As a now familiar early-morning traveller — there are only four passengers on the two-carriage train — the conductor asks about my plans for the day before I alight at Pwllheli to begin my walk back to Porthmadog along a deserted, sweeping rainbow-lit bay.
Penychain headland broods under heavy clouds. I climb up to the trig point for a better view.
There’s a diversion inland at Hafan y Mor Holiday Park. I can’t find any signs and end up trapped between the perimeter railings of a sewage works and an impenetrable bank of thorny bushes, forcing me to backtrack through the caravan park to the main road.
A dull roadside walk takes me to pretty Criccieth before working my way along the beach to the gorgeous Black Rock Sands and several shallow caves to be explored.
The vast expanse of sand stretches into the distance, patterned by the weaving of cars ignoring the 10mph speed limit sign.
The final walk into Porthmadog crosses several beautiful sandy beaches.
Next day
I’m excited as the weather forecast predicts a rare yellow orb in the sky for the first time in eight days. Should I change my plans and revisit places that were hidden in clouds? That feels a bit like editing my original experience, defined by the weather, so onwards to the Llyn peninsula.
The bus drops me at the small village of Llanengan for a walk back to Pwllheli. Buoyed by the blue sky, a quick climb up the headland at Mynydd Cilan opens up the most wonderful views. Bardsey Island lies far to the west and the land spreads out before me to the north.
What a magnificent stretch of coastline. The warmth of the sun, a soft breeze, and the endless sea. It reminds me of my hike round the Isle of Arran, where the sun only appeared on the final day as if to say “Look how wonderful this land can be, come back to us”.
Don’t worry, I’m in … all the way.
The path cuts across a field of tiny lambs with their mothers. I wait at the gate for several minutes until this little one decides to stand up and find her mum. It’s the first time I’ve met ewes stamping their feet.
A pair of seagulls chase a buzzard across the sea to St. Tudwal’s Lighthouse.
This is my last day, so a little celebration is due in Abersoch. Coffee with a slice of lemon and mascarpone cake. A slice? More like half the cake. I stagger out of the cafe weighed down by another Kilo and nine miles to go.
The path climbs up round the headland at Llanbedrog but the tide is out so I squeeze round the shoreline, crossing a few streams, before following a final pebble beach into Pwllheli. A beautiful ending to the week.
Walk distance: 35 miles.
Total distance: 2,789 miles.
That was a fine stretch. The cake was well deserved.
Bravo … more … more
Those beaches – glorious! And the rainbow, and the rocks.
Hi Tony, just catching up on your recent series of walks. What a variety of landscapes, places, weather conditions and characters you encountered along the way. A lovely stretch of coast to finish in fine weather too, great stuff!
Hi Rich. I’m back camping and battling the elements round the Llyn Peninsula and across to Anglesey. I thought Spring was here! 😀