Chasing Waterfalls & Getting Lost in the Woods

There is something very glorious about

getting lost in the woods!

A friend  read my blog and wondered if I would like to come and Cat sit for her in New Quay at her beautiful cottage. On this Cat Sitting Retreat I was a good few miles away from New Quay, not walking distance, not for me anyway, and it was down a very long rickety bumpy lane. The converted barn buildings overlook the sea and the whole area is very calm and atmospheric. To be honest, even though it is totally beautiful, I struggled a bit! I am it seems, a bit of a wimp when it comes to being down very dark lanes on my own!

So I was really chuffed when Miranda Betts came up to visit me on sea misted afternoon.

She asked me if I had seen the Waterfalls? What waterfalls? Next thing, we put on our cardigans and toddled off to the woods to find the place where 2 rivers meet in a cascade of glittering jewels, tucked away in the trees.

First challenge, ankle deep mud! Miranda took off her crocs and waded in, whereas I just got my old faithful boots filthy dirty. We giggled and wondered over wild flowers, sang songs in harmony together until we reached the clearing. My goodness! We were like children finding a magical place. Miranda had her ukulele with her and we played each other our new songs.

After a while, we decided to head back, ‘I know a short cut,’ said Miranda and we off we skipped; skipped, and stumbled, and slowed down and stopped!

‘I think we could be lost.’
‘Oh well,’ I replied because it matters very little if you are lost in the woods with a great chum on a sunny day.  In fact, it is positively joyous. We carried on walking and chatting, collecting wild flower bunches until we finally saw the edge of the wood and what looked like a road. As we returned to tarmac, we realised that we had come quite a long way out. We saw a sign for Nanternis! 3 miles to walk back to town on the main road or 3 miles walk back through the woods in the sunshine.

No contest! besides which, we figured that if it had been up hill all the way there, it would be down hill all the way back! We were at the water falls before we knew it.

Miranda showed me an old well that was hidden by nettles. She left her wild flowers as an offering to the well, maybe to thank the woods for returning us safetly me thinks!

The sea mist was rolling in over the tree tops and so we waded back through the mud to the cottage. I felt exhilarated. Miranda said that had she thought she was going on a 6 mile walk she would have likey said no thanks! Me too! But it just shows you that sometimes getting lost, having no idea at all where you’re going, is the best fun, and you get more done that way than had you tried to plan it. Mmmm! :)