Broad Haven (Wales) | Red Cliffs - Day - 77

I set out from Martin's Haven after a light breakfast of two granola bars and a coconut banana pouch of baby food. These disposable pouches are a great way to add fruits and veggies to my diet. They taste great and are much better than a dry granola bar. Of course, that leaves me with a bag of dry roasted peanuts, a snickers bar, and all the blackberries I can eat along the way. I estimate Little Haven is about 8.5 mi (13.5 km) away. There are a few restaurants there which I hope will tie me over until I get to Broad Haven for the night. Shortly after leaving Martin's Haven, I take this beautiful picture of the coastline, the beach below, and the path I follow is visible on the next hill.

I set out around 920 am. It's overcast and humid. The trail feels good, and my pack still feels heavy. I laugh, I know I've picked up a few items on my travel, but it feels as if someone added a few rocks too. Nevertheless, this is part of the assessment this week. I opted not to leave anything behind at the hostel to gauge how my pack felt on a long hike.

I also realized last night that my first rib is causing my trapezius and neck to bind. 

it has destabilized and causes quite a stir when it pops out. This is an old injury, and I know precisely how to fix it. With a series of stretches, I usually pop it back in. The first rib is tricky to adjust. It sits below the clavicle. I notice this morning that I can hike about 2-3 miles (3-5 km) before I need to adjust it. This tells me my pack is a bit on the heavy side. I think back, I didn't have this problem in Ireland, but my pack was a bit lighter too, and I did not have many nights on a firm bed yet, either.

After a couple of hours, I take a break and eat my bag of peanuts. Finally, I'm down to just a snicker bar. Fortunately, I am not hungry this morning. I am surprised by this. 

The clouds darken, and the light rain starts. I am surprised by this rock wall that stretches for miles along the route. I can't quite see over the top of the wall, but it appears quite old.

St. Brides Castle was initially built in the early 1800s as a mansion. The castle was bought by Holiday Property Bond, who renovated it and now uses it as part of their portfolio of holiday destinations. It's nice to see that not all of these castles are abandoned. However, I do have mixed feelings about the stark white modern windows.

Today's hike is dominated by red cliffs which add to the enjoyment of the walk. I stop around 100 pm and pull out my phone. I've hiked 8.5 mi (13.5 km), and Little Haven is still not in sight. So, I reach into my bag and grab the last of my food, a Snickers bar. 

Finally, I catch a glimpse of white spots along the coastline, Little Haven (right) and Broad Haven (left). I am a bit surprised the two are so close. The good news is that if Little Haven restaurants are closed, I can push to Broad Haven. 

It took me a bit longer than expected today. I was hoping to be in Litte Haven by 1 pm. It is now 230 pm. Of course, it was also further than I first estimated. Nevertheless, there are three restaurants, and I decide to fuel up. First, I take time to stretch out the kinks. The first restaurant is closed for the day. The second I walk to, they stopped serving food at 2 pm. This is common. Restaurants will re-open later. I walk to the 3rd and ask the young lady behind the bar if they are still serving. "Yep, you've got 10 minutes. Is it just you? If we place your order right now, we'll get you in." she says. I order the special burger with fries and a pint of Birra Morretti, a common Italian Import that is quite flavorful. I notice they also have Coors Light on tap, known simply as "Coors" in the United Kingdom.

I find an outlet and plug my phone in. I've been saving my battery, trying to make it last as long as possible, not knowing when or where I will be able to charge up. Finally, sometime after 430 pm, my phone charged, and I head out to finish the last mile with a full stomach. Below is my view of Broad Haven as I approach the town. I opt to skip the grocery store, which is open till 9 pm. However, that little voice tells me don't pass it up. What if the campsite is full and you need to keep moving on? I'll worry about that when the time comes. Right now, I should pitch camp before the rain hits.

My campsite is about 40 min past the town on the far cliff in the picture above. I arrive and pitch my tent right before the rain starts. Finally, around 630 pm, the rain lets up. A quick check of the weather appears I have a break. As I step out of my tent, the host is doing her nightly rounds. She refunds me 10 quids, as the shower is not working tonight. She apologizes for the inconvenience. We chat briefly, and she offers to take me back to town to the mini-mart.

I appreciate the offer, this will save me quite a bit of time, and I hope to be back before the rain picks up again. Along the way, she tells me her family opens their pasture for camping one month every year while free of cattle. I thank her for the lift, then raid the mini-mart to ensure I have enough food for the next couple of days. As I get back to my tent, the rain starts again. Well, at least it isn't windy, I tell myself as I call it a night.