Yesterday had been a very long day but I knew that today was going to be so much easier, which it was. With that in mind I decided to have a later start and also climb up to Castle Dinas Bran which is slightly off the route but gives fantastic views all around. It would be another enjoyable day with quite easy walking and an odd moment with a motorbike.
I was in no hurry to get up and have breakfast but it was probably the best one on my walk. I decided to walk up the steep climb to see Castle Dinas Bran before dropping down to where I had left the route the day before as I knew I would be fresh at the start of the day. It certainly was a steep old climb, especially in the morning sunshine and no breeze but I zigzagged my way up the stony path to the top to take in the fantastic views all around me as I regained my breath.
I could have stayed longer but I was happy with the views so headed down the other side which was just as steep to the road where I left the trail yesterday. Back on the trail, I would be road walking for a while, still taking in the views while listening out for cars as it was narrow and twisty. I must admit though I was glad to leave the road and start a lovely walk through the scree on a nice level gravelly path which went on and on under the immense cliffs on the right. I had to keep stopping to take in the views or I would probably have fallen off the path.
All good things come to an end sadly and the path soon reached the road. I sat down on a stile beside a ford to have a break and something to eat but before I could do so a motorbike slowly went through the ford and the next thing I knew it was on its side alongside the rider. I rushed over to see if he was ok, thankfully he was going very slow. The ford was very slippery and it was difficult even walking on it and it took the two of us to pick the bike up and carefully move it off the ford. The bike and the rider were fine thankfully and luckily he was going slow or it could have been worse. We chatted for a while before he headed off and I crossed the ford on dry stepping stones at the side of it.
The next section would be more road walking, firstly up a steep hill but then mostly level and an enjoyable quiet walk through the moorland, it reminded me a bit of the North Yorkshire Moors. After a while the trail left the road and headed off through the moorland on a thin path, some of it paved, some of it on boards and some of it just a narrow path but again it reminded me of the Moors.
After a while I entered Llandegla Forest on lovely wide and smooth gravel paths but I had to keep my eyes and ears open as it’s a very popular area for mountain biking with lots of trails in the forest that cross the Offa’s Dyke Path. The trail started descending and I left the forest and the bikes behind and walked through a little hamlet before crossing a couple of fields. I then realised that this was the first grass I had walked on all day which was a change from the normal.
The fields headed up to a busy road and a narrow path beside it for a bit before crossing it carefully and up a narrow lane into Llandegla where I was greeted with a sign telling me the village shop was open so I paid it a visit to get some goodies as I knew the shop in Llanarmon would be shut when I got there. A bench just outside it gave me the chance to have my lunch and pack my goodies away before moving on.
The weather up until now had been dry but it had been mainly grey clouds, rain was forecast and it was getting darker. I didn’t get very far out of the village as the first few spots of rain fell, just as I entered farmland. It didn’t last long but I decided though to put my waterproofs on anyway so at least I was prepared for later if it rained. The view around me was now lost in the grey skies as I continued through fields, the grass wet from the little shower.
I was heading slightly uphill through the fields until I reached a small lane which I headed along for a while. Before me in the gloom I could see a hill, this will be one for tomorrow as soon I was off the road and walking uphill on a track past a communications mast. I soon started heading down a grassy path towards a gate, this would be the point where I would leave the trail for the day and make my way to Llanarmon.
A grassy path led off the trail and soon became a bit firmer as it headed towards a fishing lake, the path crossed a fence onto a wide track and then became a road. The village was now in sight and the rain started falling gently as I walked through it, past the shop where I’ll pick up lunch in the morning and soon I was in the Hotel getting my wet waterproofs off.
It had been an easy walk today compared to yesterday and plenty of scenery until the grey skies took over. The weather forecast for tomorrow doesn’t look very good at all, I hope they get it wrong but it looks like waterproofs all day. I am staying just outside Bodfari and the pub is a mile away if I want a meal so hopefully the rain will have stopped by then. I only have two more days to walk, this makes me happy but also sad as it means my adventure is almost over and I have to go back to my normal life.
