This time we drive our car to Porth Colmon, leaving it in the tiny carpark. Our direction is north with the sea on our left, but before we even take the first few steps, we come up against our first hurdle. We do think it strange that the coast path sign is covered over but decide to carry on anyway only to be stopped in our tracks a little later by a sign saying the path is closed. Of course the effect on Damian is like that of a red flag on a bull so against my better judgement we decide to plough on (the alternative would be a long detour inland). Eventually we reach a gate with another warning sign and beyond this we can see a minor landslide which used to be a path.

I take a few hesitant steps down over the large chunks of rock and sand but end up on my bum to make sure I land safely on the beach. An exciting start to the day I could have done without!

The next section of the walk is along Penllach Beach – there are a few dog walkers around but otherwise it is deserted. From here we climb up onto the cliffs again, and walk along narrow paths where I worry about twisting my ankle. In some places the path, once muddy, has been churned up by sheep and then dried out to form hard strangely shaped clumps of soil topped with tufts of grass – we make slow progress.

At one point we look down on a beautiful secluded cove – Porth Gwylan – and think about stopping for lunch but it is a bit early.

Further on the path is so overgrown that it is difficult to see it, which makes me think that this part of the coast path has not been used for a while. It reminds me of the “paths” around the salt marshes and estuaries of Essex which I walked some years ago.

A little later we reach Porth Ysgaden, where the ruins of a small stone built house stands on the headland. I walk off the path to go and investigate, while Damian talks to cows. I later discover that the sole wall standing is the gable end of the old coastguard’s house. On one side a carved wooden bench has been placed and on the other side the blackened stones point to the position of the old fireplace.

On the other side of the headland is another pretty beach – Porth Towyn where we stop for a sandwich and a cup of coffee from the much loved thermos.

Onwards ever onwards we navigate a steep climb down and a scramble up the other side of Aber Geirch before finding ourselves on the outer reaches of a golf course – magic!

We skirt around the golf course and up a tarmac track to the clubhouse. Off to the left are people feeding in from a walk out to the pub on the isthmus of Porth Dinllaen which can only be reached on foot. Sadly we decide we are too tired to investigate and head down the road to Morfa Nefyn for a pint before getting a taxi back to our car.

Distance: 10 miles