“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!

A month in the Country- September spent in Wales

 My solitary adventure started in a very sociable and friendly way, as I stayed with family for my first two nights and it wasn’t until I drove up the very bumpy track and saw the tiny cottage, which was to be my home for the week, that I said to myself “ Ok Jane- this is it”.

The peace and feeling of space started to seep into my mind as I sat outside that first evening. It was so quiet I could hear the faint soughing of the wind in the pine trees across the valley. And the sheep of course- dotted around the hillside in every uncomfortable place and in constant communication with each other.

I find the beginning of every holiday rather disconcerting. I try not to plan and so all the days lie ahead, clear and uncluttered waiting for me to fill them with enjoyment and to ‘make the most’ of every moment. I have to remind myself that this is not necessary and I have come here to escape from the constant expectations I have of myself. It has become very popular to try to live in the moment but even that can be tiring and I often feel I have failed to appreciate the beauty of life.

So I am being kind to myself and taking time to settle in. And so often the happy times and beautiful moments come to us when we’re not trying too hard. I was given some very good advice from my brother Jon during lockdown: ‘Take a picnic and eat outside’. Sitting in the heather and eating a hardboiled egg and oatcakes was one of those good moments.

So far the weather has kind, in fact yesterday was a day of blue skies and blazing sun. I had been told of a fine walk behind my cottage and I knew I ought to make an attempt at least.

I do not like walking up hill. I like it even less if the way is rough and uneven, however there was a slim road leading to a slate quarry at the top of the mountain, so I decided to take that route. There was some tripping and squelching, climbing and staggering but finally I reached the road at the bottom of the valley.

Once I can forget about my feet, I am free to look around me and enjoy myself. The hillsides here are quite bare, mainly rough grass, thistles and brown flowering rush. Some of the hillsides have heather but there aren’t the great expanses of purple flowers that I loved in Scotland. It is beautiful though and my heart lifted at the sound of the stream that accompanied me for most of my walk.

It was all so lovely I decided to carry on to the top and enjoy the view looking across the next mountain range. The path got steeper and at every bend in the road I thought- I must be there, only to find another bend ahead and still further to go. I cursed and I panted, I swore and I sweated but I was darned if I was going to give up. I was glad to be alone and so could take it at my grumpy snail- like pace without holding anyone else up.

At last I reached the top and there was... a rather ugly slate mine!

Nothing daunted, I followed the path a little further down the other side and was rewarded with a beautiful view. There was even heather to sit amidst, a picnic to eat and so I and stayed an hour or more feeling inordinately pleased with myself.

I will not speak of the walk back home-it was painful but I made it.

Later that evening I sat outside, tucked against the stone wall of the cottage and watched the sun go down and later the stars appear.

I am getting settled in.