Offa’s Dyke Path – Day 13 – Bodfari to Prestatyn
Our last day on the Offa’s Dyke Path and it was a beautiful day. Nice warm temperatures and sunshine were a sharp contrast to the mist and rain of the day before. We soon found our acorn marker and were on our way again.
Offa’s Dyke Path – Day 12 – Clywd Gate to Bodfari
When I looked out of the window early in the morning I gasped and then hoped that things would improve – they didn’t and we faced a very damp day of walking from peak to peak in the Clwydian Range. Accommodation was at the Rhesgoed Isa Cottage but our hostess claimed that she had no control over the weather! The weather finely got to us. We awoke to dense fog and very limited visibility. As we left the B&B this AM, I think that we all muttered a few unkind words about the weather. We would be spending the day walking high up in the Clwydian Range, that portion of the Offa’s Dyke Path advertised as “On a clear day you can see all the way to …” For us, it was just a matter of keeping to the trail and keeping the hiking partner in sight. The Australians waved us on our way early on in the day, themselves preferring a bit more leisurely climbing pace. They were never far behind and, from time to time, they could hear us and not see us (and vice versa) and passed us high in the hills when we missed a signpost in the dense fog and carried on uphill on an incorrect trail rather than taking a downward path.
Offa’s Dyke Path – Day 11 – Llangollen to Clwyd Gate
The day started out in the town of Llangollen. We crossed the canal and then headed uphill soon to regain the Offa’s Dyke Path for a very interesting section of the path. We were heading for the end of the world as we know it, watching our footing on scree as we traverse avalanche paths and open rock slides.
Offa’s Dyke Path – Day 10 – Trefenon to Llangollen
Before heading out on this long distance walk, weather was almost always in the conversation. “What will the weather be like? What is the weather normally like? And then when we would talk to friends and family during the walk, the weather questions were there again. “Have you had much rain” “Is is hot” “Is it cold”. Through the first days of this walk we had been fortunate. Th first night in Chepstow we encountered some sprinkles and then from Knighton to Cwm we endured windy conditions and an on-again, off-again misty/rainy day. This day our tenth, would turn out to be just fine but heavy overcast in the morning was rather foreboding. Of course, the photographer in me preferred a bit brighter light especially on those overcast days.
Offa’s Dyke Path – Day 9 Buttington to Trefenon
To end our previous day, we had dropped down about 300m from Beacon Hill (about the centre of this photo) into the village of Buttington. Once telephone contact had been accomplished, our hosts drove the 1/2 hour or so down to Buttington to pick us up. To get back to our starting point therefore, required that our hosts drive us back to Buttington, retracing this 1/2 hour or so drive. This driving time plus a breakfast that started later than what we were accustomed to, meant that we got going on the path again about an hour later than we would normally have started.
Offa’s Dyke Path – Day 8 – The Cwm to Buttington
Day 8, we awoke to much nicer weather. It wasn’t blazing hot but it also wasn’t raining!
From our B&B we took a cross route past Mellington Manor to get back onto the Offa’s Dyke Path. Buttercups were blooming profusely and the Manor was looking as stately as a boutique hotel in Wales, housed in an 18th Century Victorian Gothic Mansion could look.
The Offa’s Dyke Trail crosses back and forth across the border between England and Wales on numerous occasions. In this instance we were heading back into England but it seemed like time for an early morning photo so I set the camera up on my day pack, aimed it set the timer and ran to my allotted spot.
I reduced my walking speed immediately even though the morning was still young.
Offa’s Dyke Path – Day 6 – Kington to Knighton
What a start for a day of hiking. (Location) First a sign telling us to slow down and then we climb a hill and another sign tells us to watch out for golf balls!
Day 5 – Hay-on-Wye to Kington
Leaving from the front door of our B&B, we took a left hand turn, walked across the River Wye via the Hay Bridge and turned immediately right and once again we were on our way along the Offa’s Dyke Path. The first part of the path followed the river and was a nice way to start the day and loosen the muscles before doing any climbing.
Very soon along the trail we were privy to a wonderful display of sheep herding as a farmer and his dog came through a field at the same time that we were crossing in the opposite direction. It didn’t take long for the sheep to lose interest in us when the border collie entered the mix.
Day 4 – Longtown to Hay-on-Wye
What could be better for the soul than a full English breakfast before heading out onto the path for another day of walking, and climbing, and descending, and climbing and walking …?