It has been a mixed few days of walking. After I left Oswestry I had a lovely time, managing to pick up, accidently, the Offa's Dyke Path. I slipped and slithered up a hill, past a golf club, and then down the other side into the village of Llanymynech. The previous night it had rained very heavily, and below me the view was of flooded fields. Stopping at the pub I discovered my choices:- wading through the water, walking on a main road with heavy trucks roaring past, or catching a bus into Welshpool. I chose the latter for safety's sake!
In Welshpool I discovered that there were problems for the next day as the road was closed due to flooding. Checking google maps I found a cycle track that I could follow, longer, but not affected by floods. The night was the opposite to the night before - clear and cold. The forecast was for frost and ice. I now know what that means, and so next time I hear "ice" I will put my ice grippers on. I was sliding as much on ice as I was the day before in the mud!
Leaving Oswestery I walked through a lovely park managed by volunteers. These near life size sculptures were nibbling the trees!
Looking back from Offa's Dyke to the village of Port-y-Waen
Once on top of the hill the path followed the ridge top. The white acorn on the sign indicates a National Long Distance path, of which Offa's Dyke is one.
The path took me past the old limestone quarry above Llanmynech.
Looking towards the village of Llanymynech, and the flooding beyond.
At the bottom of the hill I came upon this sign explaining that Charles Darwin had visited this quarry to test a geological piece of equipment.
The gates of St Mary's Church, Welshpool.
Last week as I was coming into the village of Raby on the Wirral peninsula I came across a shooting party. They were on a refreshment break, and I was offered some pheasant pie as I walked past. This mob were all dressed in subdued kahki, a bit of tweed, rubber boots and dogs everywhere. They later passed me heading out for the shoot. I chatted with a lady who used to live in Coffs Harbour who told me that this is a regular shoot and that they "put down" the birds they are shooting - ducks, grouse, and pheasant. I presume that meant they grow them.
This was a very different group to yesterday's shoot. While I was having breakfast there were a mob doing the same. At first I thought they were morris dancers or such like - the dress was tweed trousers and jackets, and long socks, some quite colourful, complete with garters. It transpired that they were a shooting party, but one that is quite "snobby" about being dressed correctly and so on. I thought I was in a scene from a movie. I heard the guns going all day yesterday.
I stayed here in an absolutely huge room - the first three windows on the first floor. There is a picture inside of the queen leaving the hotel, and another of the hunt gathered outside.
The gates of Powis Castle, Welshpool.
The gardens in front of Powis Castle.
After leaving Powis Castle I walked along the Montgomery canal, and looking through the hedgerows there was more evidence of flooding (above and below).
As I walked yesterday I made very slow progress. This was because I kept bumping into people and having a delightful chat with many of them. It began as I left my hotel where I met George, the father of one of Julia Gillards speechwriters!
It continued when I met Patrick as I left Powis Castle, and then a father and son out for a cycle along the canal. As I walked along the canal I stopped and chatted with four other groups, with all of them making reference to me looking like mother Christmas, because of my bright red pack cover I assume. One man wanted to know where my reindeer were! Later, a lady even stopped her car and got out and chatted. By this stage it was pitch dark, and I still had a mile to go. All this blathering took an extra couple of hours. Very different to today, where I only saw one man to chat to, and therefore arrived an hour before dark.
The Montgomery canal goes through some lovely country.
The Dragon hotel at Montgomery, where I stayed.
The white marker in the bottom right corner is a marker for Offa's Dyke path, which goes straight through the archway between these two residences, as I did.
The Shropshire hills, waterlogged fields, and sheep!
The village of Bishops Castle is very different. Many of the buildings are painted in different colours, reminding me of an Italian village.
I am staying in the Castle Hotel in Bishops Castle. There is no longer a castle here, with just one bit of a wall left. It is thought that the hotel is built from stone from the castle.
Will think of you over Christmas in Gloucester. And maybe you will be lucky enough to have a white one??
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