Country diary: A walk in the welcome sunshine

Llansantffraed, Ceredigion: Early spring growth and an interrupted buzzard, before I reach the hollowed-out beach and retreating cliffsAt long last, the sunshine warms my back, as I take the narrow lane past the church of St Ffraed/St Bridget, whose slate-hung walls pay silent testament to the uncompromising weather of this coast. Tightly trimmed hedges crown the double-walled stone banks that bound the track, the smooth water-rounded cobbles sourced from the beach only a few hundred yards away.Below compact patches of snowdrops, the wheel ruts are full of turbid rainwater from the recent storms, and it's a relief when the route opens out into a series of large fields. From the west, the constant roar of surf across the shelving beach merges with the strong breeze sweeping through and patterning the grass. Continue reading...