Ponchos on

It rained! We have been expecting this since we arrived in Wales, but have been incredibly lucky to have had nothing but the odd shower to date. This morning we got the real thing and the ponchos were on again, bringing back memories of our wet and muddy walk in France last year. Thinking of you Graham and Gillian.

We are on the home stretch and it is nice to be having some easier days. Today was still 24km but only one hill of significance. How expectations change!

It is Grant’s birthday today so it was a nice start with calls from the kids. No presents as no room! We had a lovely breakfast at the Old Rectory. We don’t eat lunch when we walk so I find myself forcing a far bigger breakfast than I would normally have so it sustains me ‘til dinner. It means the first couple of kilometers are hard work as I’m managing a very full tummy!

We had a soft start as we began by visiting the medieval church next to our bnb. It was then downhill for the first few kilometers which I think is a first for this walk! Paddocks , hedgerows, sheep, cows and horses were the day’s theme. There was a castle (White Castle) thrown in but we had to navigate a herd of cattle with young calves to access that entry.

This is red sandstone country and it makes for mighty challenging mud. I’d hate to do this after a week of rain as one day was enough to turn it into a confrontingly slippery surface. Very aesthetic tho’,with the red against the olive green barley fields.

A highlight of the day was meeting our first path angel. On Caminos there are many people who provide drinks and food and shelter for walkers. On a normal walk this doesn’t happen as much, though several churches have provided tea in this half of the path, and today even a toilet!

Our angel appeared about an hour into our walk. It was pelting down with rain and we saw a sign saying ‘refreshments’. We followed it into a beautiful farm complex which had clearly been renovated to be a wedding venue. As we were about to turn tail, a man called out that he would be with us in a moment and we should take shelter in the shed across the way. We gratefully did as were told, stripping off our ponchos and watching the rain torrent down outside. He (Leon) then joined us and asked us what we’d like. We explained we thought it was a cafe and had popped in for a coffee, but we’d obviously made a mistake. He said, nonsense, of course we could have a coffee. We then apologised for the fact that we had no cash. Did he take a card? He dismissed us with a wave of the hand, said to use the loo if we needed and then reappeared with a plunger of coffee and welsh biscuits. Free.

He sat and chatted while we ate. His wife was a retired opera singer and her father the past conductor for the Swedish royal family. Nowadays they focus on music programs for young people and an annual music festival they hold in their medieval barn. He is a passionate Welshman, with cricket his great love. He’s excited about the Ashes and when I asked him who he was supporting he looked at me as if I was a mad woman. ‘Anyone but the English’ he said. So Australia.

Gee I love people’s stories. None of this was anything you’d expect on first meeting Leon. I now need to return for a music festival as well as the Hay writers festival. Life is getting busy.

We are in quite a big place today - Monmouth. It even has traffic lights. It also has the best preserved Medieval bridge with full gate in the UK. So there! Quite a cool structure. We are in a nice little bnb strangely devoid of any other humans, including the ones who were meant to let us in! Long story but we eventually tracked down someone who could talk us through multiple stages of key boxes etc. I’m a fan of hotels for exactly the reason that there are humans to talk to!

Anyway, that aside, we are back from a very good meal at a local Italian restaurant to celebrate Grant’s birthday and feeling fondly for Monmouth.

Tomorrow is the penultimate day and we head to Tintern of Abbey fame. There’s a high route with a 800m climb or we can follow the Wye River. You can guess my preference:)

Night dear friends.Read more