Day 17 Monmouth to Tintern

Warm sunny day.
Second last day and sporting a sore toe. Nothing like having a sore toe squashed I side a walking shoe for 6 hours. When I arrived at Tintern, I drained one blister under the little toe and another under the nail of same toe. Should be better by tomorrow for the last day.
Today, we elected to take the low road, along the Wye river all the way to Tintern. The other option would have taken us up onto the ridge and up and down a few time. We have had enough up and down, so this option did not win many votes.
So, a nice flat walk along the river and entertained by occasional fishermen fly fishing for trout of salmon. Saw a large dead fish floating down the river so not sure about eating the fish they catch.
Tintern is the home of Tintern Abbey. Initially established as an abbey in 11th century by the Cistercian monks, a breakaway from the Benedictine order.
Ups and downs till good times ended with the Dissolution of Monasteries under Henry VIII. Also, Wordsworth wrote a nice little poem about it: Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey, On Revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a Tour. July 13, 1798.
“Five years have past; five summers,
with the length
Of five long winters! “ etc
Last day tomorrow. See you then.
Stats: 19.5 km, 5 hours, 63 m altitude gain, HR 63Читать далее