Today would be my final day on the trail, I was happy but also sad to be finishing because it’s a fantastic walk but I would also be glad to get back to my own bed. The forecast for today was for it to rain all day and that’s the way it turned out so it meant wet grassy fields and soggy socks but it didn’t really matter today as I didn’t need them to be dry tomorrow.
I opened the curtains to see a very gloomy day and the rain had started so waterproofs were on all day. Visibility was not great so not many photos would be taken, it would be a day for just getting on with it. I had breakfast and left only for the owner to come out and tell me I had overpaid him by 20 Pounds which was very honest of him. Luckily for me the accommodation was uphill from Bodfari so that meant I didn’t have the huge hill at the start that I had struggled up yesterday.
Back on the track it was a bit of road walking uphill before the first of many grassy paths would dampen my shoes. There wasn’t much to look at today except grey skies but today it was all about finishing. Some of the fields had no visible path and it was too misty to see waymarkers so I was just following the directions on my GPS. After a while of road, track and field I noticed the sound of traffic getting louder and then in the distance I soon saw a busy A55 road which I crossed soon after a wet overgrown field edge path had soaked my trousers and shoes.
I stopped for a quick break after crossing the bridge, sheltering under a tree before moving on, there was no hurry. I headed off though through Rhuallt and started heading uphill on a road before turning off and heading up a steep grassy path that had me puffing away. There were no major hills today but these short steep ones felt quite sapping. Thankfully it levelled out and a bit of road walking before more wet fields took me to Marian Cwm from where I then headed up on open moorland looking for the waymarkers which took me down a little lane.
I was now halfway through my short day and my shoes were damp but not that bad, this would soon change as a series of wet long grassy fields started and by the time I left the last one they were saturated. By now on a good day I would probably have seen the sea but this wasn’t a good day. I soon cheered up though when I saw a sign for Prestatyn pointing into a woodland path that climbed quite steeply then narrowed when it left the woods.
The narrow path kept heading uphill but I thought I would be heading down to the town by now. I could see some houses down below but still I gained height. Thankfully, much to my relief, I started heading carefully down on the slippery path and reached the welcome tarmac or the road leading into the town centre. I felt myself speeding up as I marched down past all the shops and over the railway line and continued towards the sea front. Very soon a smile came on my face as I saw the sculpture at the end of the walk just a short distance away.
And that was it, I had reached the end of the day but more importantly I had reached the end of the Offa’s Dyke Path after eleven wonderful days walking. I did the usual photos and videos and stayed a while, ironically the rain had stopped as I reached the town but I was just happy to have finished and be going home, but not before a big meal and a celebratory drink in the town. I sat and thought about many things I had enjoyed on this walk and if I would do it again. I certainly would if I had the time and I would seriously recommend it.
