No – I haven’t been put off my coast walk by mad cows, but I have had no time to walk since last July.  In the meantime, I have completed the Icknield Way, and have sent my second book off to the publisher, so I haven’t been idle.  Looking forward to a good chunk of walking over ten days, from Gowerton, across the Llwchwr estuary into West Wales, and, on day five, I should reach the Pembroke Coast Path.  Annoyingly, all the luggage transfer services go in the opposite direction, and since I have given up carrying my pack unless there is absolutely no alternative, I am having to do a complex set of bus and train manouevres each day, which has taken most of a day to work out, given the paucity of public transport in the area – and certainly no buses on Sundays.

Once again I have new boots. I love the Zimberland fit, but I have worn away the soles again.  I am trying a Scarpa pair – they are a narrower fit, so I have gone up a size. The assistant in the outdoors shop was shocked when I told him I wear two pairs of socks, but given my blister-free history, I am not changing now.   I am also trying poles – I have to admit, more for fending off cattle than anything else, but many people do recommend them. I have got folding ones so they can go in the back-pack. Not the twisty ones, I found them to be hopeless when I used them before. Super-light, Black Diamond Carbon poles – only 140g each, which is astonishingly light.

The forecast is not brilliant, but no point in worrying about that.