Day thirty one - Llangattock to Brecon

 Day started much like all the rest, low cloud and rain showers with a gale forecast slightly further south. I didn't spend too long thinking about it and headed for the canal.

The weather was quite good, only one prolonged shower and the towpath walk was very pleasant.

The normal birdsong and ducks with one lost duckling to prove it must be spring.

A private canal bridge

A nice pub for a cup of tea at lunchtime and a few boats up and down the canal.

On into Brecon, and out the other side, to a good little campsite, nice pitch by the river and only threatening to rain.

The Afon Tarrell by the campsite 

18.5 miles walked 300 meters ascent? (by map)

Day thirty - Nant Bwch to Llangattock

 The day started with rain, wind and low cloud. Everything very wet. Had breakfast and headed up the hill. Struggled upwards and threw up my breakfast on Lord Herefords Knob, felt much better after that, not sure how Hereford felt.

Wet and lonely trig

Continued on the ridge to complete the horseshoe. Weather was starting to improve, the wind stayed very strong but clearances were appearing. A good, masochistic, trip round the Black Mountains.

In the end it was mainly clear with some lovely views .

Down to Crickhowell out of the wind, very pleasant. Decided on a b&b to get everything dry. Not sure whether to head for the Beacons tomorrow, the forecast is not good.

Old Rectory Hotel

15.5 miles walked 800 meters ascent 

Day twenty nine - Abergavenny to Nant Bwch

 Raining and low cloud again, but I set off up the Sugar Loaf anyway. 

Oak forest in the mist

Whenever the cloud thinned a bit the skylarks were up singing their little hearts out.

Great view from the top again!

Down to the valley, it may have been possible to camp somewhere last night. Another hill to climb to what would be a really nice ridge, if you could see it.

A clearance on the descent 

The wind was very strong, blowing the rain into all my nooks and crannies. I decided to head up the valley to try and find a sheltered spot to pitch, found a great spot but the shelter was doubtful, being optimistic I stuck the tent up in a lull.

Nice spot but I suffered from the heavy rain and winds overnight.

Stomach didn't feel great at night, couldn't face any food, saved cooking!

15 miles walked 1300 meters ascent 

Day twenty eight - Llanvetherine to Abergavenny

 Weather back to normal today, rain stopped when I packed up but low cloud and drizzle for the rest of the day.

Couldn't see the top 200 meters of Skirrid but it nearly cleared at times and I was hopeful.

Sugar Loaf during a clearance

Great view (not)

Steeply up Skirrid into the cloud and wind on the top. Got thoroughly cold and wet walking along the ridge and by the time I got to Abergavenny it was Wetherspoons time again!

Looked at the options for the afternoon walk and possible campsites. Couldn't see the tops, it was cold and I didn't really feel like going any further so a bit of searching and I  found a cheap Airbnb. Sorted, short day.

Abergavenny Castle with part of the Sugar Loaf in the background 

Tomorrow's another day and maybe better visibility, I have a plan if it isn't.

8.5 miles walked 400 meters ascent.

Day twenty seven - Llandogo to Llanvetherine

 A cold clear morning that stayed good all day, light wind fluffy clouds and sunshine. 

The birdsong was exceptional as I went down through the woods to walk along the river bank to Monmouth.

Monmouth had everything I needed, a big Waitrose and a Wetherspoons with scrambled eggs and endless tea.

Fluffy Clouds

I was now on the Offa's Dyke path which goes through some beautiful rolling countryside. I came to the White Castle, one of many border castles.

The White Castle 

And on to a nice little campsite for the night, and a shower.

19 miles walked 600 meters ascent 

Day twenty six - Aust (near) to Llandogo

 Heavy rain overnight eased to drizzle then nothing by the time I got moving. Up to what used to be Aust Services in the days we used to go to the all night café and watch the trafic, now it's an insurance office.

The old Aust Services building 

The filling station has a Costa so at least I had a breakfast roll and a seat on their porcelain.

Peed off the middle of the bridge again for old times sake.

Walked past a Tesco Express on the way into Chepstow thinking there would be something later, but there wasn't.

Just a street market with nothing useful,so had to fill up with a large lunch in a café in Tintern.

I decided to do the Wye Valley Walk rather than Offa's Dyke to Monmouth partly because of bad reports of Offa's Dyke but mainly because I wanted to go to Tintern again, pity it was a crowded Sunday.

Tintern Abbey 

Misty view from The Eagle's Nest

It's a great walk high above the river, shame the bluebells aren't out.

16 miles walked 800 meters ascent

Day twenty five - Old Sodbury to Aust (nearly)

 The weather was windy and mostly fine today, only an odd shower, although I heard that the wind had closed the old Severn bridge for a while.

Old Sodbury Church 

Today's walk was along the Jubilee Way, the usual mix of paths and lanes, only causing confusion in the new estates where the way came close to Yate.

Clapper bridge by the ford at Yate Rocks

There was a wet problem at one point with a big flooded area that was impossible to bypass, just had to walk through it, only about 12 inches deep.

Got talking to a couple walking the other way who had done a lot of long walks in Spain, they also knew the Abson Press. Another couple were not so good, their dog bit me and no apologies.

Old Severn Crossing 

Raining now!
 

17 miles walked 400 meters ascent.

Day twenty four - Keynsham to Old Sodbury

 A bright sunny start to the day but rain forecast for later. Set off from Keynsham to see some of the places I misspent my youth in.

Leaving Keynsham 

 

Visiting Bitten and Upton Cheyney, where my brother went to primary school, now closed,  and through the Golden Valley to Wick where the café provided sustenance, the pub is now closed and doesn't look like reopening.

The Ancestral Home in Abson

 

I was hoping to visit the ancestral home but unfortunately neither the house or grounds were open to the public today.

Abson Garage

 The only remaining business in the village, the farms being long gone, is the garage which will be closing at the end of the year leaving nothing.

Looking back to Abson Church

On to Doynton and Codrington where a very heavy shower of rain and hail forced me in for lunch, how convenient.

Pub at Codrington

Onwards damply to Chipping Sodbury and then Old Sodbury for the night.

The picture says it all

18 miles walked 400 meters ascent

Day twenty three - Priddy to Keynsham

 After a night of gales and heavy rain the day dawned dry but cloudy as I walked past the Queen Vic, again, on my way to Dundry.

Misty view of Chew Valley Lake

The ground was saturated and even sloping fields had water on the surface.

Dundry

By the time I reached Dundry the clouds had thickened and the mist / drizzle was worse so the view over Bristol, that I had come to see, was nonexistent.

After a cup of tea in the pub the rain started to get serious again as I set off for East Dundry, muddy water was running off the fields and even the roads were like rivers in places. I stayed on the narrow lanes, luckily there was very little traffic. 

Pensford

After Pensford it really started chucking it down and I'd rather forget the walk to Keynsham, especially when the traffic got worse towards the end and the rain had penetrated right through to my smalls,  but I have a dry bed tonight.

23 miles walked 650 meters ascent.

Day twenty two - Winscombe

 A lovely morning with friends and a great breakfast before we all headed our different ways. Many thanks to Andy for collecting me from Priddy and to Jacky for the amazing hospitality, l hope it's not fifty five years until we meet again.

After a quick ride round on Jacky's electric bike I realised that I will have to get one!

The Strawberry Line is another old railway line that runs from Winscombe to Cheddar via Axbridge, with a very pretty town centre that we drove through yesterday (twice!).

Axbridge 

A visit to the outdoor shop in Cheddar was followed by climbing up to the Mendips again with some lovely views out to Bridgewater Bay somewhat spoilt by the mist.

Across the top and back to Priddy where l had arrived the previous day.

View back to Cheddar reservoir and beyond

11.5 miles walked 500 meters ascent 

Day twenty one - Glastonbury to Priddy

 A morning walk only today as l was meeting two old school friends for lunch, one of whom I hadn't seen for 55 years! Weather was good with only a couple of showers.

Leaving Glastonbury Tor behind

A long straight road with drainage ditches each Side led to the higher ground around Wells and it's magnificent Cathedral.

Wells Cathedral 

After toast, tea and a quick walk around the cathedral I was climbing up onto the Mendips, past Wookey Hole to Priddy and the Queen Victoria pub for lunch with Andy and Jackie. 

The Queen Vic

To Winscombe then where we stayed with Jackie to celebrate Andy's birthday.

Many thanks to Jackie for the hospitality.

11.5 miles walked 450 meters ascent 

Day twenty - Langport to Glastonbury

 Unfortunately the good weather didn't last, back to drizzle and rain today.

Leaving Langport 

Followed the River Parrot on the Macmillan Trail to Somerton where it rises above the Somerset Levels and I left the trail.

Somerton

I was now following rights of way, as marked on the map, but of extremely variable quality, some totally overgrown. Any attempt at using lanes not marked as rights of way usually ended at a locked gate marked PRIVATE, often surrounded by barbed wire.

Glastonbury shop window

Onto the road at Street and then the main road to Glastonbury.

 There are a lot of very strange people here.

Glastonbury Tor 

I met two girls in the tower who said they were into astrology and were convinced that the clouds would part to let them see the sunset for the equinox, I suspect they were into something else as well!

20 miles walked 450 meters ascent.

Day nineteen - North Petherton to Langport

 An easy day today, I don't need to be in Glastonbury until tomorrow. The weather was excellent, light chilly wind and sunshine, perfect walking weather by the rivers and canals of the Somerset Levels.

The old Northmoor steam pumping station, now a museum, but unfortunately on the wrong side of the river. The new one can pump 30,000 litres of water per second!

Spring is starting to appear, buds are bursting, the willow trees are greening and there is that hopeful feeling in the air (it won't last)

There was plenty of interest along the way including a willow tree with mistletoe growing in it, as well as some old apple trees with loads of it.

I met someone training for a LEGOG walk next month, he is going to do a direct route so we may meetup somewhere?                               

Also a good pub at lunchtime. I arrived just before the Mother's Day rush

A lovely day

14 miles walked 100 meters ascent