[Continued from this morning…]
I leave the pub in Mathern and return to St Tewdric’s church. My face is still pink from the embarrassment of being chased down the street for not paying my bill.
The Wales Coast Path ducks behind the churchyard. An old stone archway hints at the long history of this place.
Today I am following the Wales Coast Path from where it starts, at the beautiful Old Wye Bridge in Chepstow.
I walk eastward along the southern bank of the River Wye following its route as it heads to join the River Severn. Continue reading
I’ve just walked along the M48, over the first Severn Bridge, and crossed into Wales. To continue my coastal walk, I should really turn left. But, instead, I turn to my right and walk through a tunnel under the motorway
I’ve been looking forward to today, because today I’m going to cross over the River Severn and walk into Wales. It will be another important milestone in my coastal trek.
My hubby drops me off at Severn Beach. We have his mother with us and I set the timer on my camera to take a snap of the three of us, with the Second Severn Bridge as a backdrop.
Although I’ve really enjoyed my detour down to Bristol and back, it’s time to resume my coastal walk.
The tide has been rising while I’ve been walking along the Avon. The water in the river is now deep enough for shipping. A sailing boat chugs along (sail down, motor running) and a fast rubber dinghy speeds by.
We are staying in a B&B on the edge of Clifton Down in Bristol. It’s a rainy Saturday morning and I walk across the Downs, past parents huddling under umbrellas while they watch their wet children play football. Then I head down a tree-lined avenue and make my way towards the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
The tide has been coming in while I’ve been walking. The banks of the Avon, showing muddy when I started, are now covered by water.
I leave Portishead Marina behind me and am pleased to find a footpath (unmarked on my map) that runs alongside the edge of the marshy shoreline. In the distance are the cranes of Portbury Docks.
My walk starts on the green slopes above Mariner’s Path, Portishead.
[This wide open area – glowing a vibrant green – is clearly visible from the other side of the Bristol Channel, and its slopes become a way marker – a reminder of where I’ve been and how far I’ve come – when I continue my walk in Wales. But I’m getting ahead of myself…]
Across the bay I can see the squat lighthouse of Battery Point. And the low structure, brightly coloured, of Portishead’s open air swimming pool.
After a frustrating and frightening struggle yesterday – through brambles, obstructed footpaths and fields of mad cows – I am really hoping my route will be easier today.
My husband drops me off by St Andrew’s Church, right on the southern edge of the Clevedon coast. I walk past the cemetery chapel and head for the bank of the river with the strange name – Blind Yeo.
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Incident No: 1319Date: 14.08.26Site: 51.6221725, -2.5476959 Near Thornbury, South Gloucestershire1 cow, 1 walker, no dogDescription: “I was going to walk across the field, it was open with no warning signs. A cow was staring at me, I didn’t think much about it and just kept my distance. It took a few steps towards me so […]
ncident No: 1318Date: 13.10.26Site: Timberscombe Common, Timberscombe near Minehead, Somerset1 horse, 1 pony and rider. Group of cows. Sophie’s Report : “I was hacking my horse back along the bridleway across the centre of the common towards the village, when the cows saw me and charged at me. My horse and the pony I was […]
Report Number: 1315Date: 29/09/26Location: South Mundham at the bottom of Fisher Lane, West SussexGroup of black and white cattle, single walker with dog on lead Alice’s Report: “As I was walking on the path towards the exit of the field the cows were a fair distance from me. I have walked this route many times […]
