Our stay at Abergwynant Farm has been all too brief. We could easily stay here for another week or two, but unfortunately the popularity of the site meant that we could only book for four nights. So I am out early in the morning to wander down the Mawddach trail for one last glimpse of the estuary before heading back to the Unicorn and packing up for the move.
This is another scenic trip as we are heading up towards Porthmadog and then out onto the Lleyn Peninsula. A good thing about driving in Wales is the quality of the road surfaces. It is never easy to get anywhere in a hurry, and why would you want to rush through such wonderful scenery, but it is extremely unusual to encounter a poorly maintained main road.
It is not too long before we reach our next site, Swn Y Mor, which is near Chwilog. Apparently Swn Y Mor means ‘sound of the sea’. We are reasonably close to the beach, but not so close that I can hear the sea.
Previous experience has led us to believe that a stay on a great site we have really loved is inevitably followed by a disappointment. However, todays new site bucks the trend. We are given a warm welcome by Royston the owner who soon tells us the best places in the area to walk the dogs and particularly recommends a wander down to the beach.
So no sooner have we pitched up and had a brew than we have our boots on and are heading out. I like sites where we can walk the dogs without having to hop into the car. So it is a relief to find that within thirty yards of the site gate we are on a quiet lane (the sort with long grass growing in the middle). This takes us down to the busier A497, but this has a wide pavement (this stretch is actually part of the Wales Coast Path).
At the roundabout at Afon Wen we follow the coast path down a tarmac lane, under a railway bridge and this turns into a path by a stream. The tide is out and there is an expanse of sand for Dexter and Crosby to run around chasing a tennis ball.
It is not a warm evening, however, a young lady makes her way back across the sand having been for a swim. They must breed hardy folk in these parts!
From the beach we get stunning views across Cardigan Bay and the surrounding mountains of Snowdonia. I already know that I am going to enjoy being in this part of the world.
Our amble to the beach and back covered just over two and half miles, not far by our standards. Nevertheless the dogs are worn out from dashing around on the sand for an hour or so, this is their ideal sort of place to stay!
19th June 2015
[To follow our walk you will need Ordnance Survey Explorer Map 254 – Lleyn Peninsula East]
© Two Dogs and an Awning (2015)