Lampeter’s walking wonder Barry Davies was defying high winds and heavy rain today as he trudged towards the end of his gruelling 870-mile charity hike around Wales – driven by the prospect of a long-awaited pint of beer!

The intrepid postman set off from the Lighthouse Inn, near Newport, this morning knowing that just 34 miles lay between him and the finish of his journey around the Welsh Coastal Path at Chepstow.

In a Facebook post on Thursday night, Barry said: “It was nice to see the Severn Bridge today, knowing that there isn’t long to go until the end.

“Will be starting from Lighthouse Inn tomorrow morning and hopefully from Caldicot on Saturday.”

And asked by a supporter what he was most looking forward to at the finish, Barry replied: “Peint o cwrw!”

He is now inviting all fellow walkers who have supported him on his trek to join him on the final six-mile slog into Chepstow tomorrow.

Barry set out from Chester on 10 May intent on raising £1,500 for Cancer Research UK.

And he set himself a remarkable time limit of 33 days, meaning that he had to average around 26 miles a day in order to complete his goal.

Yet his anticipated arrival in Chepstow means he will have completed his odyssey in a mere 29 days – and the total amount of funds raised has now topped £4,600.

AM Elin Jones is among those who have sent Barry their congratulations. Writing on Facebook, she said: “Watched you from afar - a huge achievement now in sight! Well done!”