Best Foot Forward

Saturday 20th April 2013

Pembrokeshire Coast - Day 2

OK, so first off, we made it to tonight's youth hostel without getting stuck in the pub or having to get a taxi. The cold and snot are still with me, but I think are getting a bit better.

Some statistics for the day:
Miles walked = 20 plus a bit extra when we got lost near the end
Steps taken = 46,793 (Claire's is a bit less as she takes big steps)
Calories burned = 3,403
Net daily calorie intake = -270 (despite the fact that I have just eaten half a bar of chocolate)

We left this morning's youth hostel at a fairly prompt 7.20am. It was a bit chilly but looked the the beginning of a lovely day. We didn't seem to make much progress to start with. The guidebook has estimated times for different sections, and we were way over on our first section. We eventually had to stop for a break because I was starving and demanding flapjack and tea. After that we managed to speed up a lot, so we must have been on an early morning go-slow. Or that flapjack was really weighing my bag down.

The day turned out to fulfil all its early morning potential. There's hardly been a cloud in the sky all day. The views along the coast were amazing, with the sea a turquoise colour, it was more like being in Greece than Wales.



In the first photo, which was taken at just past the half way point, the headland on the horizon is where we started!


We were rather envious of a group of sea kayakers we spotted launching their boats at a tranquil little cove. Maybe next year...



We had lunch in the pub I mentioned yesterday, which was called the Sloop Inn, in a tiny village called Porthgain. We decided not to have a beer but did have a Bakewell Tart for pudding, which probably slowed us down almost as much as a beer would have done. After lunch we dragged ourselves and our Bakewell Tarts up a never ending staircase to start our walk across the cliffs to St. David's.

We both felt OK after the morning's walking, but by the time we had our afternoon tea break we were both wishing the walk had ended at the pub. We both hurt pretty much everywhere, but especially feet and hips.

After trying to take a short cut to St. David's youth hostel, which resulted in ever decreasing circles in the area, we finally arrived and are now settled in to our room. We have our own room tonight, which is tiny, but at least I don't have to worry about disturbing anyone with my snoring or sleep walking antics. Except Claire, but she's used to it.

A close inspection in the mirror confirmed my suspicions that I have managed to get embarrassing sunburn lines AGAIN. When will I learn about this. I'm sure this is the third or fourth blog I've written about being taken by surprise by the sun. On top of the sunburn, I also have a bright red nose from blowing it all day.


Tomorrow the Met Office says it is going to rain quite a lot. We find that hard to believe given that there wasn't a cloud in the sky when the sun set, but we'll see. Tomorrow's walk is another 20 miles, which I am a bit apprehensive about after today's efforts, although I think we will be spurred on by the knowledge that tomorrow's pub is at the END of the day's walking AND we don't have to be up at the crack of dawn the following day.


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Location:Pembrokeshire Coast Path