Day Eleven - Aberdaron to St Mary's Well to Aberdaron, 8 miles.

Total ascent, 395m. Thursday, 11th August.

Total distance walked from Mold, 117 miles.

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So that's it then! Today we finally made it to both St Mary's Well and the tip of the Lleyn Peninsula, before further excitement ensued back in Aberdaron.

For the first 15 minutes there was some light drizzle but it didn't last. We continued clockwise round the end of the peninsula, walking for the first time without all of our stuff, which we'd been able to leave in the hotel room. Progress was slow though, Jen was taking photos of anything that moved and many things that didn't, so expect a 'beetle and slug photo special' to follow. The weather soon improved and we had clear views out to Bardsey where we'd been yesterday. Then it continued to improve to give us a glorious afternoon despite it still looking murky to the east.


Bardsey Island.

St Mary's Well is almost on the
very tip of the peninsula, and I can only describe it as a miracle of nature. It's a freshwater pool on the side of a small cliff just above the sea. It's often covered by high tide but the water in it never gets salty, and it tastes delicious (insofar as water can taste delicious!). The rocky clamber to get to it isn't a doddle, but we'd done it before and on this occasion were definitely going to get there.


Jen, St Mary's Well and the sea.


And again!

Just 10 minutes further on we were near the sea on the lower flanks of Mynydd Mawr, the westernmost mainland point on our walk, and therefore the end of it! All that remained was to walk to the top before returning along paths and lanes to Aberdaron. We would usually wander up Mynydd Anelog as well but we had appointments to keep...

At 4pm we had arranged to meet the Warden of St Hywyn's Church, Susan Fogarty, who had been interested in our walk and the reasons for it. Shortly afterwards Jen's secretary Emma, whose daughter Lauryn our walk is inspired by and dedicated to, arrived with her Mum and stepfather. After a short service in the church I headed back to the Ship Hotel where I had arranged to meet a local artist, Andrew Southall, and his wife. Unknown to Jen I had commissioned a painting from Andrew based on Aberdaron and in particular St Hywyn's Church, as a wedding present. When Jen returned from church with Emma's family we did an unveiling and she seemed suitably impressed! Which was nice. After a meal in the Ship we all headed back to church for an evening concert by a baroque quartet, Concertante, before which we were introduced by Susan to the congregation for our endeavours. Jen made a wonderful, stirring speech while I stood next to her like piffy on a rock bun holding a collection box which was a dog bowl with our poster taped to it. By the end of the concert the congregation had put £115 in it, which was truly stunning!

We went back to the Ship and bought a bottle of prosecco to celebrate (NOT with the collection money, I hasten to add!).

The Honeymoon Hike is officially over!


St Hywyn's Church before the concert...


...and after it with bonus moon and reflection!

Thanks to everyone who has read the blog and donated to MacMillan Cancer Support, and it's not too late if you haven't. There is lots of money still to come in and we anticipate the final total, including school events, will be well in excess of £5000.

A few shout outs for contributions made en route:
Sugar Plum Tea Room, Rhewl.
Llwyn Onn Guest House, Rhydlydan.
Andrew Southall, Anglesey Art.
The congregation of St Hywyn's Church, Aberdaron.
The Ship Hotel, Aberdaron (a night's accommodation out of three towards the fund!).

Oh and of course Woodlands Hall, Bontuchel for the welcome prosecco!

I will leave the final words to Jen:

As we draw our Honeymoon Hike to a close I look back on an incredible journey inspired by a little girl named Lauryn (spelt with a 'y'). Lauryn's own life was one filled with love, laughter and courage. There were many moments during the walk when I drew on Lauryn's courage.
I wished every moment and memory of our walk could be kept vivid and colourful through bottling in jars. However memories do inevitably fade and blend. I considered what would remain when all has become a memory ....the answer was given to me in a simple wooden heart hanging on the door of a cottage. The word of the heart inscribed in our wedding rings ...'cariad' 💛xx




-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day Ten - Seal Special!

Hope you enjoyed Jen's far more profound than anything I can manage blog post. Here are a few more photos from our day on Bardsey Island. Hopefully you can zoom in on the seals!



On the boat with a wall of spray and Bardsey Island behind.



Every one of those dots in the sea is a seal head!



Not just rocks, but many, many seals dossing about on rocks.



Ever get the feeling you're being watched?



Looking back at the end of Wales.

-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day Ten - Bardsey Island.

Wednesday, 10th August.

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As promised here is Jen's blog from our day on Bardsey Island:

When Kev returns from his annual long distance walk I ask 'What do you think about when walking?' When he answers 'nothing' I truly find this hard to believe. I was therefore amazed to find during our walk my mind quietened to the point I thought nothing...just enjoyed every moment of each day.

So here we are on Day 10 and time perhaps to explain the whole reason for our 'Honeymoon Hike'. The answer lies in this little place Kev and I have been visiting for about the last eight years. Apart from the beautiful and stunning walks around Aberdaron every time we visited I discovered more and more a great sense of calm and peace with our visits highlighted by spending some time in the tiny, beautiful St Hywyn's church. I learnt that Aberdaron is steeped in history as a last stop before pilgrims made their way over to Ynys Enlli/Bardsey and as such is a 'thin place' - a Celtic Christian term for those rare, silent, still places in the world where heaven and earth are able to touch.




So we were both very excited when Colin said today the weather was going to be fine enough to take the boat to Bardsey. Colin's family have lived and farmed on Bardsey for generations. It is due to their hard work that the island continues to be developed as a sustainable, although small community today.




The boat took us from Porth Meudwy over the Bardsey Sound, notorious in the past for shipwrecks...indeed as we reached the island the iconic lighthouse came into view.




Kev was delighted that the seals were waiting to greet us. We spent some time watching their charming antics, although at times we did wonder whether it was the seals watching us!

Making our way across Bardsey towards Mynydd Enlli I had to keep stopping to take pictures of the tiny, unusual wildflowers, so as usual I lagged behind Kev who was storming ahead in his full walk mode. When I eventually caught up we were both totally taken aback by the view both along the island and back towards the mainland. I imagined centuries of pilgrims and islanders taking in this incredible image of the Lleyn.




We ate our lunch looking back at the mainland and watching Colin ferrying visitors across the water. Why is it that food tastes so much better when you're sitting on top of a mountain?!




Finally we made our way back down and explored some of the island's buildings including Ty Capel and remains of the ancient abbey. Before we knew it was almost 3pm, time to return to the boat.

The weather by now had changed and our return boat journey was very exciting with a very choppy sea and plenty of sea spray. Colin is the only link the islanders have with the mainland and I can't begin to imagine how important both he and his boat are to their lives. Before we knew it we were back on the mainland, leaving Bardsey behind us but sure to visit again.

-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day Nine - Porth Tocyn to Aberdaron, 13.5 miles.

Total ascent, 325m. Tuesday, 9th August.

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Well we may still have work to do, but at least we are here to do it! We arrived at 5pm, did a St. Hywyn's Church selfie, trod in the sea, checked into our home from home the Ship Hotel for the next three nights and it immediately started to rain. Someone must have been watching over us for the past 9 days as we've had a grand total of 70 minutes of rain and most of today we did in glorious sunshine when we most wanted it. As for the work we still have to do: tomorrow we have booked the boat across to Bardsey Island, weather permitting (and the forecast isn't great, though we did go last year), and on Thursday we will officially complete the walk to the very end of the peninsula, but this will be a circular day so no heavy rucksacks! The blog will of course continue, with one major difference. As Jen is the more spiritual of the two of us (despite having never visited Old Trafford) she will take over the blog reins for the day on Bardsey Island, the historic pilgrimage destination. Expect some serious positivity!

Today was the second longest of the hike and began as yesterday had ended, with fabulous, vastly overpriced food hosted by Nick, a cross between Basil Fawlty and Keith Floyd (I'd forgotten Floyd's name so I typed 'drunk chef' into Google and he was the top result!). In truth the two most expensive accommodations have been hugely overpriced and hugely overrated, and this was one of them. Maybe we just don't get on with the formality of places like this, and have more time for the ones that provide a more personal touch. Great belly pork though!


Jen opts for direct route from Hell's Mouth to Bardsey Island.

We were away pretty early because I wanted to walk the length of Porth Neigwl (Hell's Mouth) beach, all 4 miles of it, before the tide came in rather than the very dull inland route the Wales Coast Path takes (irony!). Porth Neigwl is quite a beach, popular only with surfers but almost empty this morning and quite stunning because of it. We walked it with plenty of time to spare and by midday were sitting in the sun at the tea room of the wonderfully situated Plas yn Rhiw, one of my favourite National Trust properties (small but perfectly formed). We had a gift voucher to blow so we ate loads, fed a grateful robin and sat around for quite a while in the sun.


A robin with attitude.

There were only 7 miles remaining to Aberdaron, and after lunch the first task was the final obstacle between us and the end of the peninsula, the ascent to Rhiw. Once done we detoured around the headland, Penarfynydd, south of Rhiw because, well, it's ace! Yesterday I said that the Llanbedrog lump was the most beautiful place on the Lleyn. Well I'm not one to exaggerate but the south east side of this headland is the most beautiful place in the WORLD! Yet more heather and yet more fantastic views and yet more sun. Trust me and please ignore the potential contradiction with yesterday.


Looking back towards Hell's Mouth.


Me on Penarfynydd, with Bardsey Island behind on the left.

Which left just the descent to Porth Ysgo and the last few miles to our destination. Now if you aren't familiar with the area this paragraph will be of no interest whatsoever, but for those of you who are I must eat just a little bit more humble pie. I have had a few pops at the Wales Coast Path, but whereas previously the coast path headed inland from Porth Ysgo to a road and followed that into Aberdaron, it is now possible to walk nearly all of it along the coast. This didn't start well as the first half mile was overgrown with bracken and nettles, but then it opened out and led to excellent close up views of Ynys Gwylan Fawr and Bach (two islands), as well as a view of Aberdaron from above 'the rock at the end of the beach'. The path then deviated towards the road for the final descent. So 'well done' to the Wales Coast Path people!

It was very strange seeing St Hywyn's Church, then the Ship Hotel, then our car we'd taken there two weeks previously, knowing that we'd got there entirely using our feet. It felt even stranger because as I mentioned before we usually go at the start of January, at which time there don't tend to be many, no any, caravans or tents. And there were plenty now! But it's just great to be here.



-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day Eight - Pwllheli to Porth Tocyn, 10 miles.

Total ascent, 155m. Monday, 8th August.

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Easy peasy lemon squeezy!!! Well it was only 10 miles with one helluva staircase in the middle. But before that I should give an honourable mention to the Pontoon bar and restaurant in Pwllheli, as it was surely our finest meal so far in quite peculiar and inauspicious surroundings. When I lived in Chester in the early 90s my favourite restaurant was on the bottom floor of a block of flats near Hoole bridge. I went through word of mouth and would never have found it, or indeed gone near it, had I seen it from the outside. It was an Italian restaurant, possibly called Pacino's. I only mention this because we were staying near the seafront at Pwllheli and wanted to eat nearby rather than heading into town. I found Pontoon on Tripadvisor and the reviews were positive. So off we went, through a grey and seemingly endless council estate, miles from the main drag, until we emerged at the end of the southern spur of the harbour. I had been becoming convinced that the online map was wrong, but there it was, the oddest and most casual restaurant I've been in for a long time. The music was great (plenty of reggae), the cocktails were tasty (a mojito for me, a pink something for Jen) and the food was stunning. At the moment there seem to be a lot of people willing to have a go at turning decrepit old buildings into something worthwhile, and this was no different and is definitely to be encouraged. So if you ever find yourself in Pwllheli looking for food, seek it out. Head for the seafront and turn left into the least likely road you come across!

After the best restaurant and the best B&B of the walk we are now both big Pwllheli fans, but it was once again time to move on. All I had to do was stop Jen taking photos of the breakfast table, which wasn't easy. I skimmed through her photos this morning and they are so different to mine: all mirrors, boots at jaunty angles and sandwiches jutting out of their bags!


Looking ahead towards the Llanbedrog lump.

Today was simple: roughly 5 flat miles to Llanbedrog, 1 mile over the Llanbedrog lump, 3 flat miles to Abersoch and 1 to the Porth Tocyn Hotel. Hopefully that adds up to 10. Today was notable for two things. First the three beaches (yes I know that's already more than two things but I've lumped them together), which were increasingly packed due to non-stop sun. It's a strange sensation walking along a beach in walking boots and carrying a rucksack when everyone else is wearing next to nothing and clearly there for a quite different reason. Unlike the Hafan y Mor experience though I often feel cheated that I wasn't born with the ability to like sunbathing, or able to nurture it during the last 52 years. I'm also not keen on sand in general, though I have enjoyed making mortar with it in the past and I quite like sand timers. Walking on it is ok though (not barefoot of course), so I enjoyed the three beach walks today, as did Jen. And Llanbedrog beach has the fab multi-coloured beach huts.


Fab multi-coloured beach huts.

The other notable feature was the Llanbedrog lump, which I've always thought is the most beautiful bit of the entire Lleyn Peninsula. And especially now when it's covered with heather and gorse flowers. It juts out into the sea far enough and is high enough to give superb views in all directions. It's a tiny bit of a nut to crack though, with many, many steep steps to negotiate before suddenly reaching the viewpoint. Just go there, now!


The beach from the viewpoint.


Us at the viewpoint!

When it was hot today it was very hot, so we stopped for refreshments at the Llanbedrog beach cafe, for an ice cream on the second beach and in Abersoch for lunch, which gave us another of those "how did we get here" moments, especially when we spotted the 'Aberdaron 12 miles' road sign. We're used to visiting Abersoch at New Year when we usually stay in Aberdaron, so it was odd and quite disconcerting to see it packed. Abersoch always reminds me of high school trips I didn't go on. Teachers would ask us whether we were going and me and my mates would say, "Nah, we're staying in The Port, it's better here." If you've ever been to Ellesmere Port you'll realise what idiots me and my mates were!

It was still heating up so we were relieved to complete the final mile to the Porth Tocyn Hotel by 3:30, leaving plenty of relaxation time, blog tapping time and of course bath time before dinner...


His 'n' hers en suite!

-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day 7 photo special!

Spoilt for choice!


Hafan y Mor sewage works.


Exercise Area 5 - 'ciggie rolling'.


Exercise Area 4 - 'long step ups'.


An island on a beach - weird!

-- Posted from Kev's iPhone

Day Seven - Criccieth to Pwllheli, 12.5 miles.

Total ascent, 100m. Sunday, 7th August.

Addendum to yesterday - distance was 12 miles, not 11.

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We had yet another great meal last night in a restaurant called Dylan's at the end of the esplanade in Criccieth (there's also one in Menai Bridge). The building is a listed 1950's metal and glass affair built by Billy Butlin but never finished (it is now!). We arrived drenched after the wettest 5 minutes of the entire trip so far, walking there from our hotel. There was a happening, vibrant, hipster vibe, but they let us in anyway and we did our best to both fit in and dry out.

Today was mainly flat but the longest since day two. I did the Lleyn Peninsula coast path 5 years ago so I know the rest of our route, and there was one bit of today's route, and therefore the Wales Coast Path, I had a problem with. When the path was announced I couldn't help thinking it was premature, mainly because it doesn't stay on the coast like a good coast path should. Surely sorting out more permissive paths needed to be done first. The problem here is when the path cuts inland for a 2 mile stretch along the very busy and very fast A497. I did it in 2011 and it was absolutely soul destroying, so I decided to concoct my own detour slightly further inland today (a lane followed by a disused railway path, the lane even included the opportunity to visit 'Segway Adventures' and 'Bear Grylls Survival Academy'!) and it was lovely. So whoever is responsible for the Wales Coast Path, get it sorted please!

I have another problem. Jen is worried about me saying horrible things about Hafan y Mor (a Haven holiday park for those who don't know it), because she knows people reading this blog who stay there and love it. And so do I. Know people who stay there and love it I mean. So I need to clear this one up, I have no problem at all with Hafan y Mor, it's just not for me, so I will not say anything negative about it in this blog.


Looking back towards Criccieth.

Today's walk followed the coast from Criccieth before turning inland along the Dwyfor river. We passed a house that had featured on Grand Designs a couple of years ago. It was surrounded by a high wall, I had to stand on tiptoes and stretch my arms as high as I could just to get a photo of the thing! My detour to avoid the A497 came next, before we came to Hafan y Mor holiday park, so here we go... We passed the sewage works, we passed some chalets, I said "Hello" to some families but they looked frightened so I stopped, we passed more chalets, we avoided some go-karts, we passed more chalets, we came to 'Exercise Area 5' ('press ups and burpees', there was a lad sitting on a log rolling a ciggie), we passed more chalets, we dodged some cyclists, a man in tracky bottoms and a vest came out of the bushes and terrified me, we passed more chalets. At the end of the site we came to 'Exercise Area 4' and I felt the urge to get into the spirit of things and do some 'long step ups'. There you are, a positive reflection of our time spent at Hafan y Mor holiday park.


Me!

We ate lunch by the sea. The sun was out big time by now and the remainder of our walk was four miles along Pwllheli beach, a fine stretch of sand but tiring to walk the entire length of. The strong breeze helped keep the temperature down, though it took effort to walk into.


On the beach.

We arrived in Pwllheli and before long came across a closed garage. Nothing unusual about that you might say, but the mere sight of a tyre sends Jen into bootcamp ecstasy and there was no stopping her! Eventually I dragged her away so we headed for town and stopped for a tea and coffee before walking to Somerdale B&B, which is another beauty. I've grown to really like Pwllheli. I used to prefer everywhere else because they looked better and were geared more for visitors, but Pwllheli is the proper town on the Lleyn, and all the better for it. When we arrived at the B&B we were the only guests because a shower had been left on and had flooded the other guest rooms! The owner had had to find alternative accommodation for the guests who had booked apart from us, so he looked a bit down in the dumps. And our room is yet another beauty, this time in a Victorian terraced house which is not unlike ours to be honest.


Jen, please stop!

To finish I must mention smells. Jen seems to be into the different smells we have encountered on the walk (outdoors I should add). I could not possibly do them justice myself so here, at last, is Jen's bit of blogging: "Loved the subtle changes in the environment such as the earthy woodland smell, especially the oak and bracken. Today the different air was immediately obvious... sea and salt. The sky was brighter and bluer and looking back over yesterday's mountain enveloped in thick cloud. Altogether a lighter day!" I suspect this blog would have been of a much higher literary standard had Jen typed it all!

So after what was the most photogenic day in a slightly unexpected way, I will follow this post with a day 7 photo special!

-- Posted from Kev's iPhone