Day 35: Chirk to Llanymynech

Distance: 13.4 miles
Time: 6 hrs 30 mins
Weather: Warm and sunny
Cumulative distance: 591.0 miles

No water, personal pub hours, wonderful walking and more Welsh generosity.

As today's walk was short and tonight's accommodation was not available until 4pm, I decided to treat myself to a lie in and a later breakfast. This gave me the chance to review today's route and catch up on some emails.

During breakfast Mel, my B&B host, explained that the village's water supply had been disconnected during the night, leaving brown water flowing out of the taps. She kindly filled my water bottles with orange juice and also made a donation to my charity.

I left yet another welcoming B&B and was confronted immediately by a steep climb. Some of the stiles on the route presented a major challenge, being overpowered by prickly gorse and nettles - I had to perform a tricky pirouette to conquer them. I walked for a mile with Graham, a long distance walker from Barrow in Furness, who was undertaking Offa's Dyke and sleeping in his camper van.

Offa's Dyke is a 177 mile trail which runs along the English-Welsh border from Prestatyn in the north to Chepstow in the south, broadly following the earthwork from which it derives its name. The path was officially opened in 1971 by Lord Hunt, of Everest fame.

I arrived in the village of Trefonen ready for my regular pint of refreshing coke. I entered the Barley Mow pub, only to be told that it didn't open until 5pm. However, they opened just for me and closed as I left the premises. What hospitality!

At lunchtime, I reached the summit of Moelydd, an impressive hill which offered 360 degree views for miles (see photo). The weather was perfect, the scenery wonderful and I felt in control. Shortly after my arrival, a German couple arrived at the summit, having become lost en route. Shortly afterwards, I saw them return after a second navigational error.

I spent almost 90 minutes at the top as it was warm. I phoned my niece Rosie, who has been unwell for some weeks, but was delighted to hear that she is making good progress.

I arrived in Llanymynech, my base for the night. In this border area, its claim to fame is that it sits in both England and Wales, with each side of the main street in different countries! As far as I could make out, it had three pubs, four takeaways and one shop. Curious.

One of the pubs, the Cross Keys, was my accommodation for the night. I checked in, then wandered down to the bar to watch England start to recover in the last session of the day of the 1st Ashes Test and sampled the Station bitter from the Stonehouse brewery and the Glaslyn from Bragdy Mws Piws (Purple Moose Brewery) in Porthmadog. A handful of regulars asked about my walk and within five minutes, I had raised another £25 for CRUK.

I ate in the restaurant (tasty chicken kebabs in sweet chilli sauce with chips) and was not totally surprised to see the German couple there too.