Leslie's 70th birthday walk

Here are the details of the walk I am doing around the Lleyn along the Wales Coast Path to mark my 70th birthday. I plan to use Twitter (@LRFletcher43) to report on progress. Please sponsor me via JustGiving to support Christian Aid or Oxfam.

Peter and Chandra on Lantern Pike

Two walking friends, Peter and Chandra, are doing the whole walk with me, our wives are planning to do some or all of it. Judy's sister and brother-in-law are planning to walk with us from Edern to Aberdaron; Dominic, my youngest son, and Nicola, his girl-friend, are with us from Edern to Abersoch. I would be delighted if others were able to join us for any stage. Late news: Unfortunately, Chandra is unwell so will not be able to join us for the the first half of the walk

Walking schedule

Monday 15 July: Caernarfon to A499 @ SH450550 9 miles. Flat, mostly sea-shore - easy first day!

Miss out road section along A499

Tuesday 16 July: A499 @ SH404486 to Parking place @ SH352440 (Llithfaen) 8 miles. The most arduous section - lot of up and down. No early cut-off on this section

The distance tables are a bit hazy in this area so, depending on progress we may walk somewhat further along the path on Tuesday - possibly as far as Pistyll Farm, SH330421 - so keep an eye on the Twitter feed if you are planning to join us.

Wednesday 17 July: Parking place @ SH352440 to Edern 9 miles

Thursday 18 July: Edern to Porth Oer 11 miles

We have been offered refreshments at Penrallt Coastal Campsite at SH215365 which on this section of our route, though a connection with St Hywyn's Church in Aberdaron.

Friday 19 July: Porth Oer to Aberdaron 9 miles

Saturday 20 July: Aberdaron to Pentowyn (= Pont Towyn) 11 miles. Beach section depends on tide

Sunday 21 July: Pentowyn to Abersoch 9 miles

Monday 22 July: Abersoch to Pwllheli 9 miles. 70 miles reached on this section

Tuesday 23 July: Pwllheli to Criccieth 11 miles. Beach section depends on tide.

The Pwllheli - Criccieth section is rather dull with quite a lot of busy road walking so we may miss it out revisit one of the more attractive sections on the north coast for the benefit of those who can only join us from Friday evening.

Wednesday 24 July: Criccieth to Porthmadog 9 miles

All the stages have early cut-offs in case of over exertion apart from the one noted.

Accommodation

There is accommodation at Bryn Teg or can be arranged in Dolwyddelan at the beginning and end of the walk – that is, for the nights of 13/14 and 24/25 July. Three double rooms have been booked for the Chandras, the Fletchers and the Kellys as follows:

15 (evening) - 19 (morning) July at the Fairway Country Hotel, Nefyn

19 (evening) - 24 (morning) July at the Crown Hotel, Pwllheli

We have tentatively arranged a special end-of-walk dinner at the Elen's Castle Hotel in Dolwyddelan to celebrate the birthdays around then.

Logistics

The plan for the first day is to travel by cars to Caernarfon, do the walk and the catch a bus back to Caernarfon to pick up the cars and go to our hotel. The buses run roughly hourly to this timetable.

Thereafter, public transport is very sparse in the north coast section, SH404486 – Aberdaron. The only day that it would be possible to use buses would be the Llithfaen - Edern section and even this is not very practical. We will need to use taxis and/or car manoeuvres.

The south coast section - from Aberdaron onwards - is being done from five nights accommodation in Pwllheli. Pwllheli is the public transport hub for the Lleyn so getting to all the starting and finishing points, apart from Pentowyn, is practicable by bus or train. Pentowyn is a short distance (~3 miles) from Abersoch by road so taxi+bus is practicable.