Day 4, Hay on Wye to Kington

I hadn’t really found a pub in Hay that I liked so I took two bottles of Glamorgan beer back to my room and watched The Proms.

Howard, a fellow bass member of the choir and walking / drinking buddy, was extolling the virtues of Nicola Benedetti on our recent walk up and down the Long Mynd and I could certainly see the appeal. The Lark Ascending was poignant as I’d watched several such instances on my walk earlier.

Sunday morning and another great breakfast, after a nice chat with the waitress, and I was ready to settle up and head out.

The first part of the walk was alongside, but above, the River Wye. About five minutes in I started talking to a couple who, it turned out, had both walked the Coast to Coast and he had walked Offa’s Dyke Path in the 70s, so much reminiscing and comparing of notes!

A bit of sheep field walking, followed by a mile or so of country roads and a nice wooded climb up Bettws Dingle led to the first real climb of the day up Disgwylga Hill. This was quite steep so was taken in bite sized chunks!

More fieldwork followed which led to Gladestry and The Royal Oak. I faced something of a dilemma here, carry on for the final 7km or stop for a pint?

The Track and Trace register will tell no lies. You will find my name listed there and I make no apologies. A really friendly country pub that seemed well supported by its small population.

The Trail Blazers guide book, which I’m a massive fan of after first using it on the Coast to Coast walk, described the last 7km of today’s walk (on Hergest Ridge) as the finest stretch of the entire path – I’d struggle to disagree.

Incongruous Monkey Puzzle Trees

More wild ponies

On Hergest Ridge

Kington seems like every other Marches market town, struggling on having lost half of it’s pubs. Still nice to visit though. The Swan had the Everton game on as well. I would love to have visited 40 years ago though!

To Knighton tomorrow, with three decent climbs en route. This is the last of the ‘easy’ days until the last day into Prestatyn.