Time Arrived: 2.00pm
Distance: 13kms
Cumulative Distance: 133.4kms
Percentage Completed: 40%
Ascents and Descents: 232m
Cumulative Ascents and Descents: 2978m
Weather: Heavy fog, rain - max 15
Accommodation: The Clockhouse B&B
Feelings: Neil - Good, Henk - Good , John - Good, Di - Good
We woke to a very heavy fog which didn't quite lift all day. The forecast of rain ruled our walking plan and we decided to skip the eight kilometres around the Dale Peninsula. Dale's sheltered bay was looking attractive in the morning light with the full tide and many small boats.
We met John at 9.30am at the little shop to buy lunch supplies. We were told the shop opened at about 9.30am. We waited and waited and at 9.50am a guy walked into the store and we found it was open! Not only that but the guy sitting outside watching us was the storekeeper and he followed the customer into the store. Unbelievable as the storekeeper would have overheard us talking and must have realised we were waiting for the shop to open.
It was humid and threatening to rain when we set out but we were reluctant to put on our rain gear as we would heat up too much. The path initially took us through farmland at the back of the village and then onto a high cliff path. It was difficult to see Dale and the bay in the background due to the heavy fog.
The fog was also thick over the cliffs and sea and it was very atmospheric. We climbed high enough on the cliffs to overlook the fog but later we were surrounded in it as well. We could hear ships at sea frequently sounding their fog horns.
After an hour's walking we were forced to put on our rain jackets for a short period. Whilst there was a break in the weather we had morning tea on the path just up from a large disused aerodrome.
There were many cliffs covered with wild flowers and they looked very pretty. We came across two bedraggled crows that looked like they were over the fog and rain.
At Martin's Haven we called into the Wildlife Trust Information Centre and had a coffee. We will be returning to it tomorrow to catch a small ferry to Skomer Island to see puffins. The little shop was awash with puffin merchandise and was being managed by an enthusiastic husband and wife team.
There was constant, steady rain for last 4.5kms from the information centre to our B&B and it took us about an hour of quick walking with our heads down. We were saturated when we arrived and our host, John was just returning in his car so it was good timing. We removed our wet outer gear and boots at the front door and John took it all to the drying room. It will be good to get the boots dried out before tomorrow.
My little toe behaved itself today after a little minor surgery with some scissors and plasters.
We had dinner at the local pub, The Lobster Pot Inn, which was only a couple of houses down from our B&B. When we returned to our B&B the fog had descended again.
We have completed eight days of continuous walking and tomorrow is a rest day. The weather forecast is looking positive. John, our host, is going to drive us back to Martin's Haven so we can catch the ferry to Skomer Island. We are looking forward to seeing the puffins.
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