Sunday, 15 May 2011

Welsh Boundary Walk - a few thoughts for the enlightenment of my readers

I started writing this a few days ago and finished it today.
An impression may be gained from my posts that I am not enjoying this experience. I report the difficulties that I encounter which may seem to some readers like experiences they would go a long way to avoid. Yesterday's drama when I ended up walking down a dual carriageway was annoying and partly my own fault. Yes, I was cross, but at the same time I recognised the incident as being the sort of thing one should be prepared to take on board on a trip like this, and therefore it represented a challenge to my resourcefulness which I was already mentally prepared to take on in the same way someone playing rugby would expect to have to deal with painful bodily contact. It is not always a question of enjoyment, more the satisfaction of finding out what you can achieve. At the same time there are uplifting moments of pleasure in the observance of natural and man made occurrences, and the interesting contacts with people one meets along the way.
The concept of the walk was to walk round Wales as close to the border as was practical using , footpaths, tracks, and roads. I am not particular which side of the border I am on at any time so long as I am within say 1.5 to 2km or a bit further in the case of finding accommodation. I wanted to have as much enjoyment as possible - this is not an exercise in masochism, more an exercise in minimising such a thing. I will therefore eat at a nearby pub whenever possible rather than suffering corned beef and instant potato in the tent, and stay in a pub or b and b whenever I have the urge.
From coming inland I have found many footpaths almost unused and difficult to negotiate and have now adopted a policy of walking on minor roads wherever they offer an alternative within the above mentioned broad parameters.

Sent from my iPhone

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