When the ‘T’ doesn’t matter
I believe that challenge is inherently good for us.
It’s when we step outside of our comfort zones that the most learning takes place. There’s a greater opportunity for personal growth and for reaching our true potential.
The outdoors provides us with a very real, dynamic environment in which to challenge ourselves but also to relax, recharge and re-set. Our connection with the natural world is in our DNA having been developed at an evolutionary level and there is a vast body of evidence to show what a positive effect that spending time in nature can have on us. So many more people have realised this during the pandemic and are looking for new experiences and adventures.
When considering a goal we are often encouraged to make them SMART. The ’T’, in SMART stands for ‘time-bound' and I can certainly vouch for the reality that putting a date on a goal helps to focus the mind and forces you to make decisions about what you have/haven’t got time to fit in and where your true priorities lie. I believe that a time-bound goal will give you a greater chance of success and it is absolutely essential when working as part of a team.
But here’s an example of a challenge where the ’T' actually didn’t matter.
Eight years ago my dad, my husband and I set out on the first 3.3 miles of the 186 mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path, the UK’s only coastal National Park. It was my dad’s idea. As a retired farmer, he appreciated the years he spent working on the land and enjoying the beautiful countryside in the heart of Pembrokeshire, but realised that he had missed the opportunity to explore its world renowned coast. My childhood was spent on local beaches (Little Haven, Broad Haven and Newgale) but now it was time to explore every inch of its circuitous coastline on foot.
We chose to walk the path in sequence from south to north, starting in Amroth on a cold but sunny January in 2013. Many people choose to walk end-to-end in a fortnight, but for us living 120 kilometres away with limited time, it made sense to schedule the walks on weekends when we were visiting my parents. With a measure of realism we excitedly thought that it might be possible to complete the 186-mile path in a year or two, but a wedding, two babies and a pandemic later, it turned out to be considerably more than that.
Tenby, Pembrokeshire
Tori & her dad Richard
What’s it like?
Starting in the south of Pembrokeshire we enjoyed some of the easier sections through the tourist hotspots of Saundersfoot and Tenby to begin with, but it’s not long before we got a taste for the undulating nature of the walk, its ascents onto cliff tops and the steep descents into hidden bays or onto beautiful beaches. You’ll certainly need a head for heights at times and I’d recommend a set of walking poles to assist you on some of the uneven sections. The path is mostly single track, well-trodden, sandy and stony but there are many sections that are flat and gentle too.
Every corner we turned provided a new spectacular view, often with opportunities to spot seals, porpoise, compass jelly fish, peregrine falcon and admire beautiful wild flowers and breathtaking sunsets.
How long did it take?
Eight years, between January 2013 - August 2020. In total we completed 30 day walks, covering about 6 miles a day.
Our average moving speed was approximately 3km/hour however this didn’t take into consideration the stopping time for bird watching (my husband always has his binoculars at the ready), my dad telling stories about people and places en route, conversations with fellow walkers and exploring both historical and geographical features.
Apart from getting absolutely drenched on the way into Abereiddy we were able to picnic with either thermos flasks or chilled drinks and soak up the spectacular scenery. Plus a few visits to some excellent pubs of course!
Planning
The time consuming element was always the ‘car shuttle’ at the start and end of each day. If there is someone who can drop you off and pick you up that is definitely preferable to having to leave a car at each end and drive between your start and finish points. Or you can use one of the coastal buses, like the ‘Poppit Rocket’ or the ‘Puffin Shuttle’.
We found this mileage calculator really useful for calculating distances and working out the next leg of the journey.
Completion
This journey began with just the three of us, but our family was soon to expand. Our son was born in 2017 and our daughter was born in 2020, just in time to complete the final sections of the walk (although they had both completed some sections inside my bump). Friends and family members joined us at various points and we were always buzzing after a day filled with sea views and spectacular cliff lines.
The sense of achievement upon reaching the finish marker in St Dogmaels in my dad’s 70th year and the path’s 50th Anniversary Year was a really special family moment and one that we all treasure. Sometimes it doesn’t matter how long it has taken you to do something, it’s about enjoying the journey and being able to appreciate the achievement when you finally get there.
A 186 mile walk will seem a daunting prospect to many people, but like any sizeable goal it’s about breaking it down into bitesize chunks, being realistic about when you can schedule walks around work and family commitments and just keep chipping away at it.
It’s so important to celebrate your daily successes, long before you reach your ultimate finish. I love to have visual reminders of my progress, for example a map of the route on my wall on which I can highlight sections as I complete them. And remember you can claim your Pembrokeshire Coast Path Certificate on completion.
If you are heading to west Wales over the coming months, take the time to plan a walk on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Having grown up in Pembrokeshire I am of course a little biased, but some of our highlights of this breathtaking 186 mile coastal walk included the Green Bridge of Wales, St Govern’s Chapel, the Witches Cauldron and crossing the tidal estuaries at Sandy Haven and the Gann.
And for a bigger challenge, there’s the entire Wales Coast Path - a total of 870 miles.
