Borth to Aberystwyth.
Walk distance 10.6
Height 394m
Train back to Borth
Total distance walked 11
Running total distance 21km
Running total height 394m
After a hearty breakfast I headed off on the first day walk. Borth is strung along a coastal road. Many of the houses even now look like the original fishermens cottages. Some are timber. Lots of small quaint shops along the route. I stopped for coffee even before I had really started in one of the old cottages. This part of Borth flooded in the winter storms. The huge sea defences make sense here. The walk started, quickly ascending very high slate cliffs. The views behind showing much of the estuary and Cadar Idris, its’ summit still hidden. The path sides and cliff tops were dominated by the end of season grass growth as well as banks of berry covered brambles and spiky gorse. In land it was mostly overgrazed sheep pasture with seeding thistle heads. A few fields had been let go or perhaps were to steep and were covered in dense gorse. The call of a stonechat did not surprise me. Perched on a fence, they nest in such thickets. Nearing the first high point I crossed the wide turf to look down on the sea. There below me sat a peregrine. I watched it for maybe five minutes before she flew and then a few minutes later saw a kestrel on a fence post and then three red kites drifted over. The birds I saw most were wheatears. At one point I stopped to admire the view and two raven drifted up unexpectedly a few yards from me. With a few rapid wing beats they shot off as soon as they saw me. The first place of note was an isolated farm house, Wallog, right on a small beach. A small restored building that looked like a fortification was in fact an old lime kiln. Yellow sea poppies were in flower on the pebbles. Extending from the beech and underwater as the tide was now in, is a glacial moraine extending for miles into the sea.
On the cliffs the last summer flowers were still out. Yarrow, ladies bedstraw and knapweed although most were going over. I saw my first seal appear and it looked like it was watching those on the cliff path.
The least attractive place was a huge caravan park. The coastal path above it spoilt by views of compost and detritus. Litter and dog poo bags strewn along the path. But despite this the park, amusements and cafes were clean with a guy picking up litter. A pity he did not stray beyond the boundary. I thought I must carry a bag for rubbish next time. The cold temperature was keeping people off the beach. Two RNLI life guards had no custom. I sat having a coffee, the only one on the beach. The day was warming though and I took my top off while I ate a healthy lunch of oatcakes and cheese. The lifeguard said the sea was actually warm. After the park there was just one steep climb before Aberystwyth. Had I of spotted it I would have tried the funicular railway. By now I was pretty hot and tired from the ups and downs. Once in the town I walked along the sea front to the Victorian pier. I sat for while and saw the first adult go in the water. He got out seconds later. At the TIC I bought a book of coastal walks also running anti clockwise around Ceredigion. I walked down to the ruined castle, destroyed by Cromwell. First built by the Llewellyn the Great it was also held twice by Owain Glyndwr. Aber is an attractive town and the harbour very pretty. A RNLI volunteer tried to sell me membership. I was interested to hear how many people they help each day and in winter they tern to flood relief and assistance. I caught the train back to Borth and then tried to go for a swim. The water was warm but the hidden forest as the tide was out was off-putting. Ive named it the furry forest. But I did briefly get immersed. After a shower I spoke to a young Yorkshire couple who are taking rides on all the steam trains in the area. Maybe I can incorporate some train journeys into this epic.
