It sounded simple enough; the start of Offa’s Dyke Path is actually just before Chepstow. So, we checked into the Castle View Hotel in Chepstow, into our second floor room that looks right over at the…you guessed it.

By the way, the castle in question? It was started in 1067…you know, right after the Norman invasion.

The floors in this 17th century inn slope and heave and generally make me think I’m on a listing ol’ glorious ship. I’m in the bar/dining room right now with flickering candles, maroon walls and everything slightly slumped. The charming imperfections makes me love it more ( if only I could convince myself to apply the same kindness to my aging body) but surely I’m digressing…

Let’s get back to that path, which sounds easier said than done.

Luckily, Kevin had bought a little book appropriately titled, Offa’s Dyke Path, where the authors suggested that the night before most people started their Offa’s trek, they simply took a bus to the start, walked back to Chepstow and tucked themselves in for the night having got that pesky beginning of the path out of the way. In the morning, they could then start from Chepstow, without having to go backwards to the beginning.

Well, hell, says Kevin. It’s maybe a 40-minute round trip to the starting marker. Who needs a bus? Not us. In fact, I stayed in my street shoes, purse flung about my neck and prepared for a short stroll.

There were early indications that it might not be as simple as we thought. It appears that some people like to snap off the little Offa’s Dyke Path signs for souvenirs. There is also the fact, that as we previously discovered in last year’s walk in the Lake District, a path in these parts is more often like a suggestion or a best guess, as opposed to a clearly delineated trail.

There are points where one simply assumes that as there are no other markers to the contrary, one must just keep going in the general direction that one started at. There are other points, where one must actually face down the cows. Of course.

Once we actually reached the start, we were able to find lovely signs almost the entire 30-minute jaunt back. Unfortunately, actually finding the start didn’t go quite as efficiently. But what’s a couple of hours spent wandering over the River Wye, flitting between England & Wales, on a lovely Chepstow afternoon?