Jeremy’s Cherry, not something I’d usually discuss on a public forum. But six months ago Jeremy, an old school friend, indicated that he’d like to be included if I did more of the Wales Coast Path. As many people have learned to their cost, if you suggest something to me that I want to do, then consider it booked!

So it all began on a cold damp Wednesday morning in January, probably not the best time of year to wild camp for the first time in your life, especially at 61. We started at Cardigan Bay a small town in South West Wales on a morning of mizzle (misty, drizzle), full of confidence of a 25km first day. A reasonable distance especially when you consider that Jeremy was carrying a 12 – 15kg pack, heavy for a novice.

The views were limited and the colours muted, a Wales I recognise from my many trips to Snowdonia, a Wales pictured in black & white. Artistic in its light and multiple shades of grey. To me beautiful as the different shades change continually as you walk from crest to crest. Jeremy also, appeared to take in the scenery with as much enthusiasm as me, which made a cynical, unsociable old git, like myself, enthuse even more.

Coastal paths, they’re flat, aren’t they? Sea level is sea level, it’s at the same height wherever you are? If I said that the SouthWest Coast path is equivalent to climbing Everest three times, you’ll get my drift that the path is by no means flat. So the first day was a baptism of fire with 898 metres of ascent. The accents and subsequent descents were not long but were numerous and steep! At no time did Jeremy complain, I knew he’d had enough near the end of our day as the light was fading from both his eyes and the sky and a wild camp site was not obvious. Me, I’m not a purest and as we walked into the village of Llangrannog the wild camp was the B&B at Pentre Inn! Perfect.

Day two was different again, clear blue sky’s with that wonderful crisp winter light. Our heavy packs were left behind at the Inn, to be picked up later, and just a light day pack carried. Jeremy’s feet were bloodied and painful with blisters, but he rose above the pain and had eyes that saw only the beauty that is the British Coast line. Today we met ‘people’, I don’t do ‘people’, but Jeremy found out the life story of every one we passed. We met the parents of the lad that worked behind the bar at the Pentre Inn, where we stayed the previous night. A woman who had come over from Australia and got stuck here during the Covid lockdown and married a local! I was enthralled to witness, an expert socialite at work and even I chipped in the conversation every now and again.

Today was shorter in distance but the ascents were greater and more frequent, so the day took longer and made longer still by the many sociable stops. We eventually wandered into Aberaeron the end of our walk, as the sun was setting and Jeremy’s ‘Walking Cherry’ was popped!

I hope to continue the path we’ve started together, it’s a long meandering walk past some of the most scenic coast line and mountains that Wales and Britain has to offer.