Journal:
The
guesthouse landlady came across the the annexe where
I was staying at 8am to tell me breakfast was early
so I could make an early start. I hadn't
requested this and was packed ready to go, so I
really think she just wanted to get breakfast out of
the way (there was only one other couple as guests)
so she could enjoy more of her Sunday, which was
fine, but better if she told me the night before.
However, I'm not complaining. She really
looked after me and I would recommend her guesthouse
to anyone visiting Hay-on-Wye.
As I walked out of town in
the already very warm morning sun at 9am, a motorist
coming out of his driveway smiled at me and said "I
hope you've got plenty of water". It was going
to be a "scorcher". I was still following the
Offa's Dyke Path and the early walking was across
farmland next to the River Wye, before it turned
inland along some shady forest paths, which were
most welcome. Along this section, I was caught
from behind by a big and strong guy, my age, who was
also on a multi-day hike and had a pack bigger than
mine. We ended up walking together for a large
part of the day. Rob is a semi-retired nuclear
physicist, who spends much of his time these days
hiking long-distance trails on the continent.
He told me that he considers his average walking
speed to be 6kph, a lot faster than mine, but he
slowed to help the conversation. The Path
continued to pass through alternating farmland and
woodland, climbing and then descending into lovely
rural valleys and passing through tiny villages.
Beautiful country, but sweaty walking. We
stopped for lunch at 1:30pm in the only pub in the
little village of Gladestry where I ordered the
Sunday roast which, for £7.50, was an incredible
feast comprising a main plate piled with roast beef,
potatoes, and Yorkshire pudding, and two smaller
plates piled high with vegetables of many
descriptions. I made a valiant effort, but
couldn't quite manage the last bit of cauliflower
cheese, which Rob demolished. All the time I
was downing tin after tin of Diet Coke to rehydrate
after the hot morning. I pretty much waddled
out of that pub, and didn't embrace the solid climb
up onto the 400m high Hergest Ridge, but the views
from this semi-moorland and the many ponies and new
foals revived me.
We walked on to the town
of Kington, where we found a small supermarket and
had some afternoon tea and more drinks before
parting company, with Rob planning to stay at a
nearby campground. Even though it was 4pm and
I was tired, I needed to go further or I would fall
behind the schedule I need to keep if I'm to finish
and make my flight back home. There was
another solid climb out of Kington and it was still
warm, but I made steady progress along the path
which actually went along the top of a section of
the 1300-year-old Offa's Dyke that was still clearly
visible, for quite a while.
Around 7pm I began looking
for somewhere to camp as the path passed through a
small wood near the crest of the hill. I
couldn't find an ideal spot and eventually climbed
over a barbed wire fence to a small patch of cleared
pasture that seems unlikely to concern anyone and
set up camp. After a quick dinner of canned
rice-cream and canned peaches (note to self: get a
plastic spoon to carry) I updated my diary and
retired. It really has been a magic day,
despite the heat, with extensive views across the
lush green Welsh borders countryside and lovely path
to follow. Touch wood, the feet weren't quite
as bad today. Maybe there's a light at the end
of the tunnel.
