Blogs from Ceredigion, Wales, United Kingdom, Europe

Sunday 6 August 2023. Day 19 on Pembrokeshire Coastal Path - Newport in Pembrokeshire to Ceibwr beach. Alltrails app. 4 hours 24 minutes walking. 8.05 miles. 1275 feet elevation gain. Garmin forerunner 25. 4 hours 26 minutes walking. 8.1 miles. 1348 feet elevation gain. Saturday was a planned rest day and it rained. Rested my knees. At 0910 we left our Golden Lion Hotel to walk about 0.3 miles to the start of today's walk. We joined the coastal path at the bridge where the stream meets the bay. The tide was out and several types of birds were enjoying the mud flats. We could see that the previous high tide had deposited sea debris on the path. Before reaching the start we passed the neolithic burial site estimated to be 5000 years old. Archeology shows ... read more

I had originally scheduled my tour of Ireland to precede the tour of Wales; however, the Ireland tour provider informed me that the eight days of the 2022 Galway Races would coincide with my tour of Ireland. It was suggested I move my tour one week in either direction from my original dates for a less chaotic, more pleasurable experience. The last thing I wanted to contend with in various Irish attractions and restaurants was a long waiting line, so I request a flip-flop with the folks from Rabbie's Tours. That request was granted, so Wales, home to many of my maternal ancestors, got moved forward on the itinerary. From Rabbie's Tours, “Introduction – Wales is an intriguing place. Somehow this small country has more castles per square mile than anywhere else in Europe. Amazingly, 20% ... read more

TRISTRAM THE GOAT...AND OTHER TALES! Creating a special place on a Welsh hillside May 2020 THE BACKGROUND In 2002, we took a leap of faith, leaving behind home and businesses in Dorset to follow a dream. We discovered a derelict farm called Coedmor-fach, nestling on a hillside overlooking the Afon Teifi near Lampeter in West Wales, and converted the old farmhouse and ranges of barns into six cottages. After taking possession of the property in late 2002, and with the help of local builders and tradespeople, we embarked on a crazy six month programme of work that culminated in opening five of the cottages as holiday lets and moving into the sixth. The ambitious programme was only achieved through dedicated hard work, a great building team, and freakish good Welsh weather over the winter and spring ... read more

Woolly says - I'm never one for missing an opportunity and having heard Jo discussing my former temporary home town of Aberystwyth I began packing in earnest. With the weather in the UK exceeding all known temperatures and realising that it could change at any moment I made sure to pack for all forms of weather including snow....you can never be to careful in my book. With the day fast approaching I added my sun hat and raincoat to my pile for good measure and set about checking the route. He seemed to think he was going for a year with the quantity or belongings and having sent him off to choose his snacks for the journey I repacked his bag shaking my head over the six rocks that he had in there and the guitar ... read more

Woolly says – as the train started to pull out of the station I sat looking quizzically at Jo and her fumbles. As a torn up carrier bag and strips of card appeared followed by one sock instead of the usual two I really had to wonder at my idea to take her out for the day. It might have looked odd but having a developed a hole in the bottom of my trainer the previous day I was onto emergency measures and unlike the mammoth find it difficult to find people willing to carry me around! Woolly says – Of course people carry me around ….I’m cute! Once the makeshift cobbling had concluded and we were the proud owners of one wet sock I thought it time to start Jo’s education on our day’s excursion. ... read more