23rd September 2018

Today we started our walk from Exmouth.  We declined to take the ferry from Starcross to Exmouth on the grounds that today’s weather was forecast to be atrocious – imagining a choppy crossing we wisely chose to drive around to our starting point instead.  On leaving the car I was fully kitted out with thermals, waterproofs, gloves, hat and a neckscarf – it was bitter but I was ready for whatever it threw at me!!

Our first little funny sighting was a seagull proudly flying in with his catch – a starfish – which he proceeded to play with on the sea wall.  Simple amusements!

The first part of the walk was truly pleasurable, lots of promenade walking and, being a Sunday, it was great to see so many people about.  And, by the time we’d reached the end of Exmouth seafront, the sun was out in full force.  So, the layers started to be removed – after all those warnings, it was a magnificent day!  We even stopped for ice-cream.

At Orcombe Red Rocks we joined the Jurassic Coastline with its striking red cliffs.  Google tells me that these were formed in a baking desert some 240 million years ago.  Note to self:  must learn more about these geological periods and dinosaurs etc. – need to seek tuition from the younger members of the family!

Nothing too adventurous happened today – just a pleasant walk – beaches, hills, fields, woodland, through holiday parks (the coastal path even took us right through a beer garden).  We had blue skies most of the day with a crisp autumnal feel.  Absolutely loved it – can recommend this walk from Exmouth, passing through Sandy Bay and into the pretty coastal town of Budleigh Salterton.  By the end of the trek we were down to T-shirts and carrying all the excess layers.  So pleased we didn’t get frightened off by those weather forecasters.

Saturday 22nd September 2018

What a difference a day makes!  Yesterday blue skies, today grey, miserable and cold – and an abundance of rain.

Nevertheless, we were up and out early to drive to Exeter for the Parkrun.  All eager to stretch out our weary legs after yesterday’s re-introduction to coastal hill walking.  However, on arrival at the start point and waiting in the driving cold rain, I felt a desperate need to use the toilet, deciding I would not manage a 5k run without a ‘visit.’  So off I jogged & walked to the nearest public conveniences, having to cross over to the other side of the quay, a fair trek.  Devastatingly, by the time I got back, the run had started without me – oh well, there’s always next week.  Steve, despite knee problems, completed another tourism Parkrun.

We planned a reverse day today, so parked up at Teignmouth station and caught the train to Starcross from where we walked back through Dawlish Warren, Dawlish and Holcombe into Teignmouth.

We had yet to eat, so after our train journey, we ventured out onto the streets of Starcross to look for a bacon butty – alas, not a cafe in sight.  It was almost 2 miles of trudging along a busy road (strange coastal path) before we stumbled across a bakery with extremely tasty offerings.  The rain had been chucking it down and deep puddles  formed in the roadside gutters.  As cars sped past us we were engulfed in tidal waves, only adding to our misery.  Steve (in true Victor Meldrew style) was adamant that they were doing it on purpose!   So it was with great delight that we found temporary refuge in the warm bakery and tucked into some hearty fayre.

The coastal path finally took us to the ‘actual coast’ just past Dawlish – the sea was now in sight.  In fact, from there for the rest of the walk we found ourselves walking on the sea wall.  And boy, was there a drop at the side … and no railings.  I made sure I tucked myself well into the inside wall and Steve gallantly walked by my side.  The wall was wide at parts and more narrow at others, but you just had to focus on the task in hand.  I had to stop thinking about those “batten down your hatches” forecasts that had been flying around and just keep going.  As waves leapt over the sea wall it was also getting pretty wet under foot, in fact in places we were wading through water – so soggy feet and socks it was for the rest of the journey.

And literally six foot to our right, trains were whizzing by at great speeds – quite spectacular.  It was in Dawlish a few years back that the sea wall and train track collapsed during winter storms – luckily today it all held together!

Between Dawlish and Teignmouth we did have to tackle a couple of sizeable hills – we were never going to get off scot-free the whole day!  Gave us something else to grumble about!!

And finally two little drowned rats reached Teignmouth – just about 8 miles in 3 and a half hours.

Steve’s summary of the day …. “well as Coastal Walks go, not the most spectacular of days!”

But tomorrow, you know it, we’ll be back for more!

Last year we didn’t get to finish the glorious South West Coastal Path so here we are on it again … and so also, back to blogging.

We did a little bit of the Wales coastal path earlier in the year but other than that we’ve had quite a gap – sorting out some family matters, enjoying the extraordinary summer sunshine and also, setting the house and ourselves up for airbnb guests.  All that sorted, we’re now ready to hit the open road again.  And this time around we’re squeezing in 9 days of walking before another little overseas trip – we plan to get as far as Abbotsbury in Dorset which means we will have to return to complete the path at a later date.

Yesterday we drove down from Milton Keynes in howling winds and rain, reaching our destination in Bishopsteignton in just over 3 and a half hours.  We have checked into the most homely airbnb in this picturesque village and will be here for 5 nights with our fabulous hosts Val and Elaine.  We couldn’t possibly feel more at home.  We were welcomed with tea and homemade cakes and a lovely chat.  They are two extremely creative ladies, and they disappear into their craft rooms where marvellous items evolve – pottery, glasswork, jewellery and quilting – the most wonderful exhibits are displayed around the house.

After a perfect night’s sleep and a delicious breakfast spread, lovingly laid out by Val, we drove into Teignmouth and parked up.  From here we caught the bus to Babbacombe which is the point we reached last year.  We love it on the Downs there, so much so that we stopped for coffee before starting on today’s trek – some might call it delaying tactics!!

So, walking boots and socks comfortably placed, walking pole in hand, wee rucksack sorted with water, waterproofs, hats, plasters, mints …. all the essentials …  off we eagerly set.  It seemed funny to be looking out for those acorn coastal path signs again.  It wasn’t long before we started facing some pretty steep ascents and descents, just as the guide had promised.  We had stunning sea views most of the way though and the weather was beautiful – bright and breezy.  Maybe a little more than breezy at points – nearly got windswept down one particular hill – had to hang on to Steve’s hand to save us both flying away!

Along the route today the paths were frequently lined with blueberry and blackberry bushes, as well as something of the ‘red berry’ variety which we don’t quite know the name of.  And with today’s winds there was plenty of windfall – so  we found ourselves magically walking along a trail of colourful sweet beads of colour – blue, red and black.

There were several places today that offered an ‘alternative route’ to the coastal path and we just knew that alternative would be flatter.  But could we take those alternatives?  Oh no!!  Must be the catholic in me!!  So tempting though, knowing you would end up in exactly the same place.  We might have missed some of the spectacular views however.

We’ve cut our daily walking schedule right down this year so it was just over 3 hours of walking, covering 7 miles and we sauntered down through woodland into the pretty village of Shaldon.  Stopped off for some lunch at the Clipper Cafe (definitely recommend) before making our way to the ferry for a ‘choppy’ crossing over to Teignmouth.  As we disembarked, the ferryman indicated that this would be the last crossing of the day due to the high winds brewing – phew!!

This easier approach to our walking day meant that we had plenty of spare time to explore Teignmouth in the afternoon – gorgeous town centre, interesting shops and cafes – we had a sunny stroll along the esplanade and visited the local museum too.

So an amazing first day back on the path.  Steve happily settling into his grumbling about the mileage signs and his Strava not registering … oh happy days.

 

 

 

 

Our last airbnb stop had extremely limited internet service and so this is a catch up of our last five days.  

Tuesday 5th June 2018

Another back to front walk today – we travelled by bus to Bangor and walked back from there to Llanfairfechan (getting to love this place, even pronouncing the name with a roll of the tongue)!  We made the decision to start from Menai Bridge as this is where we were going to be relocating to tomorrow – thought it would keep things neat but as it turned out it added a little too much onto today’s trek – not our best day!!

To be honest I wasn’t really feeling it from the start today – I have an ongoing knee problem which is getting more painful each day + I have a ridiculously large blister on my big toe!  On top of this my stomach was in knots as Alice was taking her driving test this morning and I was waiting for the phone call, as it got later I began to suspect the worst – I had no idea what time the test was.  Being the helicopter parent that I am I wanted to be there doing it for her, taking on her anxiety!!  So it was great relief when the happy message came through that she had passed.  I did perk up a little then I must say …. and when I was struggling towards the end it was Alice’s success that kept me physically moving.

Some parts of the walk were absolutely beautiful today – a fair amount of woodland but coastal views too.  The coastal path goes quite a way inland in this area as the King of the Castle – Penrhyn Castle that is – does not allow ‘ramblers’ through his land (fair enough I guess).  What today’s walk did involve though was numerous sets of steep steps, up and down and a few big hills – so we were getting back into last year’s territory of strenuous walking.  Plus for a large part of it we were battling against a north easterly headwind.

So why do it you may ask!!?  Oh we love it BUT today was just hard and it was too many miles for the mixture of terrains we had to cover.  When the path took us back to the actual coast we had to walk over pebble beaches and slippery seaweed rocks!  And the whole day we did not pass one cafe or pub – not even an ice-cream van!  We hadn’t taken lunch as it had not been our intention to walk so many miles.  By the time we hobbled (well it was mainly me hobbling!) into Llanfairfechan we had been walking for nearly 5 hours without a break.  So, not great, but at least Alice passed her driving test – yay!!!  We enjoyed our picnic lunch (which was waiting for us in the car) before heading back to our beautiful haven of an airbnb in Deganwy.

And later, sitting on our balcony in glorious sunshine, enjoying a delicious dinner and wine, the world suddenly felt good again.  I had almost decided to not carry on with this mad project of ours …. but tomorrow’s another day!

Wednesday 6th June 2018

Today we had to leave our fabulous Deganwy airbnb – this has been our favourite stop so far!  Tony, the host, is just the most lovely man and he has a great big black fluffy Newfoundland dog called Max who is adorable.  We opted for a ‘no walking day’ today after yesterday’s misadventure … and so that we could have a leisurely transition to our new abode.   Steve started the day off with a little run as you do!

We spent a little time in Conwy before heading out to Menai, mooching around the castle and the shops.  The town is highly populated by the castle birds – jackdaws.

Our trusty sat nav then guided us to our our final resting place for this little trip away.  The house was neatly tucked away in a tiny terrace but with amazing views over the Menai Bridge and Straits.  We were greeted by the formidable landlady, an ex-showgirl/teacher who was equipped with a particularly serious face and straightforward speech. We were informed of the house rules immediately and it turned out our bedroom had no views over the Menai Bridge because apparently we needed the bigger room … and it seems this was not to be questioned!!  It all became ‘a bridge too far!’

We unpacked our belongings for the last time anyway and then took ourselves out for the evening.  We’d decided to try our hand at bird-watching (is that what it’s come to!!?) and so joined a group of Bill Oddy types from the RSPB to walk around a nature reserve.  They were actually the most welcoming and friendly bunch of people and didn’t mind at all that we weren’t experienced twitchers – they enthused in sharing their sightings.  I was introduced to many new birds including redshank, black backed gull, lapwing and shelduck – oh yes, I think I may have the bug!

Thursday 7th June 2018

Decided to have another crack at walking today –  a fresh start.  Caernarfon was our destination and it was to be 9 or 10 miles.  Turned out to be a fabulous walk – at the very start we had to walk across the Menai Bridge which is pretty high, managed to keep our nerve.  From then on it was all pretty straightforward, quite a bit of road walking but also coastal, woodland, open fields, villages, harbours – loved it.

We had an interesting walk through Treborth Botanical Gardens and then later, whilst walking in dark woodland, we stumbled across a mausoleum – it would make an incredible setting for a horror film – we spooked ourselves out just walking past in the daylight.

10 miles of steady walking brought us into the town of Caenarfon … and what a pretty town with its castle and busy square.

In the evening we went out into Bangor for a meal and then onto a music venue called the Sky Room where we watched an amazing young Canadian band called Boxcar Boys – fantastic musicians.

Friday 8th June 2018

Still suffering a little with injury so decided to explore some of Anglesey by car today which was great.  Started off at Red Wharf Bay and then drove on to Beaumaris – another town, another castle.

Saturday 9th June 2018

Felt surprisingly bright for a Saturday morning (no wine last night!) so set off almost-enthusiastically for the Parkrun.  It was at Penrhyn Castle – although the ‘King of the Castle’ does not accept ramblers, he does accept runners on a Saturday morning.  As usual the course was described as relatively flat – they lied – well, presumably it was flat relative to other parts of Wales but I can tell you it was hilly!  But we did it and enjoyed the marvellous setting of the castle.

Later in the morning we set off on a walk to Beaumaris – an easy 3 or 4 miles.  So easy in fact that when we got there and refreshed ourselves with lunch, we decided to walk on another 4 miles … to Penmon Point.  The second half of the walk was not so easy as there was a lot of walking along shingle beaches and some pretty big hills.

It turned out that Penmon Point was pretty remote – managed eventually to get a taxi to come and pick us up … didn’t fancy the 8 mile walk home.

Sunday 10th June 2018

Our last full day in Wales so decided to end this leg of our walking trip with a short stroll to … Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch !!!!  And we have the signpost to prove it!  Another beautiful walk, not far and not too strenuous.  Walked through a very pretty churchyard at one point and the exit led us onto a beach with … lo and behold … a statue of Nelson.  The sign on the front of the statue read “England expects that every man will do his duty” – bet they love that in Wales – probably why you have to clamber round on the rocks to read it.

And so ends our coastal walking for now.  We will be back to finish off Anglesey and hopefully the rest of Wales.  We’ve absolutely loved The Wirral, Chester, North Wales and Anglesey and it’s good to have been back out rambling.  Thanks for joining us. xx

Sunday 3rd June 2018

Today’s planned walk involved walking from Conwy to Llanfairfechan (I know – quite a mouthful) but just to mix it up a bit we decided to do it in reverse – there was a reason for this but I won’t go into long winded details!! So we were up and out keenly from our accommodation in Deganwy and caught the train to Llanfairfechan (pronouncing the name when buying the tickets was interesting).  Whilst waiting at the station all the announcements were in Welsh which was lovely – really makes you feel like you’re abroad!!  We’d also been informed that Llanfairfechan was a request stop so we had to make sure we informed the guard in advance – luckily it was just a 3 carriage train and we tracked her down.  If we’d been catching it on the way back we would have had to flag it down from the platform like you do buses – so funny!!!

The coastal path signs in Llanfairfechan tried to send us up some rather high mountain paths but clever old Steve had found some new alternative lower level paths … and you can guess which option we chose!?  I’m sure it was incredibly scenic from up the top but we still enjoyed being nearer to the sea and avoiding the climb.  The downside was being close to a busy road but, hey ho, you make your choices!!

It was a relatively easy route today, a few hills but on the whole flat and manageable.  Some stunning views of Great Orme – it had been pretty shrouded in mist when we walked it a few days ago.

As we approached Conwy we had a bit of traipsing through sand dunes, alongside the golf course.  From this lovely beach we had great views of Deganwy, our current residence!

We had a little rest on the beach and tucked into our cheese and cucumber sandwiches, before calling an end to our 8 mile trek and heading back to base.

The weather again today was so amazing … we sat out on our balcony and enjoyed a couple of cold beers in the sun – a real holiday feel.   And, being Sunday, Steve got his chef hat on and produced an incredible roast beef dinner – we may be away from home but we can still stick to traditions!  Absolutely delicious, as was the wine purchased in a wine shop in Rhos-on-Sea.

Monday 4th June 2018

As mentioned before, Steve has committed himself to another marathon and so this morning he set off to fit in a ‘long run.’  I opted for a more leisurely TV catch up.

Later, with the sun out in full force, we spent some time on the beach followed by a look around Conwy with its stunning castles and quayside areas.  Liking this more leisurely approach to our rambling.

A very relaxing day all in all.  Back to some ‘rambling’ tomorrow.

Friday 1st June 2018

We were up and out early this morning – oh so keen!  Our plan for today was to walk to Llandudno and, depending on what this walk had involved in terms of terrain and time, perhaps walk on to Conwy.  The weather was dull … and in fact got mistier and mistier as we moved around the coast.  We were all geared up for eventualities though and the waterproofs certainly got put to the test at a couple of points during the day.

So, parked up in Colwyn Bay and headed off along the promenade and into Rhos-on-Sea, all very pretty seaside areas.  As we hit Penrhyn the coastal path took us onto a pebble beach (not so great for our old knee joints) and then, finally we were presented with our first big hill climb – oh joy!  The signs had let us down a little at this point – we’d searched other low level options but it seemed like the only way was up.  So up we went and there was one of our Wales coastal path signs at the top – yay, we were back on track!

But then we lost the signs again and had to blindly dodge our way across a few sheep-filled fields, battling through an abundance of stinging nettles and climb over locked gates until we found our way back onto the path.  Steve was so excited he fell off the gate into the undergrowth!!

From here it was all downhill into Llandudno and some more promenade walking, still heavily shrouded in mist.  We loved the feel of this town, pretty Georgian houses and old hotels beautifully presented – both pebble and sand beaches, something for everyone.

As we walked around the bay and up the hill we had views of the pier with its array of amusements – obviously a popular family resort.

From there the path took us into the Great Orme Country Park – a prominent limestone headland.  It was a fair old climb but so worth it for its magnificent views, despite the persistent mist.  At points you felt so high up with very steep drops to your right – but they had kindly provided a sturdy stone wall all around the headland to break any falls!

At the base of the Great Orme the rain started to fall heavily so we headed for the nearest tea shop and feasted on Welsh rarebit and gallons of tea.  After this sustenance we continued on our trail and followed the misty path through to Deganwy and then onto Conwy – both exceptionally picturesque places.   We will be staying in this area for the next four nights, from tomorrow, so we’re looking forward to exploring all the many attractions.

As we had walked across the bridge in Conwy the mist was so thick that we could hardly see the views on either side.  Even Conwy castle was obscured – not sure why people had still climbed it.  But as we walked through the city wall and came out the other side – it was like walking into another day … full clear sunshine!  It was like saying … “Tonight Matthew I’m going to be ….” and walking through dry ice into another time!

By this time we had completed 14 miles so felt justified in running for a bus that happened to come along – perfect timing.

And after a little recovery snooze back at base, we headed up the hill to the White Lion in Llanelian, where we had a delicious meal and a fun evening with Fran and Andy – some new chums we made on our recent trip to Thailand.  It was great to see them and we exchanged many travelling stories.  We had also met up at the cricket in Australia last December – and it now seems we’ll be meeting up again in Sri Lanka when England are out there to play later in the year – happy days.

 

Saturday 2nd June 2018

Why do I always have too many wines the night before a Parkrun!!  We were having a ‘no walk day’ today but we still inflicted this 5k run on ourselves at some unreasonable hour in the morning after the night before!!  It was a beautiful course actually and we both did OK – survived … and felt great once it was over!

Then we had to check out of our gorgeously comfy house in Old Colwyn, say goodbye to our fabulous hosts and head to our new airbnb in Deganwy.  We stopped off for an amazing breakfast in Fortes in Rhos-on-Sea on the way – it was like stepping back in time – but the food was delicious and we would highly recommend it if you ever find yourself in that part of Wales.

And now we are settled into our new abode for the next four nights … and it’s perfect … with views to die for.  We’d be happy just sitting on our balcony for the whole stay … but there’s walking to do and things to explore.  Life is good.

 

 

 

30th and 31st May 2018

Over these two days we have walked between Prestatyn and Colwyn Bay, 8 miles the first day (to Abergele) and 7 miles today. It couldn’t be more different to last year’s expedition on the South West Coastal Path – this is so flat and ‘promenade’ and this week we have splendid coastal views to admire. The sea is incredibly tranquil – soothing little waves lapping. Today particularly the sun has been shining down so there were plenty of families on the sands enjoying their half-term leisure. Yesterday’s walk was slightly bleaker – today it felt so much prettier, in fact it was one of those ‘good to be alive days.’ We love Colwyn Bay – beautiful seaside resort.

So largely it passed with incident … except that is for the hat! Steve has a very favourite hat – his leather cowboy hat which he bought on a wine-tasting trip to Argentina. I clearly remember the day he strolled back into Heathrow wearing it – it made him look even taller!! And since then it’s travelled the world with him, including our recent ‘gap year’ travels to South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Sometimes when it looks like rain he chooses to wear it while walking, yesterday was one of those days. Now our logistics for the day involved getting a train from Abergele to Prestatyn and, unfortunately, Steve managed to leave said hat in the luggage rack. He was so annoyed with himself and just really sad …. he loved that hat. ☹️ He found a phone number for ‘lost luggage’ who informed him that they were unable to contact the trains or stations along the way – they would log the enquiry and let him know in 10-14 days if anything turned up. Throughout the walk he kept trying to put it out of his mind because there seemed little hope.

After our 8 miles and a picnic lunch we returned to the car which we’d parked at the station. Seeing the trains again, Steve decided to take the search of his hat into his own hands! The train we had caught only had two carriages so that was the first thing to spot. After an hour of waiting along came a two-carriage train. So, it was just a case of how to get on the train and have a look!?

Now, for those of you who haven’t heard the story, Steve has a bit of history in terms of getting stuck on trains!! He once helped Alice carry her suitcase onto a train when she was going back to University in Manchester …. and the doors closed. Poor Alice had to sit there in excruciating embarrassment while Steve ran from carriage to carriage frantically pushing the buttons … but no doors opened and the train set off. And so pursued lots of complications – he had parked in a 20 minute bay, he had no glasses, no money, slippers on … and obviously no ticket!! And he didn’t want to go to Manchester! We were in the midst of making back-up plans over the phone, involving me, Tom and Emma, when the ticket collector came along – Steve explained his plight. She fetched her Manager and they kindly made an unscheduled stop at Nuneaton. The funniest part of it all though was that, as Steve got off, someone tried to get on the train and the guard stopped him, saying “we don’t stop here.” Steve jumped off trying to look as inconspicuous as he could and walked away avoiding eye contact with the disgruntled traveller!!!

Luckily yesterday in Abergele, the guard stepped out of the train and Steve asked him if he could look for his hat. The guard wasn’t particularly Mr.Happy – telling Steve he’d have to be quick as they were already running 15 minutes late. Steve jumped on and raced through the carriage …. and appeared at the door with a beaming smile … and his beloved hat.

So the hat had travelled all the way to Manchester airport, via Chester, Runcorn etc. and return, but had found its way back to Steve. Such a happy ending. ❤️

Monday 28th May 2018

So at the start of our second week of coastal path walking we finally came across the sea today! And wonderful it was too to hear the lapping waves, to smell and feel the sea breeze, to watch children enjoying their play on the sands and to be surrounded by hovering seagulls. It’s not that we haven’t enjoyed the Dee Estuary but we’re glad that it’s over. This is more like what we signed up for!!

Whilst many of the UK population were enjoying some Bank Holiday slumber, we were up and out early as we had to fit in 14 miles of walking – you don’t get holidays when you retire you know!!

A few hills introduced today but nothing major (as yet) – some pretty decent paths, the obligatory stiles, patches of overgrown stingers (note to self: wear long trousers tomorrow!), fields of cows, welsh dragons and a rather large boat!

Steve’s always on the lookout for a shortcut so persuaded me to shimmy up the side of a grass bank to cross a railway track – I did said shimmy but drew the line at the barbed wire fence to cross the track …. we took the longer way round – minutes later a Virgin train whizzed by at 125mph! 🤔

Unfortunately there was a fair bit of road walking – not always the most exciting of views … but at least we got to practice our Welsh in reading the road signs.

Absolutely amazing weather once again – in fact the day just got hotter and hotter. By midday we had already clocked up nearly 10 miles so we stopped for our picnic lunch … and then a little further on a delicious malteser ice-cream – we’d put in the work and this was a justified reward.

As we neared Prestatyn we hit the sand dune walking, always a favourite (not) … but the Welsh people are much kinder than their English counterparts – they had provided wooden boarding to traverse large sections of the dunes (not all) – so much easier on our calves.

So two sets of weary legs finally reached Prestatyn mid-afternoon. We rested up for a while in the sunshine before hopping on a bus back to base. A good day of walking today – the longest so far.

Tuesday 29th May 2018

Steve got up crazily early and fitted in a 13 mile run … a couple of nights ago after a few beers he signed himself for another marathon – 3 days after we get back! 🤔

Another ‘move on’ day today and also a ‘non-walking’ day. We had decided that before we got too much further into Wales we would head back for a look around Chester, so once the car was loaded up, back we drove across the border. Really pleased that we did, I now can see why people rave about this pretty historical city. We walked and talked, had coffee, then lunch, explored the city wall … even fitted in a boat cruise … and throughout it all the sun shone down. Stunning, lots of photo opportunities.

A beautiful scenic drive then to our new airbnb destination in Old Colwyn – absolutely splendid countryside views. Settled into a gorgeous house owned by a lovely young couple, Sioned and Daniel, and they speak Welsh – I love the sound of the Welsh language. And shortly we’re off to the pub … for dinner 😊

Friday 25th May 2018

As we had walked the quota of miles for this leg of our trip, today was a ‘free from walking day’ – so, what did we do, we started the day off with a run!

We’d promised ourselves all week that we would use this day to fully explore this beautiful village we’ve been staying in – Port Sunlight. As the rain decided to join us today we headed for the Museum first and learnt so much about the history of the remarkable entrepreneur and reformist, William Heskith Lever, who not only set up and ran a hugely successful business but created this haven for his workers to live in – driven by his passion to move people away from slum living and narrow lives, and achieve a motivated workforce. Steve and I have been bowled over by this place, if it wasn’t so far away from family we might feel tempted to snuggle into this still charming community.

The museum was interestingly set out and it was great to see products from our past such as Sunlight Soap, Lux, Lifebouy household soap and Vim – who remembers those? – it’s amazing what you forget until you’re reminded. Next door to the museum is a family house set up as it would have been in the late 19th/early 20th century – and it really was incredible the space and facilities they had for that time.

After the museum we went to the Art Gallery that Lord Lever had opened and named the Lady Lever Art Gallery in honour of his late wife. Again he had wanted to open the eyes of his employees to the wider cultural world – what an inspiration this man was. We really enjoyed viewing his art collection which included a Turner and a Constable painting …. and even a sculpture named ‘Deidre!’

The gloomy weather settled in for the rest of the day so a photographic wander around the village was off the cards – we resorted to some chill time in the house, early dinner and a bit of local pub time.

Saturday 26th May 2018

Now despite having had a few wines the night before, we were awake early to get to the Birkenhead Parkrun for 8.30am. It was in a pretty park and we’d read that it was a fairly flat course – there was however a sneaky hill at the end of mile 1 and as it was a three lap course it meant you had to face this uphill battle three times. Steve managed to get a PB however, I missed out on one by about 9 seconds – but it was the best time I had done in ages! Actually enjoyed it.

We sadly checked out of our Port Sunlight accommodation today – we will definitely come back. As the sun was shining we took the opportunity to whizz around the village to take some photos.

With the car all packed up we drove across the border into Wales and found a convenient parking place for today’s walk. We parked in Shotton and took the bus to where we thought was an ideal place to pick up the River Dee path, which forms part of the Wales coastal path. Unfortunately we didn’t get the planning of this quite accurate – we found ourselves on the wrong side of the river – this meant we had to walk all the way back into Chester which added an extra couple of miles onto our walk – hey ho!!!

It did however mean we got to see and hear (very loudly) Chester Racecourse which was exciting, lots of galloping horses.

Lots of straight riverside walks again today … still no sea!! Many many cyclists whizzing along this path. Some sections more scenic than others – Steve positively drooled over some of the ploughed fields – he’s seriously missing his OCD task of mowing stripes into his beloved lawn!!

So after 8 miles of walking we reached our destination – back to the car. We drove on from there to our next Airbnb in Bagilt. Beautiful house owned by Andy and his son Josh and beautiful sheepdog Frank. Showered and made some dinner … then it was down to the local pub – The Blossoms – to watch the Champions League Final – well, won’t say too much more about that!

Sunday 27th May 2018

We had a leisurely start to the day – doing less miles each day means we don’t need to get up at the crack of dawn. The bus from the village only goes every 2 hours so we chose 11.00am rather than 9.00am (wise choice). Another 8 miler today – a whole mixture of environments – riverside, industrial areas, woods, mudflats and roads (very noisy roads in fact)! Just steady plodding – nothing particularly eventful – a few more aches and pains to add to the collection, but what’s new – we’re old!!!

And back to our cosy Airbnb where Steve cooked us a roast beef dinner – can’t be bad. 😊 It doesn’t all have to be hard work you know.

Thursday 24th May 2018

Day 4 – still no sea!!

Apart from a glimpse of the Irish Sea on the first day, we have not seen the sea on the Wirral’s coastal path. We’ve seen plenty of sand marshes, the estuary (in the distance) countryside and villages …. but no sea! As beautiful as it is, we’re looking forward to a few sandy beaches and waves crashing over the next week or two.

We managed to plan today’s walk using a bus to get to the starting point and a train to get home, so were able to leave the car at base. The bus took us to Ness Botanic Gardens and from there we wandered down to the coastal path at Burton Village where we left off yesterday. To be honest, today’s route was not the most inspiring … the path started along the marshes/firing range with industrial views as a backdrop – then onto the longest straight path (disused railway line) I think I have ever encountered …. it just went on forever! Parts of it were pretty but SO straight – just like a Roman road. Thrown into the mix were some residential areas, some industrial estate walking and canal tow path.

There was more cloud about today but no showers which I believe the South of the country has been experiencing. I know this because Steve tuned into the England v Pakistan test match at Lords as we walked – oh so very English!

Yesterday we had wafts of hawthorn, today we had wafts of manure – huge mounds of it as we passed one particular farm and also some pretty interesting aromas on the industrial estate. Outside one particular Food company there was a pungent smell of cloves – reminded me of my Nana’s apple pies – I used to have to sneak the cloves out as I hated the smell and taste of them then!

We crossed into Wales at one point but returned to England a mile or two down the lane!

I’ve never been to Chester and was so looking forward to seeing the city that people rave about. I think we must have come into it the wrong way … only managed to walk through some not so salubrious residential areas and to the railway station. So after today’s 10 mile walk, we were not even rewarded with the magnificent views of this 1st century AD walled city.

But we’ll be back …. we have one more day in Port Sunlight (we have a day off walking tomorrow and so are planning to explore this incredible Grade II listed village we are lucky enough to be staying in) and then we’ll be moving on to Chester (or just outside) for 3 days. And hoping to catch up with our lovely friend Jo and her husband Jez and their daughter Lulu while we’re there – so excited.