It was a bad night. The wind blew me awake at 4am, got worse and woke me again at 7am. By 7.30am I realised the wind was seriously against me and the motor I kept hearing could be the farmer coming with a pitchfork. It was a cold, grey and unwelcoming start to day 112 and my legs didn't want to move. It was my upper body strenghth that got them over the fence, and then will power to get back on the path, down 500feet and into Newport for breakfast. A man with a dog called Henry (an alsation this time) knew the coast path well and told me that yesterday's walk was the hardest coast path he knew of. I agreed and was glad not to have known that before setting off. I also didn't know about the famous blow-hole which made it all the more exciting for being alert enough to notice it and recognise it. The scenery all day today was once again breathtaking. Dinas Head sticks up and out into the sea half way between Newport and Fishguard. This area is full of Londoners who have bought property. 15 years ago they would have been wary of Welsh Nationalists but not any longer for those days are gone. There are some lovely villages and properties around quiet beaches. One especially on the east side of Dinas Head which had both a beach and a (ruined)chuch right beside it. I sang. I walked round the neck of the Head as I had neither the energy nor the time to go round. On the other side, I met Deborah from Hastings who walked with me for a bit. Yesterday I went past a group of 4 ladies who gave me 2 Twix bars. I got to Fishguard where the second place I visited had a room for me. My landlady is from Finland, knows Forest Row and worked in a Camphill home for 3 years. There are a lot of drunk males in Fishguard plus the usual teenagers travelling in packs but what frightened me were 3 vehicles racing up the High Street towards me, one of which was the cab of an articulated lorry. I had supper in the Royal Oak which is famous for being the sight where the French surrendered their invasion force in 1797. It was a historical farce but nonetheless true that this was the last time we were invaded and not 1066. Alan and Tim are joining me for the last few days. They leave Sussex at 6am.
Posts archive for: 25 August, 2008
