Today I needed to get some washing done, running out of knickers, and had a bundle of stuff to get clean. Found there was a laundrette in Llanrwst just outside of Betws Y Coed, so popped there. They were very helpful and managed to get my washing done (wash and dry) within an hour.
I wasn’t quite sure what to do with my afternoon, as I was classing it as a rest day, but didn’t want to write it off completely. It’s a funny thing, because although I now have all the time in the world, theoretically, I still feel pressure to make the right decision about my day and make the most of it. This pressure is set by no-one else but me, so I have to keep reminding myself of this, to ease off needing to be doing something, its ok to not do anything. But then also in my head is a voice saying, ‘don’t make excuses, get out and do something’. When I was parked under Tryfan I saw so many people meeting up this morning ready to take on a big hike. I felt FOMO (fear of missing out), because why wasn’t I getting ready to go up a hill. All the sensible answers come in my head – I haven’t planned it, I don’t have a map, I don’t have anyone to go with, the weathers not great today. With any one of those removed individually I could still do it, but I’m not, and that’s mainly because I have other plans I’m aiming for and have to stick to, my volunteering in North Wales. If I didn’t have a schedule to stick to, I would very probably go buy a map and plan a couple of walks in the area. So, I remind myself to chill, stop comparing my activities with someone else who is out there doing it. I also have to remind myself not to think that these people are doing these walks day in day out. They have probably had the walk in their diary for a good few weeks, if not months, and possibly won’t be out again for another couple of weeks/months, to do another one. So I try to chill and enjoy my rest day.
I drive through Betws y Coed on the off chance I can find a parking spot on the side of the road, fully prepared I will need to park outside of the town and walk in. Betws y Coed is a lovely town, but I do struggle with the idea of it being very touristy, but then what am I. I often have these thoughts when I’m anywhere new where the people annoy me lol! Just because I do a bit of walking in the countryside that makes me a local? Lol no! Half the people are walkers, so we’re all tourists annoyed by other tourists. As with most places these days they charge to park wherever you go, tourists equals cashing in. But as I pass by a parking space on a side road I can’t believe my luck, there’s no charge, that I can see, Jackpot! (Wait a month and I’ll have a letter in the post!)
I had a lovely hot choc in a local café while I charged my phone, then on perusing the town I received a phone call from mum. It was lovely to have a catch up, about normal things, things going on back home. I guess it being my rest day, and with my feelings of not making the use of my time, I had felt a little lonely. It’s always easier to feel more accomplished when you’re doing an activity with a friend. Its more purposeful, and the time is filled with chat. Being on your own leaves gaps to fill with over thinking. So chatting to mum brought back a sense of gravitas, a feeling of home, so I didn’t feel so far away. I mean I’m only in Wales, wait til I get to the top of Scotland, or even Europe!
As I continued my walk I followed the crowds to the focal point of the town, the cascading waterfalls under the bridge. Now I do love water, and a waterfall/fierce river is highlight of any water lovers day, so decided I had a enough time to go for a riverside walk up to the Swallow Falls further up stream. It turned out to be a beautiful walk, along flat grassy areas, stone paths and woodland to the first area of rapid waterfalls. I stopped for a sit and a ponder, at the water and the trees. I then continued as the path ascended up the hill side high above the river, following a road, then through more woodland. It was all so pretty and reminded me of Lord of the Rings. When I had been walking on my LEJOG trip, my brother, Peter, had joined me on part of the Cotswolds Way, and we would jokingly talk as if we were Frodo and Samwise going on an adventure through the Shire. This brought back fond memories of those days. On the last 10 mins before reaching Swallow Falls a short hailstorm passed over, followed by glorious sun. It seems to have been the theme the last couple of days with mixed weather. On later reaching my evening location under Tryfan again, the wind really picked up, starting to rock the van. But tonight was a clearer night and I braved the wind and cold to pop out of the van to take a few photos of Misty in the moonlight in the mountains.