Day 8
Capel Curig to Bethesda
Distance: 13.3 miles (21.5 km)
Total Ascent: 1,522 m (4,993.4 ft)
5:12 am
Before you start, I’m monitoring the weather. Today is holding clear, thank God, because I’m about to scramble my way over 21km! I admit the weather might be a concern for the final stage.
Remember, we decided to break Day 9 into two days, and I still will unless weather moves in. If that happens, I’ll just have to push through. I really hope that doesn’t happen. My body might not be 100%, but it’s pretty damn close.
Talk to you tonight, B
“Damnit!” Bébhinn cursed. She’d slipped for the third time in an hour on one of the toughest scrambles of the day and had the bruises and abrasions to prove it.
Three more miles, if her map-reading skills were on point—and they were, considering she’d been doing a killer job of following the miles of unmarked trails for days—but damn if her legs and arms didn’t have a slight tremor of fatigue.
The second slip was the one that caused her first real injury of the trip. She could feel the bruising across her ribs and down to her hip with every breath.
No matter. Today had been epic. Bébhinn fist-pumped the air as she stood atop the last summit of the day, thoroughly enjoying the vista and standing straight versus bent over climbing with her feet and hands up the rocky side.
“I came, I saw, I conquered.” She couldn’t help the chuckle of relief that escaped as she turned in a complete circle, taking a 360° video to show her family and maybe even to send to the blogger couple she’d met.
For eight days, she’d pushed her body, and for eight days, she’d succeeded in completing the stages. Better yet, today she’d not seen any odd shadows or had anything taken or put into her pack. The kids, if it had been kids, must have grown tired of inflicting their shenanigans on her.
She’d thought more about the journal’s disappearance. It could have been lifted by some little shit on the fourth night because Bébhinn had decided to restock her pack at a small grocery near the B&B before going to bed to save time the next morning. Most likely, another hiker found it where the thief haddropped it. Probably someone she’d met at dinner, and once their path crossed hers again, they returned it.
Everyone discussed their routes and destinations, so it was only a matter of time before they saw her name registered as a guest. The finder could even have been one of the B&B owners. They heard her discussing her route and might have sent it to her. Whatever way it happened, she was thankful to have it back.
Admittedly, the flowers had taken her aback the most. Thankfully, her pragmatic father taught her not to jump to conclusions. It had to be a sweet passerby on the trail.
As she made the day’s final descent that led to the village of Bethesda, she thought over all the messages she’d need to return before she went to bed. Her phone had been flooded with texts from her family and friends as she’d finished breakfast that morning, but since she didn’t have a moment to spare before setting out, she didn’t answer them.
Thankfully, the bunkhouse was right where she’d marked it on her map. After a day like she’d had, it was unfortunate that there wasn’t a 5-star luxury hotel awaiting her pleasure… Massages, whiskey, and a down-filled bed topper held considerable appeal.
The bunkhouse she’d booked had Wi-Fi, hot showers, and a small communal kitchen. It was better than sleeping rough. She’d gotten extra supplies for the last stage the evening before, knowing there was nowhere near Bethesda to buy supplies.
She stomped her boots on the concrete pad in front of the bunkhouse to dislodge any debris from the tread of her boots, noticing that the owners had graciously provided a grill, firepit, and chairs for guests.
Ignoring the outdoor amenities for now, she trudged up the three steps—moaning only once—and went in search of a hot shower and her bunk for the evening.
Bébhinn had showered, heated up a soup packet, washed it down with tea, and had a protein bar for dessert in less than thirty minutes, even managing to call her mom between bites. She was clean and her tummy was satisfied. She was ready to answer her texts and write to her dad. Then she would crash because tomorrow, the last two days of her journey began.
Taking her phone out, she dug into her messages.
Mags: Call me.
Mags: Why are you ignoring me?
Mags: Are you almost home? I’ve been back in school for days and days without you. The least you can do is return my damn texts.
Bébhinn: I’ll be home in 2.5 days. Stop being dramatic.
Mags: So, my friend does remember how phone etiquette works. I text. You reply. So simple and yet, you struggle.
Bébhinn: You should take your comedy to the stage. Mind telling me what the 999 is? I’ve got a bunch of texts to return before I get to meet my pillow, and if this isn’t an emergency, I’m moving on.
