Day 22 –Broad Haven to Rosemarket Monday 22nd June 2009

Day 22 –Broad Haven to Rosemarket

 

Date: Monday 22^nd June  2009  Distance: 31.11

 

The lack of smile and forced politeness seemed very intimidating and though breakfast was very nice I couldn’t wait to leave the dining room. Bob paid the bill then I went back to say thank you and received the first bit of personal attention- she used my name. Maybe I should have persevered with her and her ice might have melted sooner. Anyway we were on the road early because of this and we had a boat trip lined up if we got there in time. A small boat left a bay near Marloes for Skomer Island. Sometimes they land but not on Mondays. Often the weather prohibits going right round the perimeter of the island but they were risking it today because the sea was a millpond. It cost £10 each and there were about 20 people on the boat including small children and dogs. It can and does take 50 at the height of the season. We were lucky as everyone seemed friendly and chatted to each other- especial interest was shown in the tandem propped up by some rocks.

 

The water was very clear as we left the shore and crabs and jelly fish could be seen swimming. As we started to chug round the right side of the island cross tides made huge waves and we were all a little alarmed. These old hands though made us feel that this was really nothing to worry about and the thousands of sea birds certainly made such an impression that even scaredy-cat me found the spectacle overweighed the discomfort of the few minutes of rough sea. There is no bird for me as comical as a puffin. I would have been happy to see one but they were too numerous to count- this is the puffin stronghold this time of the year.

 

Back to Marloes for yet another pub lunch and an afternoon of busier roads and an oil refinery at Milford Haven. Then arrived at farm where checked in for Band B. We left the bags and went for a reckie. What a difference the bags make.

Despite an unfavourable report about the closest pub for dinner we decided to give it a go. The landlord was supping the beer we ordered so that had to be a good sign. It was horrible! Bob just looked at his cloudy pint but I drank some of mine before declaring it undrinkable. Meanwhile a cockroach lay on its back struggling to stand up. He had probably drunk some of the beer! That was it – the meal was definitely off. We paid and left. So 2 miles in the other direction we found a pub The Huntsman’s Inn, where the people were friendly and cooked us a meal despite it not really being a day they cook. Maybe we looked desperate.

 

The saniflow system at the farm was terribly noisy and farm smells were ever present but the bed was huge and they kindly locked the bike away for us. I found the flies worrying and I suppose standards are never going to be the same as at an ordinary home. The young couple seemed to be rather isolated from the community. The pub at the bottom never saw them. I expect farmers to be healthy looking but they both covered themselves up which is probably sensible but not what you expect. A strange pair!