Another Fantastic Weekend in Rhosilli!

Another fantastic weekend in Rhosilli – camping, surfing, walking, eating, drinking… and burning enough calories to justify even more eating and drinking.

Most of us arrived on Friday evening. The weather forecast was looking fairly grim, but we’re kayakers. We regularly choose to throw ourselves into cold water for fun, so a bit of dodgy weather wasn’t going to put us off. Wrapped up,we huddled behind Helen and Carlos’s windbreak, which once again proved to be the most valuable piece of equipment on the trip. There we sat until nearly midnight, eating, drinking and discussing all things kayaking .

Saturday dawned with much better weather than expected. After breakfast, we headed down to the beach and were delighted to find some decent waves waiting for us. First, however, we had to complete the traditional Rhosilli challenge: carrying kayaks across a field and soft sand. By the time we reached the water, most of us felt we’d already done enough exercise for the weekend.😆

Dave grabbed his bodyboard while the rest launched their kayaks and headed out into the surf. Getting through the waves was hard work. Coming back in was easier, provided you didn’t mind arriving upside down. There was some fantastic surfing several spectacular wipeouts, and at least a few moments when paddlers discovered exciting new ways to exit their boats without warning. Dignity was lost, found, and lost again throughout the morning.

After a few hours of being repeatedly reminded that the sea is stronger than all of us, we headed back to camp for lunch just as the Sun finally came out.

Later, a few of us decided we’d not suffered quite enough and set off up the big hill to the viewpoint. The views from the top were stunning, although most of us spent the first few minutes pretending to admire the scenery while secretly trying to get our breath back. Thankfully, the café provided coffee and ice cream, proving once again that almost any hardship can be endured if snacks are involved. Clive decided he needed to show us his Pilates skills to stretch out his body, which was very entertaining.

Saturday evening followed the usual formula: food, drink, laughter and lots of story telling.

Sunday morning arrived with varying levels of enthusiasm. Leighton bravely headed back into the surf for more punishment, while Steve, Marie, Nigel and I opted for a coastal walk.

Steve took on the role of tour guide, confidently leading us along hidden paths and down to a beautiful secluded bay. It turns out he knows every track, trail and shortcut in the area.

Meanwhile, a couple of others visited an outdoor shop in Cardiff and somehow returned with equipment they absolutely didn’t need but were completely unable to live without. A familiar kayaking condition known as “gear acquisition syndrome” had clearly struck again.

All in all, it was a brilliant weekend away.