Day 39 - Llanbedr to Tremadog - 15.5 miles
What a great start to the day - one of my favourite walks, from Llanbedr
along the river to Pensarn
than fun on the river?
'Many a time and oft' has our family walked along the beach at Llandanwg
and to the end of the breakwater -
whenever we've had things to celebrate, discuss, decide, resolve. An ideal place.
On the estuary, I'd met Bob and Wendy enjoying the morning sunshine with their dogs, Beauty - rescued from Romania and Lola from Ireland.
From Llandanwg, I headed up to Harlech Castle. Harlech needs some help! Many/ most of the shops have closed and that might have contributed to my getting off on the wrong foot with someone in the Post Office where I'd gone to post home my Offa's Dyke book.
She was extolling the virtues of shopping on Amazon - the range, the ease, the speed but saying what a hassle it was having to return stuff that was the wrong size or the wrong colour. I suggested that she wouldn't have that problem if she bought local. Oh dear!! Not a good start!! I thought she was going to close the counter and refuse to serve me. We don't need troublemakers in here!!!
Ah well! Point made! Whether it was heard is something else. Poor old Harlech - currently a shadow of its former proud self.
However, the castle is still open!
..and I met TT and Jerry again for a final coffee before continuing for the afternoon.
We also me Antony and Mary....
from Petersfield. On hearing of my walk, Andrew, a keen photographer, shared a few useful camera tips he'd learned over the years to get better portraits - I clearly didn't put it into immediate practice but at least I did get the castle in the background.
Leaving Harlech along Morfa Harlech, I met brother and sister, Jeremy and Amanda who were walking into the wind back to Harlech from Llandecwyn.
Initially from Gloucestershire, Jeremy is now based in Abergavenny and Amanda, just north of Salisbury plan in Wilts. They'd both walked in this area as children and had been enjoying the wide estuarine views from the top of Ogof Foel, Ynys.
I stopped at the lovely church at Llanfihangel y Traethau, read the visitors book
and saw the interesting stone dart in the churchyard
Then on along the estuary embankment where I came across another favourite of mine...
By the time I'd reached Penrhyn I was feeling parched so disappeared in to The Griffin for a reviver before deciding that taking a bus for the last few miles would now be the better option.
Waiting a few minutes at the bus stop, I met Fiona
a critical care physiotherapist who has recently retired from the NHS but is now helping out at the local post office. We had a good chat about the holistic approach to physiotherapy in intensive care and of course the challenges of working with ever stretched resources. Lots of interesting ideas.
Having been away almost 6 weeks, it was time for a haircut so called in at Barons the barber shop on the high street.
Until just a few years ago Paul worked on IT systems for Thomas Hetherwick - of Olympic flame, Boris bus, folding bridge and East Beach cafe fame. He and his nurse wife decided to give their children a better quality of life, moved from London to Trawsfynydd and he opened the Barber shop.
...and I now look like a smooth dude!!
After I'd met Dafi in Dolgellau, he'd been in touch with Paul, a close school friend and now retired GP from Penygroes.
We'd arranged to meet for a beer after supper and it was great to catch up.
With his new found free time, Paul is a keen flautist and guitarist in the Jethro Tull /Ian Anderson mould.
I was sorry to hear that Paul's mum, Pat is not well following a recent fall but that Peter is still going strong in his mid 90s.
A full day!
Total distance walked so far = 494.6 miles
Total ascent so far 61 135 feet
It seems there may be a few gltches with placing comments on the blog, so please persist or don't hesitate to send me a text or email - it'd be great to hear...if only to correct any names or details.
email: david.LL.thomas@gmail.com
mob: 07850109100
If you're tempted to contribute to any or all of the great charities I'm supporting, here are the relevant links.
Parkinsons UK - My dad had Parkinsons in his latter years and the research work this charity funds and the support it provides to patients and their families is invaluable. - https://www.justgiving.com/
Just Wheels UK - this is a small charity set up to provide wheelchairs in a rural community in Tanzania. It does this through funding training, education and the local fabrication and servicing of bespoke wheelchairs. My nephew uses a wheelchair and as he grows I can see the life changing freedoms that proper wheelchairs can bring to both users and their families.-
- RNLI - these are the brave guys who selflessly head out to sea to help others. I volunteer at Littlehampton RNLI shop and often meet families of those who’ve had first hand experience of their loved ones being saved from the sea. Having sailed for years I can say thankfully we’ve never had to call on the RNLI's services but it’s amazing what it does to know they are there
I’m astounded that you can recall all the detail that you report at the end of each day. Had it been me, loyal readers would see little beyond “Again today I met several great people living nearby and doing interesting things.”. :). Hats off to you sir!
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