Day 6 : 22 km : Knighton to Cwm

A gloriously sunny day over a load of very steep hills. Had some nice views from the tops but they were pretty short lived as the path soon plunged back down again just to provide an opportunity of climbing back up on the next hill. Slow and steady won the day! My bar-code tan is coming along just fine!

Today was also a big day as I got to the half way point of the hike. (at the top of an insanely steep climb) So just another 86 miles to go! Either way! No turning back now. It's easier to carry on and finish than to turn round and go back!

Day 5 : 23 km : Kington to Knighton

A pretty day walking along some mostly upland pasture with lovely views across the marches. The sun is coming out for real now and I'm starting to burn up!
They have a clock tower here in Knighton that looks just like the one in Hay on Wye! Very odd!
The next day's walk is billed as the hardest day along the trail as it is very uppy-downy! It's going to be a sweaty trek !

Day 4 : 24 km : Hay-On-Wye to Kington

The walk today was pretty easy. I think I must be getting used to the distance every day. A few miles of Wye riverbank, then some climbing through a forest in Bettws Dingle (I didn't choose the name!), then a few more miles on roads and farm land and finally a few more at 400m on open heathland on the top of Disgwylfa Hill and Hergest Ridge.

The weather is clearing up too so the views from the ridge were fantastic. And the sun is having it's way with the back of my neck!! I think sun cream is required tomorrow.

Day 3 : 27km : Pandy to Hay-On-Wye

The walk today took a climb for a few km up to the top of a ridge and then was about 20k along a more or less flat and often paved path at about 600m. It was totally in the clouds for the whole way. On a fine day I'm sure the views are terrific but I saw nothing further than 30m ahead of me. It was also very boggy but Monmouth Council have thoughtfully put heavy paving stones / rocks on the most boggy bits so for mile after mile you walk along them surrounded by squishing, pooling peat bog, heather and bilberry. It's actually very pretty but because of the mist I strode along in a kind of sensory deprivation bubble for hours, emerging only a few miles from Hay on Wye as the path descended out of the clouds.  For all that, not an unpleasant day and because it was mostly level and often paved, it was actually an easy day too . I think I should do it again one day when the weather is clearer.  

Day 2 : 26km : Monmouth to Pandy

Monmouth to where?

Monmouth is pretty. Not as pretty as Richmond (north or south, take your pick) but its worth a walk down the high street. Once! Theres a 13th century gatehouse at the south-west end which is apparently in perfect working order. (pictured) Considering the road that runs through it is blocked to traffic I guess a malfunction now and the would probably go unnoticed! It seems not to have gates either so I'm not sure how it 'works'.
You can see the lovely morning we had in Mom-muff-shire today. Pity it didn't last! By afternoon the drizzle was turning to rain and I spent the last 15km lost in inner musings inside my GoreTex hood! I also found out how little grip wet wooden sleepers afford to nice rubber soles hiking boots. My ass nearly went down!
I also deceived myself yesterday. No big hills rolled my way today. Just lots of smaller little cussing 'tings that make you puff and blow just do you can walk down the other side again. For nothing!
I did go past a nice 'white' castle though (ruined) on top of a large undulation.
Is this the Marches yet? Nobody's marching anywhere near here! It's way way to undulating! I guess on a sunny day it's pretty. I extrapolated through the haze of passing squalls and wondered if I will be in the clouds tomorrow.
Now tomorrow! There are certainly hills to climb tomorrow! They are right behind Pandy. In fact they could be almost 500m high. Oooooh! I'm gonna get soaked!

Day 01 : 32km : Chepstow to Monmouth

Well no easy start to this walk. The countryside isn't very challenging but it's still 32km in one day. Plenty to get the journey under way I think. I have some tired legs! So it was a pretty walk. Miles and miles in pretty woods strewn with the remains of this year's blue bells and paths lined with borders of wild garlic. The plunging chasm to the left down to the Wye in its gorge was a fairly constant companion. It truly is deep and precipitous. The path was mostly well signed and the weather was mostly kind. The views over Monmouth from the Round House on top of Kymin Hill were fantastic. Some much more serious hills in the middle distance and best of all, I think I'm going there tomorrow. 

The start. . . . .

Here I go then. After an very pleasant overnight stay in a b&b in Chepstow I'm at the start of the Offa's Dyke path. Just 177 miles to go!