Hey folks,
Here I am back writing. How can I start? The following stop after Kington was Hay-on-Wye, a lovely town at the foot of the Black Mountain.
Unfortunately, after Katie storm passed over Wales, everything changed and it has begun what I call “the muddy festival”. I don’t have any picture of it as a proof just because I don’t want to remember it, but in a lot of pathways the situation was a disaster.
I had the feeling of having my shoes sinking on the ground, terrible and very common on those days.
Hay-on-wye
Anyway, from Kington to Hay-on-Wye it was an easy walk, just a couple of hills; let’s say it was just a preparation for the day after. From Hay-on-Wye the path was accross the Black Mountain, it is supposed to be a day walk of 27 miles to a village called Pandy, but I couldn’t actually do it in one day.
Only the ascent took me around 2 hours and half, from a height of 100 metres to 700.
The black mountain
It was really tough but I enjoyed it a lot, it somehow reminded me the Italian mountains. When I reached the top I was pretty sure that I could manage to hike the whole distance; but I did not consider the mud. I don’t know how it was possible but also on the top the path was muddy, in some parts almost a marshland. After attempting to hike for a few hours, I then decide to split the stage in two. So I descent to Langston and I walked to Panty the day after.
Longton
Considering the difficulties faced, I decided to cover as far as I could the remaining day on the road to avoid field and pastures. It was because it was rainy and sunny at the same time, typical English weather. The next few stages across Monmouth and Wee Valley were easy enough and with lovely views.
This last part of the Offa’s Dyke path it the most historical, everyday I passed along massive castles in memory of the ancient war between England and Wales, but the nicest one was the St Briavels castle. It is nowadays a cozy hostel and just to cheer the end of the first part of my adventure, I slept there.
White castle
White castle
Right now I’m at the door of Chepstow…I will visit it before reaching England.
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