W5 - Long Town to Hay On Wye
Summary
When one sees the mists on the hill tops and one know you need to get back up there, then one can start the day with a bit of a heavy heart. We started the day with a 1,200 foot climb to get back on the Offa's Dyke (not that there is any sign of the Dyke - well what idiot would build one on top of the moor ?). The weather was blustery and a tad wet as we walked through moorland and bog. There were a surprising number of horses too. The walk down was ok if a bit slippy. Hay On Wye has loads of book shops and supposedly a festival in May. It also seems to love food: we ate at the Swan Hotel that was delightful.
Longer version
If you ever stay at Long Town then be warned, to get back up to the ridge, you have to climb and climb. Hardly the greatest start to the day. But we got there - no there isn't a road.
Once on the ridge we felt the full force of the rain and the wind. It has no places to hide. Why the horses do not run down to the valley is beyond me. The path however is well formed and it is very easy to follow. Between the rain showers there were good views and we got a true sense of isolation - not a house in sight.
It was 14 miles to Hay On Wye and probably 8 miles of it were on the ridge. The only people up there were a couple from Berlin (walking to Chepstow) and a family of 5 wandering the moor. Unlike Yorkshire or Scotland it does not have grouse - its more raw. Luckily they have spent ages on the path so there is no bog hopping and the sign posts are very clear. Compare this to the Coast to Coast and there is no comparison - the coast to coast probably has 10 signs in total: Offa's Dyke has double this in a single day 😆
Whilst coming off the moor was slippy, there were some interesting sights: a mother hen and her chicks
We quickly made it into Hay which seems full of old people, bookshops and eating places. It is a bit of a throw back to a bygone age. At the Swan Hotel the average age was 75+ ie we both felt positively young. But the food was excellent. And we are on the route: big bonus
When one sees the mists on the hill tops and one know you need to get back up there, then one can start the day with a bit of a heavy heart. We started the day with a 1,200 foot climb to get back on the Offa's Dyke (not that there is any sign of the Dyke - well what idiot would build one on top of the moor ?). The weather was blustery and a tad wet as we walked through moorland and bog. There were a surprising number of horses too. The walk down was ok if a bit slippy. Hay On Wye has loads of book shops and supposedly a festival in May. It also seems to love food: we ate at the Swan Hotel that was delightful.
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| Horses on the moor - strange but true |
Longer version
If you ever stay at Long Town then be warned, to get back up to the ridge, you have to climb and climb. Hardly the greatest start to the day. But we got there - no there isn't a road.
Once on the ridge we felt the full force of the rain and the wind. It has no places to hide. Why the horses do not run down to the valley is beyond me. The path however is well formed and it is very easy to follow. Between the rain showers there were good views and we got a true sense of isolation - not a house in sight.
It was 14 miles to Hay On Wye and probably 8 miles of it were on the ridge. The only people up there were a couple from Berlin (walking to Chepstow) and a family of 5 wandering the moor. Unlike Yorkshire or Scotland it does not have grouse - its more raw. Luckily they have spent ages on the path so there is no bog hopping and the sign posts are very clear. Compare this to the Coast to Coast and there is no comparison - the coast to coast probably has 10 signs in total: Offa's Dyke has double this in a single day 😆
Whilst coming off the moor was slippy, there were some interesting sights: a mother hen and her chicks
We quickly made it into Hay which seems full of old people, bookshops and eating places. It is a bit of a throw back to a bygone age. At the Swan Hotel the average age was 75+ ie we both felt positively young. But the food was excellent. And we are on the route: big bonus
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