Arrogance

Poorly planned, got way too excited for the two days of good weather ahead and a bit of arrogance lead to a not so great trip. Checked the forecast. Clearly not fit for wild camping.

Still went for it, cause I’m an idiot. I pitch on the edge of a cliff overlooking Penpleidiau, I put on a smug face to post on socials, then the rain and wind chases me inside the tent.

Forecast comes true. From 9pm to 2am winds pick up from 30 to 80km/h gusts and I was still hoping for some sleep. It’s a Hilleberg Soulo after all. That’s arrogance!

From when one of the pegs got pulled out to me packing up everything, let’s say around 10 minutes, a section of the middle pole broke in two and the other two bent quite badly. Looking back now I think if the ground was solid the peg wouldn’t have come out, slightly compacted brush didn’t hold 70 to 80km/h gusts. Poles are designed to give in before the fabric does so that’s what happened.

All of it my fault though, from deciding to come out in that kind of weather to pitching on that particular spot.

3:30am I’m eating sausages outside the RNLI shop in Oriel y Parc Gallery & Visitor Centre. Not so arrogant now!

I’m thinking about going back to the cliffs just to feel the 89km/h gusts forecasted for after 4am. Most of my layers are wet so that brings me to my senses.

Now I have to pay for my arrogance, wasted short hiking holiday on the Pembrokeshire Coast Path which was meant to be part two of the Hiking 15 Miles Alone on Pembrokeshire Coast Path (read the blog post here) , wasted return travel pre booked, one broken tent pole maybe the other two as well and I have to eat trail food at home and we all know what that tastes like.

After every trip I come back slightly more humble but this time Pembrokeshire really put me back in my place.