“Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!”

All my life I have loved the sea. My mother says that when first taken to the beach as a toddler, I broke free of her hand and ran straight into the sea- I just didn’t stop- and it nearly gave her a heart-attack!

No matter how fine or foul the weather, no matter how sad or bad I feel, a walk on by the sea will cheer me. The beaches I love best are small coves with a mixture of sand and pebbles, where I can beach-comb and am most likely to be tempted to swim.

 I have always wanted to live close to a little cove and get to know all its moods and seasons, to watch the ebb and flow of the tide and learn how it changes with the seasons and weather.

Every day during my week at Banc Cottage I have spent time by the shore. In a few short days, I have already learned the best time of day for the beaches of Cwm-y-Eglwys and Pwllgwaelod and these became two of my very favourite places, which I returned to again and again. It was here that I finally took to the water and have felt the joy of long slow swims across the bay.

Every beach has such a different character and of course the state of the tide and the time of day makes such a difference. The little beach at Mwnt seemed almost crowded when the waves crept up the sand and everyone kept moving further and further upwards as the tide came in.

There is a tiny little beach close to Banc Cottage which I often walked down to at the end of the day but one evening I discovered it was better to climb up the cliff path and watch the sunset from a better vantage point. The coast faces west, so every clear day I had the chance to watch the sea and sky change colour as the sun sunk into the ocean. Some were pastel and gentle, others red and dramatic- all were beautiful and such a gift to me.

Late one afternoon I found myself near Penbryn. I was a few minutes too late for the cafe but not too late to enjoy the beautiful golden light on the beach. The tide was coming in and it was a bit choppy but I took off my shoes and trousers and splashed around the headland to see the little cove on the other side. I kept a weather eye on the waves and soon decided that I had better return to the main beach.

 The sunshine was catching the tops of the waves as they broke and the sands were golden in the evening light. I changed into my costume and had the most exhilarating time jumping the waves and feeling that brilliant shock as the larger ones broke over me.

At that moment I was brimful of energy and happiness. I felt completely free and absolutely me!

Joy!

Saturday was a long day. After tidying and packing, I left Pool Cottage and set off down the west coast to the tiny village of Moylegrove, not far south of Cardigan. I needed some supplies, so stopped at a local store and also grabbed food for lunch. Remembering my rule of ‘picnic when you are able’, I turned off the road onto a small track. There was nowhere to park and so I kept driving and ended up at the sea!

I enjoyed my cheese, oatcakes and a perfectly ripe pear and then went for a potter along the shore. The tide was out and I have never before seen such a collection of beautifully coloured seaweeds.

Needless to say, I spent far too long and ended up arriving later than planned at Banc Cottage. It is a dear little place, and I soon unpacked and settled in for the night.

I awoke to a sunny morning and a feeling of such happiness, for today I was going to see Emily and Jordan, who were down for a holiday weekend with Jordan’s parents, celebrating a family birthday

What joy it was to see them! They wanted to show me the beach they love so well, so we all walked down there, except Julian, who nobly agreed to come and pick us up later and drive us all back up the steep hill.

Tresaith beach is most charming.  It has that beautiful curve, there is sand, there are rock-pools, and it has the most amazing waterfall!

It was such a happy time, Emily and I beachcombing, Jordan and his Mum chatting. As Rhian said afterwards, it was such a treat to spend time with our children.

It was a perfect start to my week where I have spent every possible moment by- or in-the sea.

Moving onward

There are so many experiences and days that I’m not recording here. I have snuck off to see the sea- although I’d planned to keep the beach days for the latter part of my holiday.

This is the lighthouse at Penmon Point on Anglesey

 I gazed at quilts and ridden on the cliff-side train at Aberystwyth.

And I have fallen in love with the mellow countryside with its woods of mossy trees, glowing green meadows, lakes, and rivers. The tiny winding lanes with grass growing in the middle have always led me to beautiful places.

The mountains and their dramatic passes are still there to be explored but there is a gentle feel to this part of Wales. I have felt at home in Pool Cottage and met kind and interesting people in my week here.