Day 15 - Goodwick - Newport

Time Departed: 9.00am

Time Arrived: 3.15pm

Distance: 22kms 

Cumulative Distance: 259kms

Percentage Completed: 89%

Ascents and Descents: 737m

Cumulative Ascents and Descents: 5865m

Weather: Sunny then overcast, cool, rain. Max 16

Accommodation: Carningli House B&B

Feelings: Neil - Great, Henk - Great, Di - Not great!, John - Wanna feel great! 

This entry is divided into two parts as John and I didn't walk today. I woke up with a bad headache which is unusual for me and decided that walking was not an option. Henk thinks I'm still a bit dehydrated from yesterday. After breakfast we met Ron who was staying at the nearby B&B. I hitched a ride with Ron to the Main Street of Fishguard which is a short distance from Goodwick. It was on Ron's way to returning to Manchester. It was a bit chilly walking down the Main Street when I realised I had left my jacket in Ron's car. Next thing Ron was tooting his horn coming back up the street and I had my jacket again. Thank you, Ron!

I decided to walk down to Lower Town which was a ten minute steep walk down to the harbour where the Coast Path goes around. The tide was out in the lovely harbour and I enjoyed sitting on a bench watching the comings and goings. 

I thought I might catch the guys as they walked through Lower Town. I waited for about twenty minutes thinking I had missed them when they arrived. John decided that due to his "walker's rash" he would not enjoy today's walk so he joined me and we spent the day together at Fishguard and Newport. We had a really enjoyable day. 

From Lower Harbour we walked up the steep path to go to Fishguard's Town Hall in the main square to visit "The Last Invasion Tapestry". It was magnificent and designed on a similar style as the Bayeux Tapestry and commemorates the last invasion on UK soil at Fishguard in 1797. 

To commemorate the 200th Anniversary 77 local people helped make the thirty metre tapestry over four years using embroidery stitches the same as those used by medieval embroiderers. John and I watched a documentary on the making of the tapestry and it was fascinating.

In the early afternoon we caught the bus from Fishguard to Newtown and this took about fifteen minutes. We called into The Royal Oak Inn and the lady at the bar directed us down to the cafe on the esplanade. We thought it would be a good place to meet Neil and Henk but the cafe was closed and it had begun to rain. We walked back up to the town and ensconced ourselves in the warm pub and had a late lunch and waited for Neil and Henk to arrive. 

Neil and Henk's Day: 

We set out without Di and after going to Tesco's for lunch supplies we were on our way. We came across Di at Lower Town which was a nice surprise and John decided to join her and not continue walking to Newport. 

At the 12kms mark we took our first break at 11.45am at The Old Sailor's Inn. The sign said the inn was closed so we ate our lunch at a picnic able outside the pub and it was very cold. It was only then that we realised that the place was open and the lady came out and put the sign up which said "No Picnics". We went inside and had a hot coffee before getting underway again.

It was misty rain most of the day however the path was good. We climbed our highest peak at 150m and took photos of each other at the Trig Point.  

Despite the weather the walk was an enjoyable one and was mostly easy. Many times we walked alongside hedgerows which protected us. The views over the cliffs were spectacular again.

When we reached the estuary at Newtown the tide was out. 

It was good to get inside The Royal Oak at Newtown and meet up with Di and John. 

We booked a table for seven o'clock at The Royal Oak for dinner. 

Tomorrow is a rest day before completing our last walking day the following day.