Day 37 - Trefonen to Chirk Castle

Interesting walk today - really glad The Walker decided to add this diversion. Once again it's something he has always wanted to do so I'll let him tell you all about it.

I had a fantastic day even before walking across the aqueduct! I was checking out parking places along the A5 on foot, (I have to be careful that there is space and it's accessible - where I had just stopped was ok but not for 4 hours), when I thought I had walked far enough. Looking for a way to get back down to the canal, I went down a driveway that seemed to lead to a path - my excuse was that I had no map! A couple, who had been sitting in the middle of a field enjoying the view, hailed me.

To cut a long story short(!), after an explanation from me, Glen and Len invited me into their wonderful home for coffee and biscuits on the terrace. What a fantastic view of the Llangollen Valley! To wake up to that every day must be marvellous, though Len did say that they have no sun from November to February. They were a mine of local information and history of the area as they have lived here for 45 years! It's meeting such warm, friendly people that's making Lejog such a wonderful adventure. So, Glen and Len from Cycyllte, hope Glen's hip continues to improve; many thanks for a really special coffee break and for the donation to the British Heart Foundation.

Glen & Len

From Bernie:

Today's walk 13.8 miles : Cumulative 469.6 miles

A frivolous day... but an excellent one!

Sitting in front of the computer at home, planning the walk & worrying about my knees, I imagined I'd be struggling to keep up with my schedule & thought that, perhaps, we might drive over to Froncysyllte one evening to look at Telford's famous aqueduct.... though I've done that often enough on trips to North Wales.

With the weather, the miles & my knees going OK I thought I might just as well walk there & wander along the high-level towpath - it all amounted to a half-day diversion but if any of you ever have half a day to spare....... !

I've been following the Offa's Dyke National Trail for almost 140 miles - a splendid walk & I'll be back to finish the last 40 miles or so to the coast - but, tomorrow, I'll be leaving the hills behind & following the lesser known 'Maelor Way' eastwards. Section 3 is completed & all the paperwork signed: Section 4 should really only take a week & will lead to our next National Park, The Peak District!

Chirk Castle - tonight we're camped somewhere in the grounds!

Highlight of the Day: not sure whether it was the anticipation, the crossing or sitting in the garden of 'The Telford Inn' afterwards watching all the activity in Trevor Canal Basin. Another industrial pilgrimage, I suppose, but what an incredible feat of engineering!

How could you play football with all this going on 126' above your head?!

Beer of the Day: neither of the 2 pubs visited today had any real ales or even anything really local - I've consoled myself whilst writing tonight's blog by drinking my last bottle of 'Black Fox'!

Another one of those sculptures I love so much! - Trevor Canal Basin

Sam & Joe: thanks for your message & glad you're enjoying the pictures - everything's going well so far so I hope we'll reach John O' Groats in the middle of your Summer holidays. It's really good to know you're reading about all of our adventures!

Di: there were other carvings, too, but a wall & telegraph pole stopped me from reaching a photographic position!

Pam: actually I'm quite worried about Snowdon. Today's walk took me across Oswestry Common where there was once a racecourse & where a toposcope now indicates various mountains etc. Snowdon is hidden behind the trees! It must be the erosion you & all those other walkers have caused!

Technical Team: please add another 5.8 miles...... which will probably move the half-way point on from Pen-y-Ghent!

OK - so what's wrong with this sign?