reaching New Quay before dark. I rang the hotel from Cwmtydu to say I would be late. No problem. I passed a couple of walkers doing the whole path. We all talked Mud.
I got so tired I could barely put one foot in front of the other. It was so good to see New Quay.
Didn’t see any Dolphins but saw horses, a kite, a jay, a rabbit, sheep oh and some Mud.
Hotel Penwig room is fine. Biscuits! They all go to Carol! Supper of chicken and bacon linguine so hungry it barely touched the sides. Choc crunch tart. Half of Brains bitter. Half of Rev James Gold.
I’m doing this walk to raise money for research into amyloidosis. It will soon be 2 long years since Chris got sick. Chris has this disease and it is truly horrid and hard for her and for those of us who love her. My JustGiving page.
Breakfast was a shining example of how to feed lots of people very cheaply but not necessarily well. However I had some fresh pineapple and yoghurt and then a poached egg with beans on toast. Despite the 2 guest houses being related to each other, the one where I slept had a cafetière but the breakfast one only gave me horrible instant coffee so I didn’t drink it. Glad I wasn’t staying there.
On the Ceredigion Coast Path at 10. First you go along the estuary including the sewage works where I found that Wales’s most famous poet has a sideline in crane hire!
Then you start on the mud after about 1 km and so it continues for most of the day in huge sticky slippy slidy quantities. Sometimes my boots were heavy with it. There was a field with cows which I would normally think twice about but no options other than to talk to them. They were quite inquisitive but I felt the fear and did it anyway! It took an hour and a half to reach the sea. Quite a long stretch on the quiet road to Gwbert. I fell over 3 times during the day because of the sodding mud. The mud slowed me down as I had to be very careful on the descents and still managed to fall down.
It took 4 hours to get to Mwnt where I had a hot chocolate and some shortbread in the hut on the path. No hot Welsh cakes today because “it’s been dead”.
I saw only a few other walkers, about 4. There were some scary signs about danger of non-ionising radiation about which I’m still none the wiser. There were sheep in the field with it. Did it stop at the fence exactly?
Then it was a muddy slog to Aberporth with occasional downpours and hail. I did curse the mud. DERA takes up a lot of ground at Aberporth and must be responsible for the radiation. Not sure what the point of the notice was, I didn’t have a handy lead apron with me.
After a final section of thick deep mud I reached the Penrallt hotel. I had to remove my muddy gear before going in as it looked like I’d bathed in it.
No biscuits or flannel in the room and only cheap toiletries but I had a lovely hot bath. Sat by the fire with my first half of San Miguel. Dinner was chicken supreme which was a sort of tomatoey sauce with chorizo with potatoes and broccoli spears. Two more halves of San Miguel and a berry panna cotta.
Had to leave sitting room as the people I was eavesdropping on were so stupid I wanted to smack them! Going for whisky! Penderyn lovely.
Song of the day: Morcheeba The Sea.
JustGiving: Walk Ceredigion Coast Path for UCL because we need to research much more about amyloidosis.
Smooth journey to Borth. Popped in to see lovely Chris. Arrived in Cardigan about 7.30. Found the very pink Llety Teifi guest house. Very clean with cafetière and ground coffee in the room. Straight out to Los Caballeros for beef chilli which was chunks of very tender meat, not minced, served with chips, salad and slaw. The veggie options were a bit too dull. I ate it all, washed down with San Miguel. Back to guest house for a bottle of Snowdon lager which is my current fave.
Friday 9th October
Just over 3 hours to reach Elyhaugh in Longframlington and be welcomed by Sandra with really good cake, eggs and milk in fridge.
Our barn is very clean. So nice not to have to wash the cutlery and plates before we use them. We each have a big en suite room at either end of the barn. The middle is an open kitchen, sitting and eating space. There is a dishwasher to my delight! which explains the clean pots and pans.
Made an omelette for our supper. No wireless and the phone signal is limited to a small spot in the yard.
Saturday 10th October
Walked round Rothbury. Parked a little up from Cragside and did a 6 or 7 km circuit through Armstrong land passing a hill fort site and a standing stone. Not much to see of either. Pleasant walk. Weather a bit misty but we could see where we were going.
Stopped to look at Angler’s Arms and Carol bought me a beer!
Green chicken curry and rice.
Watched DVD of The Cazalets.
Sunday 11th October
Intended to amble round Amble but it looked horrible so we ambled round Warkworth instead.
Then to Boulmer to walk north along coast for a few km and back. Dull day but no rain.
To the Angler’s Arms to eat. C had steak and ale pie and I had a carrot and cashew loaf with salad. Good hearty portions with beer.
More of The Cazalets.
Our barnThis is very uncomfortable, please take photo quickly!
From the barnPromising not to get dashed into the wavesSea lightDunstanburgh castle
Monday 12th October
From Harbottle up to the Drake stone which is an enormous chunk of sandstone perched on the hill. Legend has it that children passed over it will be cured of their ailments. The stone is so huge they will likely acquire some further ailments in the attempt. Sort of upward keel hauling comes to mind.
On to Harbottle lake then across the forest avoiding the red flag zone. We heard distant explosions most of the day. Back down to cross the River Coquet. Up and around Harbottle crossing back over the Coquet, through the village and up to the castle. Great views from here.
Lovely walk, it stayed dry and then did a massive downpour as we stopped in Rothbury for C to get provisions. Home to shepherd’s pie.
The Drake Stone
Harbottle Lake
Harbottle LakeRoe deer tracks
Ye olde lime kilnHarbottle castleThe Drake Stone from Harbottle
Tuesday 13th October
Felton to look at old church and a little walk along St Oswald’s way. Looked at a gallery and an artisan bakery charging artisan prices for bread and biscuits.
Dropped C off at industrial estate for dialysis.
Decided not to try the Cheviot as the big hills had big clouds on their tops. Tried to get to the hill forts west of Wooler but the road was closed so I went to Ingram for a 7 km hill fort walk which took 2 and a half hours. The sign said it would take 3-4 hours!
Collected C and home for more shepherd’s pie.
From a hill fortOn the hill forts walkOn the hill forts walkLoved the coloursEvidence of a digOn the hill forts walkFelton church looks like it hasn’t got a roof but it is there reallyFelton church
Wednesday 14th October
We started off a circular walk to Darden Lough however C wasn’t keen on the bog and unevenness of the path so we headed back to the car.
Drove to Otterburn for PC then Rochester for Roman fort. The fort now has 2 houses in it but you can see clearly where it was. Then we looked in at Otterburn Mill shop which is similar to the Edinburgh Woollen Mill and has the same weird CDs and DVDs you can’t imagine anybody wanting.
Home and then out to the Cook and Barker in Newton on the Moor. I had beetroot and goat’s cheese followed by sirloin strips with veg and a small bucket of chips. It didn’t seem a lot but I was stuffed. C had a salmon and muffin thing which looked nice. The food was good and well presented. A bit more pricey that I expected. Good beer. C had Pagan Queen and I had something else maybe a London brew.
Back for the last of the Cazalets which was slightly disappointing.
Thursday 15th October
To Alnwick for a pootle round. Delivered C to the renal unit on the industrial estate.
Drove just south of Rothbury to park up. Walked to Simonside summit. Practically all on paved path. Great views.
Picked up C. Home to pack. Lovely holiday but I struggled without the wireless and mobile connections.
Pavement up SimonsideLittle cannonOn SimonsideMade me think of Henry Moore
Friday 16th
Stopped in Wetherby on the way home and wandered round the shops. I found some Old Amsterdam cheese in a cheese shop which sold bread at even more inflated prices than the artisan bread shop!
Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map and use a compass with me and my navigation partner, Cath.
