Wild Garlic and meeting people I knew!

Day 16 Walking

Meifod to Welshpool

10.75 miles ++

5 Hours

Wild garlic again while walking through lush greenery. Lovely aroma!

Lane through wooded area.

Twisty lane between high hedges.

Campers mostly have these attached rooms.

Roosters crowing. Sheep baa baaing. Cows mooing. Birds chirping. Nature is alive and happy, even if it is a rainy day.

Nap time for horses.

Interesting how quickly the different (English/Welsh) environment becomes normal: ancient stone cottages, little yards, tiny cars with large people stuffed inside, those tiny cars driving on the (wrong) side of the road, people dressed in rather an old fashioned manner, funny accents, and plain foods. Reminds me of being in London and after a couple weeks Olivia commented about "what was everyone taking photos of?" I said "same things we took photos of our first few weeks". The novelty becomes the norm.

Fishing with protection.

Started off today with rain and the forecast was for more rain - All day. Decided that the route of least wetness (roadway) was a good option to take. No reason to plod through knee high grass all day and get the boots and feet soaking wet. The route on the map for back roads twisted around narrow lanes with high hedges. Just as long, if not longer, but far easier. Called this another "rest" day.

Kind of felt like Harold in "The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry" must have felt like as he walked across England using narrow back roads and lanes, and meeting all sorts of people along the way.

A couple miles outside of Welshpool there were three road choices to get me confused. Couldn't quite figure which was the one I should take. Flagged a car down and asked the woman "Is this the road to Welshpool?" She said "all roads lead to Welshpool." Wait - I thought it was Rome that all roads led to!

A Nutcracker (British soldier) named Mollies.

St Mary's church was right at the entrance to town so went straight inside (it was also about to start pouring again). Walked in and they were preparing for a funeral, but a sweet little old man said I could have a look around before the real mourners arrived. Look around I did.

Saint Mary's

Triptych on permanent loan to the church. Possibly painted in the workshop of Joos van Cleve about 1530

Here rests the 3rd Earl of Powis. "steward of the university of Cambridge, and first President of the College of North Wales".

Later ducked out of rain into the OldMarket Hall. Wandered through looking at a bunch of junk (think flea market). Located the Toilets. As I went into the space I thought I recognized a man standing in the hall and thought that weird. Went inside the Ladies and recognized the back of the woman washing her hands. Stepped back out and looked at the man again. He smiled. It was the young couple who had stayed with me back in Machynlleth Sunday night (guy who could have been model/actor, he confirmed my first opinion looks wise, and the second opinion that he was a bit awkward). They had just became officially engaged yesterday.

Arrived at Montgomeryshire Canal where Glyndwr's Way officially ended. One section completed!

Goodbye Owain Glyndwr!

Bought a little pin saying National Trail Glyndwr's Way to attach to the backpack next to the Coast to Coast pin. Also got a Wales pin (with the dragon), and hope to get an Offa's Dyke pin once that route is completed, twice. Will only buy one pin though.

Canal Agents Office

There he is hard at work.

Grace Evans Cottage is close to Saint Mary's church. "Grace was the maid of Lady Nithsdale, a daughter of the Earl of Powis (this county) whose husband, was a Jacobite leader, and was being held in the Tower of London in 1715, awaiting execution. Grace helped Lady Nithsdale rescue her husband, and was given the cottage by the Earl in recognition of this bravery."

Carrot soup with coriander for lunch in Welshpool. Not only did the hot soup taste good, but this walker was able to sit out of the rain for a half hour. The bowl had a face on it.

Rather strange to sit inside a very crowded cafe with the backpack slightly pushed under the table, I am all sweaty (smelly), have muddy boots and muddy gaiters on, hair is pulled back in a wild mess, and everyone else is dressed nicely (their version) and the women have lipstick on. I must have looked like the wild person of the moors.

Where is (Wright)????

Nap time for sheep today as most were laying in the fields.

Today's sheep had blue butts.

Another Bucky, just as dead as yesterday's, but better maintained for the long run. This one is over 100 years old and came inherited with the house along with other items.

David's grandfather bought Tynllwyn Farm (where I am staying tonight) in 1919 right after the war from the original landowners who must have been rather wealthy. The rooms on the first floor have 15 ceilings. Must be cold and drafty in the winter as the house faces east where the weather comes from and they are not allowed to replace the windows with modern double-pane glass because of being historical.

His grandfather fought in Jerusalem during WWI and was wounded and sent home. Had he not been wounded he would have been at the Somme, and most likely not have survived. So in his case it was better to be wounded than not breathing.

There are many old electrical switches all over this huge home from when electricity was first installed.

On arrival after being shown my room, which made me think and feel like Lady Mary (Downton Abbey) and possibly having Anna comb out my hair by the dressing table (it could use some help).

Tried the self-timer for this posed image.

I was told to come to the sitting room in 10 minutes for tea and homemade scones with jam. The scone was good, but Maria makes them just as tasty.

Here is the Gorffwysfa B&B from two nights ago that has been listed for sale. Found the listing in an agencies office here in Welshpool. £215,000. The window on the top left was mine.