I took some lovely photos today, or at least i think i did. The llangollen escarpment, castell dinas bran, pontysyllte aqueduct. But i chose this one. I'll explain why shortly, but first....breakfast. Absolutely awesome! Probably the best i've ever had. A slice of melon piled high with fruit of the forest, followed by smoked haddock with poached eggs, followed by homemade croissants with butter and jam. The table was laden, it looked fantastic. Well apart from the rubber grapes. I left my accommodation stuffed to the gills and ready for anything. Then it rained so i hid in a bus stop for 20 minutes till it stopped. There was no escaping the showers this morning, though they were very light. It was pretty murky as i trudged through llandegla forest, up, up, up, all alone apart from 87 cyclists. Why do they always cycle around forests? There's nothing to see except the same tree over and over again. Anyway after about 45 minutes of the same tree i suddenly emerged blinking into the scene in the photo. It was the best moment of the walk so far. Nothing as far as i could see except heather and my path snaking off into it, which possibly contradicts my forest comments. The drizzle made it a real heathcliffe moment. If anyone reading this has taken the tiny road from minera to world's end you'll know what i'm talking about. If you haven't you must, in drizzle. By the time i got down to world's end, at the head of one of wales' most beautiful valleys, the sun had come out, and it stayed out for the rest of the day. Offa's dyke path runs mid way between the valley floor and the cliff tops, along the screes of the escarpment, so you get great views all the way. Then it joins a lane which runs past castell dinas bran and above the vale of llangollen to the aqueduct. I'd done lots of bits of today's walk but it was great to join them all up. It was strange to think that only yesterday i was looking down on the vale of clwyd. This seemed so far away. I stopped for a butty and a pint of telford tipple, which was very good, before crossing the aqueduct to complete the last 4 miles. I was in strolling mode because it was so sunny. After passing close to chirk castle i dropped down into the narrow Ceiriog valley where i am staying. The last time i was here was years ago. Ci du played a gig at a pub in glyn Ceiriog. i had too much to drink beforehand and played every song twice as fast as usual. Drummers, eh? You just can't trust them. There were a few spooky moments at the end of the walk. Within a few minutes i saw a dead pheasant stuck in a fence, then straight after a dead rabbit, then within a minute another rabbit with mixymatosis (no i know i can't spell it!) Staggering around aimlessly. It was all reminding of the 'antichrist' film i saw last week so i made a quick exit. The bed and breakfast is fine but no match for last night's curiosity shop. For a start i have no idea what time breakfast is and i waited ages for her to tell me to have a bath. The set up on the path is that you are driven to a pub to eat and picked up again when you've finished. Great! Except i was driven past 3 lovely looking country pubs and dumped in chirk at a chain pub. I ordered steak and ale pie with new potatoes. It arrived THREE minutes later. A big fat NO to reheated pastry. Meal rating 2/10. And that's for the peas. Beer ok though (pedigree). Also i've realised it's friday night so it's full of groups on the razz. I look like the billy no mates in the corner. I am the billy no mates in the corner. Time to phone my taxi i think. Aside: well done lizzie for learning to ride your bike today!
