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After starting from Prestatyn in July and taking a wet and muddy nine days to walk Offa’s Dyke, Steve and I were relieved to meet with Zoe and some other friends in a hot and sunny Chepstow. Thankfully, this summery spell stayed with us for a week. I found it interesting to walk through all the urban areas as well as the countryside. Although some may not see it as picturesque, having been in the construction industry I was intrigued by the engineering of the various bridges and the power stations. Passing through the Mumbles and the Gower was beautiful. However, starting the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the footpath soon changed; the terrain was rugged and the landscape was dramatic and we met many supportive people who were keen to hear what we were doing and encouraged us to keep going. Many of them had covered the path over a number of years and were impressed I was walking it in one hit, at my age! There were days when our kit was drenched, through wet weather. I remember one day, pretending to fly down a hill like Superman with my sleeping bag strapped to my rucksack to dry. Little moments like these, although may seem silly to some, were light-hearted and helped to keep our spirits up when days were tough (plus, it assisted the drying of my gear too!) We visited many churches, as I enjoy exploring the architectural features. All of the churches were welcoming towards us but one small church in particular at Llanbadrig, near Cemaes on the Isle of Anglesey stands out. On meeting an inspiring warden, Dorothea Bullock, we found ourselves engrossed in the history of the church and her family connections with the area. Her enthusiasm was so uplifting that we left the church walking on air that day!
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