Day 49 Llanymynech to Chirk

Llanymynech, it turns out, is on the main route from Chester to South Wales. This means that, from what feels like 5am, the road is busy and if you have left your windows wide open, the noise is going to disturb your sleep. Our hotel was an old coaching inn so the landlord explained this morning and the large car park-good for motor homes- was the coach turning point.

Local history absorbed (the clock tower is on an angle so the time was visible at the quarry) we set off up the hill towards the old quarry. There is a Hoffman kiln (for lime processing from the quarry) in the village but we didn’t stop to have a look around.

We toiled up the hill, and though it was hard work, the views were spectacular. We contoured along the hill, coming out on a golf course before the path headed down into the valley. Along a road there we met the male half of the couple we had met on our way out of Knighton. To tell the truth they were at our pub last night but I forgot to mention them. The wife had had an infected blister which might account for her rather fed up demeanour when we first met her. She was off for a day in Oswestry (bus stop outside the pub) whilst he walked on.

We overtook him, to be fair he was stopped and on the phone, and headed off downhill again then, yes, uphill. However this rather steep bit of uphill had a very welcome bench at the top where we stopped for elevenses. And when the man we had passed arrived we made space for him on the bench too.

We set off refreshed only to find there was yet more uphill. I was beginning to think that the path would be better without all the ascent when we reached the summit. It was like a child’s drawing of a hill, and the views, I know, I go on about the views, were the best of the whole walk. 360 degrees of plains, hills and fields. No photo though.

From there we headed (down then up, of course) to Candy wood passing a cute cottage

We knew we had a long day today so were pressing on trying to make halfway by lunchtime when we came across a perfect bench. The guidebook says it was made by miners and quarrymen, and it was just the best thing for two weary walkers, until a very cute little mouse stuck its nose out to assess our lunch. Helen does not like mice. She shot off the bench to a safe distance whilst the mouse retreated and I gathered up our lunch.

Next stop was Oswestry Racecourse. Last used in 1848. Now, a prime spot for walkers, we saw more there today than on any other day.

We made good time. The racecourse was easy to walk on and then the path took to a road for quite some time. We turned off the road, and skirted round another hill along a green lane. No brushes with cows today, although lots of sheep. The path returned to the Dyke and we followed it for some time until suddenly we could see Chirk Castle through the trees.

You will not be surprised to learn that the path now went very steeply down for quite some time, still following the Dyke. It was a narrow path booby-trapped with large holes and tree roots. We went through a field of ponies, some eager to see if we had any pony-suitable food. We didn’t, and anyway, even if ponies like date and walnut cake they weren’t being offered any. We were chased by geese. Feeling a bit fed up of being chased by domesticated livestock by now.

In fact, feeling a bit fed up with walking. The quickest route to Chirk station where Helen was leaving me was along a road. Short with traffic and no hills vs longer with no traffic but probably up and down the embankment? No contest, road every time. We put our heads down and trudged along the roadside all the way into Chirk. 16.5 miles done, 3500 of ascent.

I waited with Helen until her train left and then my friend Stephanie picked me up and took me to her house a few miles away where I am staying for two nights. Food, bath, washing machine, good company, and a black Labrador called Mabel.