Mawddach Bridge

A long drive and a walk.  I joined W and headed into Wales to Dolgellau to start a walk along the Mawddach Trail to Barmouth today.  I've wanted to do this ever since seeing a TV programme from more than a decade ago featuring old railway walks with Julia Bradbury.

Before our walk we had breakfast at a cafe called Y Sospan in the town, then started along what has to be one of the best underfoot trails I've ever used.  We saw a few other walkers and cyclists but in the main it was a relatively quiet walk.  The benign conditions helped, with just a slight breeze on our backs.  Our ultimate goal was this bridge, which carries the coastal railway tracks over the estuary.  The metal structure used to pivot to allow tall boats to carry on up stream but it now appears to be a solid structure.  I read somewhere that it had recently undergone a major refurbishment and certainly, as we crossed this section, it was gleaming in a fresh pot (or more) of black paint.

It had been a glorious experience, only slightly diminished by the seaside town, replete with bucket and spade shops, amusement arcades and fish and chip shops. We caught the bus back to Dolgellau, joined by the local drunk who kept trying to engage other passengers with offers of 'tinnies'.

A final stop at another cafe in the town, which I was somewhat amused to see had a food hygiene rating of '0', but still produced a lovely coffee and large slab of tiffin.

Then the drive back in W's Diahatsu 4 Track, not exactly the kind of vehicle you are likely to fall asleep in after the exertions of the day.  A thoroughly enjoyable day, even my throbbing achilles could not spoil the experience.