"There's no need to rush this morning. Take your time with checkout," says Simon after I return from breakfast. "I've had a few meetings come up, so I won't be able to see you off," he says. We say our goodbyes, and I head up to pack. It makes me feel welcome, and a sense of belonging rises from within. I take a moment to enjoy the feeling. The Welsh remind me of the Irish in many good ways. Sometime after 11 am, I am fully packed and make my way out the door. After locking the door, I slide the keys back through the mailslot. I am glad I won't need to double back to Cardiff to drop off keys.
I have no agenda today except relocating to Swansea (Swan zee). I decide to spend more time wandering downtown before grabbing lunch. Once I am done, I look at my phone to book my bus ticket to Swansea. Well, I will not make it across town in 5 minutes. So I buy a ticket for the next bus at 305 pm, about 2.5 hours from now. I feel unfulfilled with downtown today, so I head towards the bus stop. My pack feels good today. Instead of sitting for the next two hours, I decide to continue my rehab. I spent the next 2 hours walking around a large park bifurcated by the River Taff. I check my app, and I am at 2.8 mph (4.5 kph), a comfortable pace on the flat ground. More importantly, nothing hurts today. I estimate I walked a little over 4 miles by the time I boarded the bus. I am pleased I put my time to good use today. The parc has several wooden sculptures displayed throughout. This is my favorite reminder to keep a slow pace when I have a pack on my back.
I arrive in Swansea around 430 pm. There weren't many affordable places to stay in Swansea, so I decided to stay at the CWTSH Hostel. I could use a bit of socializing, and the rate is only $32.50 a night. We seem to be on the backside of the heat wave, so I hope it is not too hot at night. These multi-bed dorms are usually warm, and it can be awful when you are in an area without AC!
The remnants of Swansea Castle are a short walk from the bus station and a stone's throw from the Hostel. The castle was built in the early 1100s and sacked in the late 1200s. Due to its tumultuous past, the castle was rebuilt several times.
Some cities swallow up their historical sites, and they disappear within the modern city. Bristol is this way. On the other hand, Swansea has left space for this historic landmark to be part of the contemporary city. I like the contrast between the buildings.
The following day, I look for a nearby hike on my app. The weather is supposed to be unsettled, and today is my best shot at nice weather for a hike. I decided to combine two routes and leave directly from the Hostel. The route I initially picked is only 10.5 mi (17 km); my body is telling me that is not enough today. So I add another 6 mi (9.5 km) by leaving from the Hostel and walking to The Mumbles along the coastal path.
I am looking forward to this. At the end of the hike, I can take Bus 118 from Penmaen, Wales, back to Swansea. As I gather my things and prepare for the day, a young kid from near Bath, and I start a conversation. Adam is a tall, blond-haired kid traveling around the United Kingdom. We share ideas about destinations. Adam highly recommends I visit Bath, about an hour southeast of Bristol. As we discuss different dialects in the United Kingdom, another Adam joins our conversation. Dreadlock Adam is tall, dark-skinned, and from the Wales area.
Dreadlock Adam and I continue the conversation well after Blond Adam has excused himself. We talk about life lessons, meditation, and struggles that we've been through. I enjoy our conversation. We dive deep into life philosophies, and our experiences. "I evaluated my life one day. That's when I noticed I had one income stream and 10 things drawing money out of my account. So I asked myself, what if I flipped that model?" he tells me. This resonates with me, as I have also flipped my life model. I am guessing we spent 1.5 hours talking before we both decided it was time to move on, though we both agree we could converse all day together.
A quick check, there are still buses in Penmaen, but now they have moved to an hourly schedule. It's nearly 1pm, after lunch, when I finally leave Swansea and begin the walk. I am targeting the 7 pm bus in Penmaen. I won't have as much time to explore, but I would not trade this morning's conversation for more time. The first 6 miles are along the Swansea bay coastal path. Across the bay to the south lies The Mumbles in the distance. I plan to walk around the entire bay, then around the point in the distance.
It doesn't take long before I have my full rain gear on. The rain is light, needle-like, and steady. Within minutes all my rain gear is wet. I recall that the rain wasn't supposed to start until 4 pm today. Oh well. The temperature is pleasant. It just happens to be raining, so I don't mind it.
I pass the little town known as The Mumbles and encounter the
Gower - Area of Natural Beauty sign. The Mumbles marks the eastern edge of the Gower Peninsula. The Mumbles and Three Cliffs Bay are must-see destinations, so what better way to see them than on foot? The wind and the rain have picked up. This is a real rainstorm now.
The rain finally eases, and the clouds lift long enough for me to take this coastline photo on the backside of The Mumbles. Unfortunately, the rain resumes every time I remove my hood and hope to let the wind dry me off. I laugh. Good thing I am warm because this could be miserable today. I don't mind hiking in the rain, as long as I am not cold or wet.
I am making good time and ought to easily reach Penmaen by 7 pm. I am delighted with how well this trek is going. I finally take a break at 11 mi (17 km) as the rain lets up. I refuel, rehydrate, and resume the hike. Most of the coastline today is socked in with fog. Many photos simply do not turn out; I am fortunate for the few that did.
Around 530 pm, I reach the south side of Three Cliffs Bay. The tide is out, and the white sand beach is stunning. Behind the second point is Oxwich Beach, another great destination. I will not be hiking to it today.
Even though the trail suggests staying up high and heading east, I drop down the steep sandy cliffs and make my way to the beach. I am rewarded with the scenic view below, which is just on the other side of the nob in the photo's foreground above.
The rain finally lets up, and I continue my walk across the beach and then begin my climb up the other side to the bus stop. I arrive at the bus stop at about a quarter past 6 pm. Well done! I just walked 17 mi (27 km) and feel great! Even better, I think I could have carried more weight or walked longer. This is excellent news and why I wanted to make this journey today. The elevation gains were not incredibly long, but there were some steep sections, and it was wet. Nevertheless, I am in great spirits after today and can now start to think about the Camino in Spain more seriously.
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