Day 95: Llantwit Major to Cardiff Barrage

Last night I parked in the train station car park at Llantwit Major. I was treated to yet more boy racers. This time they even sounded their horns repeatedly in some sort of musical style. It was after 11 pm before they departed. Then it took me ages to get to sleep.

This morning I had to do a massive detour as the coastal path was closed at Llantwit Major due to 2 cliff collapses. This involved more walking facing the oncoming traffic on the main road. Eventually after passing the military air base at St Athan I turned off onto farmland before arriving at the coast. I had the beautiful scenery of the Devon coast on my right hand side and the power station on my left, which is in the process of being decommissioned.

I had to run the gauntlet of being so close to the sea and huge waves coming up over the top of the sea wall.

Area adjacent to the power station was a designated biodiversity area.

The path took me to the seashore at the base of the cliffs. There was no way I could get round that headland as the tide was fully in. However, there was a appropriately placed plank of wood for me a little bench, so I sat and had a little rest.

Then it was up the cliff and into the caravan parks. The sun was really strong today. I had to strip off my jacket. Everybody else was wrapped up.

The noise and sight of aircraft above me has been a little alien for a long time so today that reminded me of home as I live on the flight path for Glasgow Airport.

I gave myself a therapy session this morning. Saying things I wanted to say to Angela. It’s one thing thinking them in your head and another muttering them under your breath, but it’s a different scale actually saying it out loud. Clearly at this point, I was a gibbering snotty wreck. As the day has gone on, I felt calmer.

Today I entered the land of Gavin and Stacey. However, I have to confess that I’ve never seen a single episode and so I really have no idea what I was looking for.

A small lake in the park at Barry reminded me of the lake in Victoria Park in Glasgow where I do my park run.

As I came into Barry across the headland, there was glorious sunshine. I decided to make the 15 minute detour to Barry Island to go to Marco’s café made famous in the TV show Gavin and Stacey. It was absolutely packed and I did well to get a seat as the sun was shining.

The young lady that served me in Greg’s when I bought my gingerbread man for my afternoon snack was really lovely. She welled up when I gave her the hearts.

Coming out of Barry I walked along the docks where is a huge housing development taking place. Then the route was once again alongside the main road as I walked around yet another estuary. This area was a very industrial with many warehouses and factories. There was a distinct smell radiating from the silicon factory. This section lasted about 1 1/2 hours.

Finally, the path came out at the side of the sea. I took the opportunity to rest on a large rock trying to crack my back, which was aching. I lay in the sunshine for about 10 minutes before forcing myself to get up and get going again.

After walking through several fields with extremely slippy mud, I came out on the path into Penarth. The sun was starting to get lower in the sky which made for some good photo opportunities.

I breezed past the Award winning pier at Penarth to make sure I arrived at my destination on time.

This was the Cardiff barrage where I would rendezvous with Nikki who was going to be taking me back to Priscilla in Llantwit Major.

I arrived at Nikki‘s parking Priscilla on the drive next to Nikki and Si’s motorhome. They were the perfect hosts offering me a well needed bath and then fed and watered me.