BreakfastDay 1 of Walk. 13.10 miles, plus extra mile on River edge, plus extra mile to get out of Chepstow = 15 miles
7 hours walking
Chepstow to Redbrook.
Watch out for vicious deer with antlers!
Last nights bathroom (note heavy beams in ceiling). Also it was the most crooked building. Uneven floors slipping in various directions. Add in a bed with a sagging mattress that just happened to slope in same direction of floor. Felt kind of crooked all the time.
Nothing like a Major reintroduction to a typical British day. Wetness!
Basically the Marmot waterproofs held up. The Ahnu boots kept the feet dry. The double SmartWool socks kept those toes warm. The REI rain fly did not keep the pack dry - but - everything inside the pack was stored in zip lock plastic bags - so EVERYTHING was dry when unpacked in tonight's room at the Florence B&B in Redbrook.
Muddy path
This morning the choice was to have the fried egg, toast, tomato (ta-maaa-toe), bacon (fried ham), fruit, and of course coffee.
More Muddy paths
After trouble sleeping and waking up at midnight - hungry - was sound asleep when the alarm went off. Turned on TV and watched the news on a program called "Good Morning Wales". A weather map was shown for all the UK, which includes Northern Ireland, with the RAIN forecast. The map also showed Ireland and it was fun to think of Susan, Henry, Kim, and Claire, being over there in County Mayo, and me just across that sea called Irish.
Clouds and fog
Last evening between attempts to try to have a FaceTime chat with Gary (it didn't work very well) I wandered outside the hotel, took a stroll up to the castle and after photographing that black cat outside the Chepstow Historical Museum realized there were voices coming out and the museum was open. Wandered in. They were having a "Gallery Opening". Accepted a glass of wine. Went up to listen to the lecture on the old prints and paintings of the Chepstow Castle and the history of the town. Very interesting.
Wild Garlic accompanied me all day
On Offa's Dyke Path today I encountered first a solo lady hiker who was completing the walk coming from north to south. She was wearing a full Marmot rain set, just like mine, only her jacket was purple. Later met a solo man coming from north to south also. He said there were two women about a mile ahead of me, and in front of them a solo woman. Never caught up with any.
Carrot and coriander soup for lunch.
By fireplace trying to dry out. But didn't work :(
Spent the day in the rain, and mud, plodding along, but felt good. Think tomorrow will put the knee braces on as there were some twinges, and no knee issues are needed.
The fingers and the Biofreeze had a nice session with the back/ribs. Not too bad
Village in Appalachia or Wales?
Baa baa
Navigating today was not bad. The worst part was getting out of Chepstow because the "old" bridge is closed for repairs it was necessary to make a wide loop using the new very busy bridge and trying to rejoin where the trail started off after the "old" bridge. Pouring rain didn't help with trying to map read. Asked a Lorry driver to look at my map, he couldn't figure it out. Went into a butcher shop (doors open and flies flying in). First I asked a lady who looked just like Mrs Pritchard of the BBC series "The Amazing Mrs Pritchard", and she informed me she didn't understand maps. Then a shop girl came out from the back and admitted she couldn't read maps. The first butcher said he was no good with maps. The second butcher had to put on his glasses, but was able to point me in the correct direction. Basic lessons in navigation should be a part of everyone's education as it opens up the world. Don't just see everything through a GPS (Olivia)
Horses with Blindfolds
Finally found Offa's Dyke Path. Took the rubber tips off the trekking poles and set off. After about 10 minutes realized the path was leading back to Chepstow. Turn around, retrace steps, back on road until the northern path was found. After that the trail is Extremely well marked. Amazingly well marked. Only a couple places was there some confusion, but after checking the maps, difficult in the rain (could have used windshield wipers for the glasses) used common sense and chose the correct path.
Had lunch in a tiny hamet Brickweir (too tiny to be called a village) that only had the one offering for food (the room only had three tables),
had the carrot and coriander soup with hot bread and tea while sitting by a fireplace trying to dry out.
Sailboat waiting on River Wye
Descended finally into Redbrook down a steep, very steep path (had to go down sideways because of the steepness and mud, and then down 67 steps to reach the village where it was necessary to phone for a ride to tonight's B&B
View out my window to the main house (1500's structure)
Dinner tonight (salad) smoked salmon platter.
Entree: mushroom, cranberry, brie and veggies. Far too much food. The "salad" would have been enough.
View out the bathroom window - stone wall holding up the hillside which rose straight up beyond the cottage
Breakfast - toast yogurt fruit beans tomatoes mushroom juice coffee = stuffed Lois
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