Laugharne to Llansteffan, August 17, 2017

Conditions for today’s walk began last night at about 9:30 when it rained and thundered so loudly that had someone been standing next to you, indoors, you would not have been able to hear him/her talk.  The weather report announced that it would rain thusly for 92 minutes.  (Weather forecasters here are precise that way.) 

You know, so many things happened today that I don’t remember how many hours it rained after I set out, but it did stop for a while until it started again.

Mud, there was so much mud.  In a couple of places it was mud up to the ankles, some of that mud being mixed with a goodly around of fresh cow dung.  Yeah, it was pretty much as it sounds.  (You can guess what I said to myself.) Speaking of cows, God, herds of them ran up to me, then they galloped away, then stampeded back, making their snorty cow noises, which don't sound so good way up close.  What was worrisome was whether, in their friendly exuberance, they might crush me between themselves and the fence.  They did not.  After making it through one field of these bovines, I breathed a sigh of relief only to discover a herd twice the size in the next field.  These, gracias a dios, were less interested in me.

One small cow, maybe even a big calf, not a herd:

Shortly after the cows came three barking dogs running fast to chase me off the property.  (You can guess what I said to myself.) They were in the right, I have to say, and at least they did not pursue after I got off their territory, but it was scary, and the turn-off was not signed.  I really wanted a bit of time to figure it out, but I just headed through the closest gate, which turned out to be the correct one.

Through some muddy forested pathways there appeared wooden walkways.  Great!  Only not so great because as soon as you stepped on them, you slipped from the slime.  Your poles also slipped.  (You can guess what I said to myself.)  This was worse than the mud these walkways are supposed to save you from.  

Then there was the electric fence where there should not have been a fence. (You can guess what I said to myself.)  Now let me just say that this was a 15.5 mile day, which turned out to be 18 miles, so there was no time for nonsense like this.  I looked for a place where the fence was highish off the ground and there were a couple of feet clear of fresh cow poop, took off my pack, and crawled under the fence.  This happened again later on.  No signs, nothing. (At this point, I may have stopped talking to myself.)

After this caper, I was on a road when a mail truck stopped. The mail person told me that the road ahead was flooded and he was turning back.  Oh, no!  He and I determined that I could try wading through the field next to the road, but he cautioned that I should be careful because, you know, there was a river and all.  (That there could have been God knows what on the ground that could cut your feet, we did not discuss.)  And off he went.  HRH mail was not delivered today in some parts of Wales.  I took off my boots and socks, rolled up my rain pants to above the knees and headed into the field.  Carefully, following tufts of grass when I could, but with water almost knee high, I made my way to the tree line where I was expecting a gate.  There wasn’t one.  There was lots of barbed wire.  (You can guess what I said to myself.) Turned around and waded back.  Whilst so doing I heard the sound of trucks on the road.  “Aha,” I thought, “Maybe the mail person did not want to get stuck on the river flooded road, but these guys in great big vehicles are barreling on through, so I am going to get to the road, wait for a truck, wave it down, and ask for a ride.”  And that is just what I did.  This time I said, “Thank you very very much,” to Elden, the tattooed truck driver.

Things were OK for a while…considering….until I knocked over a huge, loose metal fence (you can guess what I said to myself…actually, probably not.  This time it was, "Who gives a….?”) on the way to reaching a supposed path that seemed to be completely blocked. Turns out that, impassable as it was, it was, indeed, the path.  I, however, skirted it and could not get back to the route, it being fenced off in every direction.  (You can guess what I said to myself.) No way was I going to turn back.  In this circumstance, I looked for the lowest point along a section of the barbed wire topped fence, and climbed over it, almost hurtling into a tree, (Here I said to myself, "Oh, God, please, my dental work!") but I did get back to the path!  

Oh, just to top things off, I had left HAT#2 (inferior to HAT) at B and B, which I discovered fairly early on when there were signs that the rain might cease for a few hours and HAT#2 might be needed, which necessitated a phone call from the middle of a field.  Fortunately, Marj, partner of Rose, had already found it and put it in my suitcase.  

Arrived in Llanstffan where I was eager to visit their much advertised deli and store selling fine things.  Fruit selection consisted of a few lemons and limes. There were some carrots large enough to please a horse, and a dozen or so old mushrooms.  Did buy a can of salmon and a cucumber.  Bread:  barely a loaf left. Ahh, some olives turned out to be decent, and I did have cheese and a few other things in my bag.  Tomorrow, in Carmarthen, I am going to hot foot it over to Marks and Spencer where it will be such treat to restock the red duffle bag!

Marjorie would love this so much!