Day 36 - Four Crosses toTrefonen

Not a great campsite last night - a large field with long grass, a wet-room which did indeed wet everything and a bridge that scared the van! The Walker is much happier in luxury campsites and tonight's is pretty good. Excellent showers, secluded area and a mobile fish and chip van to give us our supper! And they were excellent. We realised that it is only the second time on our jaunt that we've had this meal: the first was 5 weeks yesterday - the day before we began Lejog!

A very hot day; I only had a short industrial walk planned. It is bound to be the highlight of The Walker's day - he loves those type of ruins - and they were pretty fascinating. I left him continuing his walk and I decided to investigate Oswestry. However, after driving around the town for over half an hour trying to park ( the main car parks had height barriers and the long stay one never materialised after I had followed signs for it through the town), I gave up. Oswestry will have to wait to be discovered.

Llanymynech Quarry - if you look closely you'll see the climbers!

And to cap it all the parking area where I was supposed to meet The Walker was a pile of rubble with notices all around saying 'No Waiting ' or 'Dim Aros'. I was sitting right in front of the sign and the farmer drove past me on his tractor 3 or 4 times; perhaps he thought I couldn't read and I really was dim.

From Bernie:

Today's walk 11.4 miles (including a 3 mile Heritage Trail diversion!) : Cumulative 455.8 miles

Penultimate day on the Offa's Dyke Path & I'm not really in a rush to leave it! Meandered along the Montgomery Canal towards Llanymynech but lost a crucial face-off with a pair or swans & their brood sunbathing in the middle of the towpath & had to retreat to an earlier road bridge! Canal on one side, nettles & a bramble hedge on the other, the cob hissing & flapping furiously... it could have been the end of LeJog! Let's put it down as a tactical withdrawal!

Hmm! Seems like they weren't keen on walkers & cyclists even then....

Highlight of the Day: the Llanymynech Heritage Trail - always had this on the list as an essential diversion which is why I've been trying to earn a few miles in hand! A limestone quarrying area but silver, copper & a variety of other minerals have been mined here. The trail includes unusual kilns, gin wheels, inclined planes, old buildings, excellent sculptured figures &, the prize exhibit, the Hoffman kilns - I'll not bore you with the details but these kilns were outdated before they were even operational &, in a rather sad way, contributed to the area's decline.

Alongside the Brunel 'pilgrimage' as one of the highlights of the walk!

Last of my steep climbs on Offa's Dyke was to the summit of Moelydd - my guidebook tells me I could see 30 miles in every direction except north... too many mountains! I was quite impressed to learn that I was only just over 40 miles from the summit of Snowdon!

Wouldn't mind living here! Montgomery Canal just before Llanymynech

Shortly after this came the second great contest of my day; cows, heifers, even bulls can usually be comfortably dismissed but coming into Trefonen I had to walk through a field of about 10 quite well-developed heifers - 8 of them ignored me but a couple were not happy that I was there! One approached, head down, & refused to retreat when I swore at him & waved my trusty stick - in fact, he advanced! Nothing to lose, I decided to attack! I stepped forward until I was almost touching him, whereupon he turned & head-butted his mate! I made for the gate... a sound, tactical assault!

Beer of the Day: tried another beer from a Bishop's Castle Brewery, the Six Bells this time. 'Ow Do' was the ale - rather ordinary, I thought, but at least it wasn't cloudy; Shropshire not doing too well - perhaps it's the water!

Song of the Day (an occasional series): 'Mining for Gold' by The Cowboy Junkies - only occurred to me as I was thinking back on the day's walking & reflecting on this once prosperous area.

Even the locals are doing it! Garden sculpture in Trefonen

Warning to Technical Team: I've added another 3 miles to the total today & I have another 'industrial' diversion planned for tomorrow which will add at least another 5 miles..... but at least I'll be back on schedule!

Julia: I've seen no baby frogs - all still tadpoles so, I suspect Wales is a few weeks behind Essex. Hope Maddie likes the ducklings & cygnets! The thing I love about the sculptures is that they take you by surprise - it's so different from walking through towns or cities & expecting to see them!

Ann: hope you have a great time in Dorset & thanks for the Hunter Gatherers picture - good to see you all looking well. Not sure of the date of the June gathering so I don't know whether we can have a celebratory meal on LeJog at the same time.... but did we ever need an excuse?!