We woke to the sound of the rooster outside our room this morning. He was crowing the start to another gorgeous day in the Wye Valley.
We managed to get down the stairs and tucked into another ‘full’ breakfast at The Start B&B. Once again, there was too much for me to finish off, so they wrapped up my extra hunk of bacon so I could add it to my lunch sandwich.
Luke, from Drover Holidays, picked us up and delivered us back to Llanthony where we had finished the day before. We climbed up, up, up the steep ascent to rejoin Offa’s Dyke Path at the top of the boundary of Brecon Beacons National Park.
No worries about trying to find signposts, stiles or looking for clues. The path just follows the English/Welsh border and all we had to do was stay on top of the ridge and keep walking and walking and then walking a little more.
But then we had to go down, down, down into Hay-on-Wye; down steep fields, and rocky trails. Nothing like making you pay for that glorious ridge, because going down is w-a-a-a-y harder than going up for the knee joints. No question about that.
In total, our distance today was around 21 kilometers. We reached Hay-On-Wye just as the weather turned to rain. It’s rather steady out there now. I’m thinking our luck with the weather might have just run out.
But we got to our hotel before the rain really started and Kevin quickly sought out his cure while I began mine.
They both start with the letter ‘B’. He found Hereford Pale Ale, a local Wye Valley beer in the hotel’s pub, and I began my remedy by filling the big tub so I could soak in a long, hot bath.
Thank you Swan Hotel for having a pub with great beer on tap and a room with a gargantuan tub and lots of hot water.
We just might make another day 
In 2010 after walking the 170 kms TMB (Tour du Mont Blanc), on our return home we went to Wales and did a circular walk of 25 kms from Gospel Pass, via Capel-y-ffn to Llanthony Abbey and back. I remember it well, a beautiful, ruined abbey where Alison and her husband spent their honeymoon (a couple we met on the TMB). We were really fit at that time, walking an ascent/descent of 1000 m every day for 10 days on the TMB.
And where else can you finish and say you’ve walked across an entire country?
Vatican City?
It sounds just amazing – and so do both of you. Hang in there, Colleen’s knees!
Vatican City. Of course. That would be a whole lot easier and I could get some great expresso and gelato while I was at it. What was I thinking?!
Thanks for the good-knee-wishes, Janet. It seems to be working. Keeping my fingers crossed
This trip looks fabulous. Just may have to add this one to our bucket list.
Irene, it’s funny you should write. I was thinking of you today and could visualize you and Randy LOVING this trip. And where else can you finish and say you’ve walked across an entire country?
I want to say thanks for telling me the opportunity in the traveling .Thanks for the post….
ski season whistler
Hey Mike, it’s a lot different than Whistler, that’s for sure
Your narrative is making me want to go!
Sharry, it’s SO gorgeous. Between our homes of Alaska & BC, I know you and I are used to amazing scenery, but this is really something…especially that we get to end each night in a cozy hotel or inn!
I’m enjoying your photos and commentary! Sounds wonderful (except for the knees, of course!)
Thanks for reading along Dora. I really must quit whining about those knees but it’s become my entire focus somehow