OFF a’s Dyke path – starting next week CANCELLED

The path is somewhere under the River Severn for the most part so will be rescheduling.

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A quick ‘heads up’ for those of you who take an interest in my walking exploits. I’ve just finalised the plans for starting walking Offa’s Dyke path, commencing next Friday.

Accommodation was a bit of an issue, due to the secluded nature of this section of the route but it’s now in place for the first weekend!

Regular readers will be unsurprised to learn that I’m not starting at the beginning. I’m not even starting at the end. Given the restriction of only having a long weekend and being keen to start making some progress, I’ve had to plan it around railway stations.

To that end, I’m getting the train to Knighton next Friday morning and walking the 16 miles to Buttington, where I’ll be camping for the first night on any of my long distance walks.

The Bluebell in the village is meant to be a cracking old pub so I’ll hopefully be able to pay a visit on Friday evening – after I’ve recovered from the hilliest section of the entire walk!

On Saturday, basically down to a lack of camping availability, I’ll be walking about 20 miles to Four Crosses and staying in The Golden Lion. A bit further than I wanted to walk but very flat for most of the way as it follows the Severn.

On Sunday, I’m hoping to make Chirk station to catch the 16:00 train back to Shrewsbury. It’s about 16 miles again so should be achievable.

My long term plan for completing the trail is to take a week off, probably in autumn, and get a train to Chepstow. This is where the walk officially starts and in a week I can walk from there to Knighton, where I started. That will mean I can then, at a later date, finish the walk to Prestatyn ‘properly’ in a long weekend, via Llandegla and Bodfari. This will hopefully be next spring.

Sorry if this is a bit confusing – the bottom line is, I’ll be posting next Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.

If anyone is wondering whether the Mountain Goat will be joining me on Offa’s Dyke, unfortunately not initially, though he may put in an appearance in the ‘special guest’ slot.

Plans, however, are taking shape for a joint assault on the next challenge : ‘The Mountain Connoisseur’s Walk’ The Cambrian Way.

All comments welcomed – check back next Friday.