Apropos to nothing, but the Countryside Agency was closed in 2006… Offa's Dyke Path National Trail Stage: 7 Walked: 2 July 2023 Start: Brompton Crossroads End: Buttington Bridge Following the route of an ancient earthwork claimed to have been created on the orders of King Offa of Mercia in the 8th century, the Offa’s Dyke Path provides 177 miles of walking along the length of the England/Wales border. It’s a walk through beautiful scenery, where every day is different from the day before. In March 2023, I walked six days from the south coast to the town of Knighton. Just over three months on I ..read more

Stables and a tree on Panpunton Hill. If you’ve read the two parts about my seventh day on the Offa’s Dyke Path (and if you haven’t, here’s part one, and here’s part two) you’ll probably get the impression that it was hard work. Very hard work. Exhausting even. Months later I was re-reading what I’d written, and crikes did I feel knackered just thinking about it. It was a very hard day, not helped by the fact I had a rucksack with all my camping gear in it. I wasn’t used to the extra weight, it was a rather difficult day anyway, and I had to walk far longer than I would have liked. In short, t ..read more

The Offa’s Dyke Path on Herrock Hill. There’s always been a lag between me doing a walk, and then getting the write up for it published. I have to write the text, type it all up, edit it and make it read nicely. Then I have to sort out all the photographs, and then choose the ones I want to use. It can take ages. But it’s generally been possible to sort out in a three months. Maybe six. Well, that was the case. Because it’s almost a year since I did the first section of the Offa’s Dyke Path, and am only now getting to the end of publishing the pieces about it. Hmm. Yeah, that’s quite a delay ..read more

Whatever way you go, go the Offa’s Dyke Path. Offa's Dyke Path National Trail Stage: 6 Walked: 31 March 2023 Start: Kington End: Knighton Following the route of an ancient earthwork claimed to have been created on the orders of King Offa of Mercia in the 8th century, the Offa’s Dyke Path provides 177 miles of walking along the length of the England/Wales border. It’s a walk through beautiful scenery, where every day is different from the day before. In March 2023 I arrived in Wales, ready to set off for a journey in borderland. For five days I’d walked from the south, and my sixth – and final ..read more

A stone Offa’s Dyke Path sign embedded in the ground. Offa's Dyke Path National Trail Stage: 5 Walked: 30 March 2023 Start: Hay-on-Wye End: Kington Following the route of an ancient earthwork claimed to have been created on the orders of King Offa of Mercia in the 8th century, the Offa’s Dyke Path provides 177 miles of walking along the length of the England/Wales border. It’s a walk through beautiful scenery, where every day is different from the day before. In March 2023 I arrived in Wales, ready to set off for a journey in borderland. My fifth day of walking saw me walking from Book Town to ..read more

The gates in the porch of Gladestry’s church. The observant may have noticed a slight gap in publication of new posts. Mysterious gremlins have been causing problems. So belatedly… If you’ve been following my Offa’s Dyke Path tales (and if you haven’t, what are you playing at?!) you may have noticed that the trail goes past a lot of churches and chapels. So far I have photographs of ten, and I haven’t even finished the trail yet. I suspect I passed some that I didn’t photograph. Whilst I’m not religious in any way (far from it), I do like sticking my head in to a church. Especially rural ones ..read more

Coming out of the cloud, and into a view. Offa's Dyke Path National Trail Stage: 4 Walked: 28 March 2023 Start: Pandy End: Hay-on-Wye Following the route of an ancient earthwork claimed to have been created on the orders of King Offa of Mercia in the 8th century, the Offa’s Dyke Path provides 177 miles of walking along the length of the England/Wales border. It’s a walk through beautiful scenery, where every day is different from the day before. In March 2023 I arrived in Wales, ready to set off for a journey in borderland. The first part of my fourth day saw me walk on the exact border over t ..read more

A ‘tombstone’-esque Offa’s Dyke sign on the Black Mountains. Offa's Dyke Path National Trail Stage: 4 Walked: 28 March 2023 Start: Pandy End: Hay-on-Wye Following the route of an ancient earthwork claimed to have been created on the orders of King Offa of Mercia in the 8th century, the Offa’s Dyke Path provides 177 miles of walking along the length of the England/Wales border. It’s a walk through beautiful scenery, where every day is different from the day before. In March 2023 I arrived in Wales, ready to set off for a journey in borderland. And for my fourth day that would see me journey rig ..read more

An orchard in Monmouthshire, on the Offa’s Dyke Path. When I walked the Yorkshire Wolds Way, I spent a lot of time going through fields of wheat and barley. The North Downs Way took me through and past several vineyards. I’ve walked through fields of turnips, and cabbages. Sweetcorn and berries. But until I did the Offa’s Dyke Path, I wasn’t sure I’d done that many orchards. Probably because I hadn’t walked much through apple country. In fact I wasn’t really expecting to find apple trees on the Offa’s Dyke Path. In my mind it’s Herefordshire and the West Country that’s apple territory. But Mon ..read more

Hills and views in the distance. Offa's Dyke Path National Trail Stage: 3 Walked: 27 March 2023 Start: Monmouth End: Pandy Following the route of an ancient earthwork claimed to have been created on the orders of King Offa of Mercia in the 8th century, the Offa’s Dyke Path provides 177 miles of walking along the length of the England/Wales border. It’s a walk through beautiful scenery, where every day is different from the day before. In March 2023 I arrived in Wales, ready to set off for a journey in borderland. My third day had started with a watery lane, a forest, mud, and a white castle. T ..read more