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78. Porthmadog – Porthmadog

78. Porthmadog – Porthmadog

Distance: 1.49 miles

Max Altitude: 40 m

Min Altitude: 1 m

Height Gain: 30 m

Height Loss: 43 m

Look at my ridiculously short journey today! My shortest day yet on the Wales Coast Path has a story behind it though.

I left Tyddyn Llwyn just outside Porthmadog and walked into town. Thank you once again for my pitch for the night and also the very kind donation.

I was meeting ITV Wales News reporter, Rob Shelley in order to film a short item about my journey and why I’m doing it. We spent a couple of hours shooting around Porthmadog marina and on the cob.

It was the perfect day to be filming and the resulting item appeared on the evening news later on.

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Hopefully this along with the feature on S4C’s Heno will lead to a little bit of awareness raised.

43. Bangor – Penmon

43. Bangor – Penmon

Distance: 9.93 miles

Max Altitude: 112 m

Min Altitude: 1 m

Height Gain: 203 m

Height Loss: 201 m

I’ve been taking it easy for the past couple of days. On Monday I discovered that I’ve damaged the tendons in my foot. It explains why the pain had been keeping me up at night. I have orders to take it easy as well as using orthotics to try to alleviate the problem. I’m trying to put it all out of my mind though.

On Monday, I walked across the Menai Bridge on to Ynys Môn (Anglesey). I forgot to switch my GPS on until I was half way across though. Schoolgirl error. Since then, I have had the most fantastic couple of days being spoilt rotten by friends of the family, Ann and Noel, who live on Ynys Môn. I feel like a new person once more. I’m not sure they realise how grateful I am but maybe they will when they read this blog. Diolch o galon!

Back to the trek…. This morning I left from the stunning Menai Bridge, heading anti-clockwise on the Wales Coast Path.

Had I not been right at the start of my day I would have stopped properly in Porthaethwy (Menai Bridge village) for a nose and a cup of tea. But it didn’t feel right doing so after I’d only just set set off.

I was heading towards Biwmaris. The WCP after Porthaethwy was routed inland for some reason, so I found myself walking through ordinary countryside away from the sea. I am never a fan when this happens, as it is meant to be a coastal path. However, I’m guessing the reason this happens in this location is in order to avoid walking alongside a busy A road.

After walking along a quiet country road for a couple of miles I was taken through a marshy forest and had to squish through a very tight kissing gate. My roll mat is always an issue with these.

I was soon arriving into Biwmaris and was relieved to see the water once more.

I always loved coming to Biwmaris when I worked in Bangor. It’s a popular place for tourists and incomers too; Helen Mirren owns a holiday home right on the sea front.

I love the architecture, the quirkiness and the taste of salt.


I didn’t call at the castle as I’d been before. So after a cream tea, I headed out of the town. The weather was perfect. The views even more so. This was the life!

The tide was out so I took the low tide WCP option along the shore. I crunched along the rocky beach, wishing I had more time to do some beachcombing. There were treasures to be found every few steps, interesting stones and magnificent bits of sea glass rubbed smooth by the ebb and flow of the waves.


In about a kilometre or so, the nature of the shoreline changed. There were caves cut out of the cliffs and clear evidence of coastal erosion.


It was early evening and I decided to spare my feet and call it a day. My stopping point was this glamorous bus stop just outside Penmon, where I took my shoes off and gave my tootsies a rest.

Back again tomorrow for more.

35. Towyn – Llandrillo-yn-Rhôs

35. Towyn – Llandrillo-yn-Rhôs

 

Distance: 11.06 miles

Max Altitude: 28 m

Min Altitude: 3 m

Height Gain: 86 m

Height Loss: 77 m

 

I didn’t get that much sleep. High winds had buffeted Clark Tent all night long and I had been cold and shivery.

Terry came to the rescue first thing with a coffee and breakfast bar.

A little after 10am I got a call from BBC Radio Cymru’s Bore Cothi programme. I had been invited on to talk to Shan Cothi about my trek. I spent about fifteen minutes discussing Cerdded Cymru as well as pancreatic cancer.

Terry made me a hot chocolate and we talked for a while. With that, it was time to say goodbye. I felt so sad to be parting company with someone who had become a kindred spirit over such a short space of time. I cried when I watched his van drive off.

And then, I was on my way once more. I needed to find my way back to the Wales Coast Path. I walked via Pensarn and crossed the railway line to get there. I passed chalet upon chalet, which contrasted with Gwrych Castle in the distance.

I stopped at a beachside resort cafe near Llanddulas for a coffee. I was accosted by a group of curious Liverpudlian women on the way in.

“Where have you walked from, love?”

“Cardiff”

“WHAT?!”

This is by now a very familiar conversation and I enjoy people’s extreme reactions!

My walk after that was uneventful. I enjoyed the feeling of the sun on my face and took in the views. When I got to Colwyn Bay, I could look back and see where I had walked from. I saw Rhyl way off in the distance on the tip of the headland opposite and felt incredulous that I had come this far on foot. Sometimes the numbers seven, nine or twelve miles can feel disappointing. But actually seeing the distance is gratifying.


And my pride was amplified when I reached Llandrillo-yn-Rhôs, where I could truly survey how far I had come.

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Erthygl – Daily Post – Article

Erthygl – Daily Post – Article

Diolch o galon i Bethan Gwanas am ysgrifennu yr erthygl mwya hyfryd am fy nhaith yn y Daily Post. Fe wnaeth darllen hwn godi fy ysbryd a rhoi gwen fawr ar fy ngwyneb! Dyma’r pethau sy’n golygu’r byd i fi a sydd yn fy nghymell yn bellach. 

Thank you to the fabulous Bethan Gwanas for picking up on my trek and writing about it so beautifully in the Daily Post. Reading this lifted my spirits and put a big grin on my face. These are the things that mean so much to me and which push me further

Diolch! Thank you!

Diolch! Thank you!

Fe fydd tîm rygbi’r gynghrair, South Wales Scorpions, yn chwarae’r North Wales Crusaders heddiw ym Mharc yr Arfau. Mae nhw wedi bod yn ddigon caredig i roi pwt am #CerddedCymru yn y rhaglen a fe fyddan nhw yn cynnal casgliad bwced yn y maes hefyd. Rwy’n hynod o ddiolchgar iddynt am fod mor hael a charedig a diolch i Griff am drefnu’r holl beth hefyd. Os gewch chi gyfle, ewch i’r gêm. Mae hi’n dechrau am 5 o’r gloch!


It’s rugby league’s Big Welsh Derby tomorrow between the South Wales Scorpions Rugby League Club and North Wales Crusaders Rugby League Club at the Cardiff Arms Park. I’m overwhelmed that they’ll be doing a bucket collection at the ground and #WalkingWales is also featured in their programme. Kick off is at 5pm so get down there if you can! Thanks to the Scorpions management for their kindness and generosity and thanks to Griff for organising.

Publicity! Cyhoeddusrwydd!

Publicity! Cyhoeddusrwydd!

Behold the first piece of publicity about my walk! It’s courtesy of “Y Dinesydd”, Cardiff’s Welsh language magazine.

Diolch yn fawr i’r Dinesydd am yr erthygl. Rwy’n gwerthfawrogi pob gair!

Erthygl Y Dinesydd

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