Wet, wet, wet

On a coast path, you are very exposed to the weather. Even worse, you can see it coming from a long way off, the cliffs whiting out as the rain storm approaches.

And Wales can certainly be damp.

On our Pembrokeshire trip, we had been so lucky with the weather.

But on our penultimate day, our luck ran out. 

The forecast said the vigorous rain would clear in the afternoon. It didn't.

It was like walking thirteen miles beneath a power shower. 

My boots were sloshing and Nigel, walking just behind me reports seeing froth coming out each time I took a step. I maintain that it was caused by the fabric conditioner in my socks. 

When we arrived at the Cambrian inn at Solva the concierge was very nice about mopping up the puddle we left in reception and gave us an industrial roll of blue tissue paper so we could sort ourselves out in our room. 

When we walked on the next day, our gear was still decidedly damp, but it didn't matter - there was only one day left of walking and the sun was shining again.

Hadrian's Wall - Day 4 - Of water and the Wall

Today had a watery theme. 

Over the previous 3 days heavy showers have been forecast, but only a smattering of rain fell.  So we had developed a false sense of security and were unpleasantly surprised to receive a drenching as we plodded along the Wall to Birdoswald fort. 

We were soaked from head to toe, but it is the toes which matter most - wet feet are much more vulnerable to blisters. 

The Romans obviously knew this - where the Wall crossed a river, they made a mighty masonry bridge.  We saw the impressive remains of the bridge over the Irthing today and will see the abutment of the bridge over the Tyne the day after tomorrow. 

We crossed over the Irthing by a more modern bridge and spotted grey wagtails and a dipper, bobbing its white bib above the water.

We thought we were home and dry when we arrived at the bed and breakfast and our hosts offered us the use of their drying room to sort my soaked boots.  

But then we had one last burst of wetness when I failed to shut the shower door properly and flooded the bathroom!