As I crossed the bridge, just at the back of the local sewage works, the heavens opened and I was forced to stop and put on the waterproofs and that was where they stayed for most of the day. As you will know, when you are walking and it rains for long periods of time there is a risk you go inside yourself to cope with the external conditions and do not pay as much attention as you should to your surroundings. That is what happened here and I paid for it by missing an early turning. For a very short section the early route is shared with the eighteen-mile 'Borth to Devil's Bridge Path' (also known as the Mal Evans Way), the two separating at a field division to go in different directions. In the rain I just glanced up, saw the style and an arrow pointing ahead and just carried on. Half a half mile later I reached an unexpected track, realised my mistake and retraced my steps. Not a good start on a fearful day, but sadly not the last navigational error of the day either.
The route was on the western edge of Cord Fochno marsh, part of Dyfi National Nature Reserve. The reserve ran down from my position to cross the marsh to the Dyfi Estuary which is a major feeding ground for wading birds. The sand dunes by the estuary are said to be very pretty in the Springtime when a wide variety of wild flowers are out. On the western edge where I was there is a long, thin water feature (a lake?) where I walked out on to the boardwalk to take in the view across the water. Sadly, in heavy rain the camera had to stay in the bag, as it did for most of the day. As I neared the end of the section the rain eased slightly and as I had a nice view of the hills in front of me and that I would be walking through, I chanced a photograph.
In the rain I made my second navigational mistake of the day. Unable to see a Wales Coast path signpost, I followed a local right of way sign to the left and started to go in the wrong direction. It would have been so much easier to take the map out of the bag where it was hiding from the rain, but that would be the easy option.
While it had not been an easy day, it had not been a complete disaster or a day to be fearful of. But I suppose irrational fears are like that. Sometimes, it is only when you face up to them that you realise it is all in your head; or not, where navigation is involved.