More Tales From Wales.

On Wednesday afternoon, August 8, I set out for my latest adventure to Cardigan, Wales.  From Leek via Market Drayton, Shrewsbury, Welshpool, Newtown, Llangurig, Aberystwyth and finally, Cardigan.  A distance of about 157 miles and a driving time of slightly over 4 hours.
Yes indeed, driving in Britain can be quite the long, drawn out process.  Unless you are near a motorway.  Even then, a motorway can seem more like a gigantic parking lot.  And thus, with little choice and with no satellite navigation, I encountered the occasional mystery roundabout.  This would be the roundabout where I'm expecting to see a name of a place I've mapped out.  Only to find that the roundabout indicates I'm heading for 'Upper Lower Piggy Bottom'.  This means I end up going around and around and around the roundabout until I decide to follow that very slow moving tractor.
For the next few miles, I'm stuck behind a tractor, going uphill, on a narrow, winding road.  There is now a long line of cars behind me. Finally, there is a safe opportunity to pass the tractor. Just as I'm about to pass the tractor, the driver behind me overtakes me and the tractor.  I still have time to overtake and now I'm starting to accelerate to an amazing 40 miles per hour.  Then I get stuck behind a motorhome, going uphill, on a narrow, winding road.  

However, the journey was worth it.  My friends, Julie and Philip, took me from their home near Cardigan, to this location, Cenarth Falls.  A distance of about 9 miles south of Cardigan.

Here is the bridge at Cenarth Falls.

The next day, August 10, we headed to Tresaith beach, about a 10 minute drive north of where my friends live.  Here is the signpost to the beach.  Getting to the beach from the nearby town of Aberporth, entails walking down a steep path along some very high cliffs.

A view from the cliff on our way to Tresaith beach.

My friend, Philip, taking in the breathtaking panorama.

And a couple of canoeists on such a glorious, sunny day.

A first glimpse of Tresaith beach.  Do you see the waterfall in the middle of the photo?

Tresaith beach.

The waterfall.

A look back towards the beach from near the waterfall.

Evening was drawing in and the sun cast sparkles of light upon the sea.

On this, the third day of my journey, I looked upon the reflections in the sea.  And yes, fleeting glimpses of dolphins, brought on a sense of excitement, of awe, of wonder.  There they were, a trio leaping in and out of turquoise waters.  I listened to the crashing waves and the crying of the seagulls.  I dipped my toes in pristine seas and I knew, I just knew, that the positive journey that I felt in Wales, was only the beginning.