Two bridges, one estuary and two countries cloak themselves in mist today. I cannot even see the other side of the estuary.I walk along the sea wall towards the second Severn Bridge that carries the M4 across the Bristol Channel.
Actually from the direction I am walking it’s the first bridge, but I can only see half of it. I follow the path called the Severn Way through Northwick Warth and Old Passage to the first Severn Bridge. This one carries the M48 and is the one I can walk across.
Despite this being a motorway, it was quite pleasant to walk across. Probably the sea air or I was looking forward to entering Wales.The bridge is actually two bridges with some land mass in between. I think the land belongs to the MOD as their was a firing range alongside the motorway. It was as I was passing that they decided to let off a salvo of bullets. I think I made good time in crossing the rest of the bridge.Wales has its own national coastal path which was well signposted and the paths well defined as I passed a number of modern business units. I stop and eat my lunch in a churchyard at Mathern. I am not alone and share my lunch with St Tewdric, the King of Gwent who was mortally wounded fighting off the Saxons which he won.
I eventually arrived back at the coast and was interested to see a sign for the Sudbrook Tunnels. Sudbrook has a pumping Station and housed a community of workers that built the railway tunnel under the River Severn.
I pass under the second Severn Bridge and think to myself that I started todays walk hours ago just on the other side of that bridge. I cross over the motorway noticing the toll booths and the ‘Welcome to Wales’ sign and finish the walk in Caldicot.