Day 8: Cilycwm to Tufton, 67.8 miles

Woke early, much rested, packed as quietly as possible and was on road at 6:30. Slightly concerned to hear very faint noise of moisture pattering on the tent, but it was just a thin bit of cloud.
Set off to grapple with the hills again, much the same as yesterday only with slightly more energy. Still walking up most of them though! One bit was just constant up and down so to stay cycling I was changing gears every few seconds. Using the granny ring most of the time now. ( This is the smallest ring on the triple and best for getting up steep hills ( albeit very slowly - did you know it's possible to cycle at less than 3mph?) but I prefer Toria's explanation of a granny ring as a group of old ladies that help me up hills. I like the idea of octegenarian domestiques!J.
The mist got a bit thicker, more of a mizzle, but in essence I was still only in a cloud. And gradually it got wetter and wetter until it could be said to be raining, and then having got the hang of it, it set to raining in earnest.
I'm afraid that nearly all the villages I went through looked the same, and even thought I'd gone wrong and ended back at a previous one at one point. Will add the place names later, it's not easy on this. Did go into Llandysul for food as wasn't sure of finding a shop further on. Found a Nisa and got a hot pork chop, chicken leg and cheese and onion pasty for lunch. And more Welshcakes! They never last long. Had most of it there in the car park. Never ceases to amaze me, the hunger that cycling generates. Unfortunately being hungry is not always synonymous with wanting to eat.
Up more hills, through more Forestry Commission woodland, noticed first rhododendrons then heather and gorse. Then a surprise on the way to Cymych found myself going over open moorland. Quite different and so sudden. Just like being on the Pennine Way with a ribbon of road stretching up the hill. Bleak and desolate ( and wet) but I liked it.
Went through Felindre so must have gone up Allt Hiraeth ( homesick hill). Was thinking rather longingly of being dry... And warm... And of coffee.
Had some interesting features in my notes to look out for including standing stones and burial chambers, but the only standing stone I saw was a memorial to a local poet. Interesting landscape there - this on the road to Rosebush - large rocks everywhere, some moss covered, the sheep cropped grass and some gorse, and this memorial. ( Apparently there is a fantastic view from there on a good day, of Snowdon in the north and the Wicklow mountains in Ireland to the west. But this was not a good day.)
A long haul up an increasingly foggy road and * finally* got to Rosebush which has been the focus of my attention for two or three days now. Got to the campsite. It had a shop! things were looking up.
And then they were't. Sorry, said the chap, we haven't had tents for a few weeks, only caravans on the hard standing. Too wet, do you see?
Ah. So where can I go?
There might be, it appeared, a couple of campsites on the Fishguard road. Sorry. Bye.
I didn't want to go to Fishguard. Nothing personal but it wasn't on my route and I'd already done over 60 miles, it was still raining and the fog was getting thicker. But clearly I had to move so it might as well be in that direction. Something would come up. If all else failed I would have to wild camp.
Then I saw a sign for a B&B, and took no persuading to follow it. To not have to put the tent up in the rain, to dry out, a hot shower ( my legs were almost black with road dirt) - real fluffy towels, a bed... And it was all as good as it sounds. I am a guest of Jean and Neville Llewellyn of Golwyg-y-Fro in Tufton. I don't know if I would have given me the welcome they did and it's a lot to ask, taking in a really soggy cyclist. Jean washed my gear, stuffed my shoes with paper, more or less escorted me directly to the shower room and made me a huge tea. What can you say but ' wow'. It was just what I needed. It's still raining, but the forecast isn't too bad for tomorrow, I've done 616 miles so far and apparently it's only 17 more to St Davids. Its all good.