My First Trail Run

My First Trail Run

 

Well, today I need to run 6 miles. I am on holiday in St David's,West Wales in a little villiage called Caerfai. The view from my caravan (below) is fantastic! A field with cows grazing lazily, bunnies hopping around their feet and the occasional fox and then the sparkling sea as a backdrop!! 

 

 

Before starting my run, I soak up the view and a mum and her calf come up to say hello!

 

 

I leave the caravan park and join the coastal path.......

 

Below, (to the left) I can see that the tide is on it's way out in Caerfai Bay.....

 

The track narrows and a take a left.....

Today I decide to travel east from Caerfai and run 3 miles, see where I get before running back.....

 

 

 

 

The track is super narrow here - not even wide enough to put two feet next to each other, so I run awkwardly, with one foot on and one foot off the track. It is also quite stoney,

so I need to concentrate hard.....

 

Looking back to the left, I now get a clear view of Caerfai Bay....

Stunning - only a couple of people on it. I can hear the waves below....

 



 

I really need to be careful here as the track is very close to the cliffs edge in places.....

 

 



Even the rocks are pretty here - covered in lichen....

 



 

The path widens but is quite rocky here....care is needed......

 



The sun is shining and the sea is sparkling......It's really calm....

 

 

 

The track splits and I decide to stick to the track that is closer to the edge.......

 

 

 

The track goes through the gorse, which is flowering everywhere at the minute. It gets narrower and narrower until I can hardly get through it!! For the last few feet, it's pretty painful as my legs are brushing it's spikes each time I put a foot down! Ouch!!

 



 

Nearly there thank god!!!

 



 

Finally out of the gorse, I continue along the track which meanders down, over a little stone bridge.....

 

 



 

.......and then goes up & up & up a rocky path with huge boulders to negotiate!

 

 

It just keeps going up!!!!

 

Yay! I've reached the top and the view is stunning!!!

 

 



 

I am nearly at St Non's Chapel. Probably the smallest church in Wales!! It's beautiful!

 



 

Here it is - St Non's Chapel......

If you got married here, there's only enough room for 20 people max!!

 



 

The track begins to descend at last. I need to be super careful I don't fall here!

Look how close it goes to the edge!!!

 

 

 

View of the cliffs below.......

 



 

The track widens here, but it's starting to get a tad wet and quite muddy!!

 

 

The view of the coast behind me.....

 



 

Still muddy.......

The, it becomes very rocky! I have to slow right down here as I am

finding it difficult to know where to land my feet as the rocks jutt up everywhere!

 

 

The path goes very close to the cliff edge here.....

 

 

 

Awwww!! Some really cute lambs!!!!

 

More mud........mud, glorious mud!!!

It's really slippy, but fun!!

 



I'd better be careful on there cliff paths - I wouldn't want to end up falling down there!!!

 



 

The path narrows again........

 

 

I have reached Porthclais Harbour.......

 

Steps or path?? I decide to stick with the path for a while......

 

 

Ooooo - left or right??? I dunno......I chose right.......

 



 



 

The path descends down some steps to the harbour itself.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

A pretty little river flows into the harbour......

 

 

The tide is right out at the moment......

 

 

 

 

 

I re join the coastal path in the direction of St Justinian's......

 

 



 

I take the path to the right, which takes me uphill....

 

 

 

The path is muddy, my heart feels like it's gonna burst out of my chest

 and it just keeps going up.......

 

 

.....and up.........

 

 

.......and up!!!!

 



 

It finally flattens out for a while!!

 

 

Yipppeeee!! I made it!!! You can see the path I ran the other side of the harbour......

 

 

 

What's this?? Some downhill?? Ahhhh......lovely!!!

 



 

That didn't last for long!!! Up we go again!!!

 



 

You can see just how close the path come to the cliff edge here!! I do NOT feel safe,

 so I run over to the right here...What's that? A rabbit hole?

 

 

Some cows in the distance......

I have been running for 3 miles and only encountered one couple out walking!? Why is this?

It's soooo beautiful! Why isn't everyone enjoying the stunning scenery??

 

 

 

 

 

Ewwwwww! It's really slippy in the mud here!!!

 

A pretty stone wall with the thrift about to flower.....

 



 

The next gate I get to tells me to take care as there may be animals roaming free across the path ahead. It is lambing season at the minute and the ewes are very protective of their young! I don't fancy being butted off the cliff and luckily, my watch has just clicked at 3 miles!! Saved by the bell!! I turn around and head for home. What a breath-taking run I have had! In both senses of the word!!!

 

Just one more thing to do now - run back!!! LOL!

 

Hope you enjoyed :o)