Wales Coastal Path. Day 31, 32, and 33.

People. A friend commented on how few people are in my pictures. That reflects the majority of my walk. On either side of the villages are dog walkers or on beaches a few very spread out beach walkers.

I stop once in a while to have brief conversations or to ask for advice, but it’s essentially one long cocktail party of small talk. The longest conversations I have are with taxi drivers. If I can actually understand what they’re saying, I get a wee bit of local history, sometimes their personal story, and always Trump’s an idiot. It’s now Easter weekend which is meant to be the opening of tourist season. So unlike my first 30 days, I’ve encountered a few walkers, but most are surprisingly not interested in swapping stories. They seem really serious about their walking and don’t have time for my trivial conversation. The best conversations I’ve had have been with a couple of young people I’ve encountered who seemed to be really enjoying themselves and like talking about walking.

Day 31. Harlech to Tal-y-Bont (10.5 mls /16.9 km. The day I arrived in Harlech I get a chance to visit the castle. Another one of those darn Edward 1 castles.

To get there, I have to go up the ‘world steepest street’.

It’s pretty steep, but I think I’ve actually walked the steepest street in Dunedin New Zealand a year ago.

Evidently there was a back-and-forth and New Zealand won as the steepest. I guess Dunedin is so far away from Wales that no one‘s gonna correct Harlech. The day starts out cloudy and turns very windy and rainy. I encountered two walkers who were heading to Barmouth. So me stopping short after only 10.5 miles seemed weak. So that, and the fact that I was working so hard to find path I walked past pickup point, I decided to keep walking to Bournemouth. Fifteen miles and pouring rain, no one can accuse me of being a fairweather walker.

I make my way wetly into a great old pub/hotel called The Royal. The rooms are filled with antiques that feel like I’ve stepped back 50 years.

Day 32. Tal-y-Bont to Llwyngwril 14 mls /22.5 km. This morning my taxi takes me back to the place where I was meant to be picked up the day before and retrace my steps into and through Barmouth. I walk across an amazing bridge

Later I walk along an elevated path that goes on for miles. The infrastructure for the Wales Coastal Path is truly astounding.

A long walk into the hills up about 250 meters so I can look back on Barmouth.

And then a very long decline into a small town. On my way I encounter these creatures and for some reason are reminded of Beatles moptops.

I’ve arrived about two hours early for my expected pick up, but thankfully the small town has a pub. So today I sit outside and sip my beer in the sun. The cabby tells me he was born in Abu Dhabi. But then has to clarify he actually means Aberdovey not Abu Dhabi. I get to spend two nights in a lovely B snd B called Fron Haul B & B

Day 33. Llwyngwril to Aberdovey 12.5 mls /20.1 km. My taxi takes me back to the small town where I was picked up yesterday. I immediately start to climb into the hills and it immediately starts to rain. I walk along the hills in the fierce wind and pouring rain. The rain really screws up your phone. Not only is it hard to work the touchscreen but it starts to do weird things in your pocket like take random pictures.

I’m at a trifurcation trying to get my app to tell me which way to go when another young hiker strides past me thumbs up. I decide to follow him until he stops in a field and looks back at me and says do you know where the path is? Then more pictures of inside my pocket.

I walk along the sea for the last half of my walk today.

I’m in the tall grass and have a terrifying experience. I step into a small dip and yank the headphones out of my ears When I go to re-plug them into my phone, I find out my phone has been flung into the tall grass. Now that’s a panicky feeling. I find my phone now wet with a bit of sand but no less dysfunctional that it was before it got whipped out of my pocket.

I have a long walk back on the beach. I’ve learnt there’s a spot between the soft sand on my left and the very wet slushy sand on my right. You find that firm sweet spot and that’s where you walk.

There’s a pretty brutal headwind so it’s harder walking back than I thought. I make my way into Aberdovey, not Abu Dhabi.