Wednesday 26 October 2011

Offa's Dyke 2011: day 5 - Sedbury cliffs

Today may only have been 8 miles and less than 4 hours of walking but to me it was so much more. When I left the trail almost a year in, what me be said, a fairly rough condition I had no real wish to return but I not really one to let things go.
A week of spare holiday and my amazing trek in Sweden earlier in the year, that was all that was needed to convince me (although I'm not sure everyone else saw it the same way) it was time to return. Even I was pretty anxious about going back and the uncertainty of the Welsh weather does nothing to calm the nerves, snow, frost, torrential rain, fog, gales anything is possible at this time of year.
As my blog has described, I was lucky this time round (much better than last year) and really couldn't have asked for much more in october.
I have been pleased by my strength and fitness which this year have, like the weather, been greatly improved and meant that my completion of Offa's Dyke has come a day earlier than planned
- also with a lot less pain and blisters than previous.
Anyway, my task is over and I can let it go now and plot the next episode in my slightly unnecessary approach to holidaying. I hope you can find as much happiness in the sight of this plain old lump of rock as I did.

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Saturday 22 October 2011

Offa's Dyke 2011: day 4 - 70 miles

Shattered, only 8 miles to go!
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Offa's Dyke 2011: day 4 - 57 miles

You have an awful lot of time to think whilst you are walking large distances, the things I find myself wondering most:
1 - why when I'm walking do I feel strong and energetic on odd numbered days yet laboured and weary on even numbered days, this trend seems irrespective of terrain and conditions.
2 - why when I'm sleeping in a tent can I only ever sleep for 1 or 2 hours before waking up and having to restart the process.

Today, if you didn't read the top of the blog, is an even numbered day and I'm feeling devoid of energy so I've stopped for lunch in the hope that hotpot and mash will revive me.
It's a really beautiful day here and the surroundings are very pleasant, more importantly it's only 22ish miles to Chepstow.
I really fancy a huge burger with bacon and cheese at this moment, it'll have to wait until tomorrow.
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Friday 21 October 2011

Offa's Dyke 2011: day 3 - 51 miles

Hell of a long a day, made longer by the inability to find a suitably discrete place to camp. I am, however, now camped and hoping for a very good sleep. I'm currently near a place called white castle (OS 381 164) and a good day tomorrow could mean arriving in Chepstow on sunday, one day ahead of the original plan.
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Offa's Dyke 2011: day 3 - 43 miles

A relentless afternoon, 10 miles completed on a totally exposed mountain ridge with absolutely no shelter. Back to normal surroundings now and I'm way ahead of schedule so every mile is a bonus, I've also cleared the half way point so the distance starts counting down from here.
It has been tough but a good day so far.
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Offa's Dyke 2011: day 3 - 33 miles

Finally after much waiting I'm in the black mountains! A steady paced climb this morning has seen me progress 2 miles and I'm now at a height of 650m, things should level out a bit from here and the ascents become more gradual. Thus far the weather is ok but the wind is strong and there is rain predicted, once on the mountain ridge it will be very exposed so I hope it holds off.
The views arte pretty spectacular!
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Thursday 20 October 2011

Offa's Dyke 2011: day 2 - 31 miles

After what has literally been a day of ups and downs I am now happily camped about 3 miles south of Hay-on-Wye (OS 239 393). It's rather cold again tonight, even inside th tent it's only 10 degrees and outside it's considerably colder - even with the sun up this morning it was only 5 degrees. I've had my dinner and have lots of sweets so I don't really care about the outside as long as it's not raining tomorrow.
Wine gums or Tootti frooties?
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Offa's Dyke 2011: day 2 - 28 miles

I've just found a Spar! It turns out that if your in your 30's and wearing a rucksack no-one thinks twice about serving you enough sugary sweets and drinks to kill an 8 year old - I don't care i'm in heaven! Not literally heaven, actually it's Hay-on-Wye but I've nailed it today and with another hour of daylight I'm only 3 miles from the black mountains.
With a full supply a water, drinks and sweets I shall now wander onwards for a couple of miles and set up camp.
It has been a tough but ultimately successful day, my legs really ache though!
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Offa's Dyke 2011: day 2 - 19 miles

The lactic acid in my calf muscles is immense, another stint of short steep uphill paths has slowed me and left me aching but still on schedule to make it to hay this afternoon.
Water is running low and there aren't many water sources (streams) around here.
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Offa's Dyke 2011: day 2 - 15 miles

Bloody hell, if I needed any preparation for the mountains the first hour this morning has been it. A 1 mile, 250 metre, descent followed by a 2 mile, 350 metre, ascent - I'm knackered.
After a 9 o'clock start I'm already 3 miles into the days walk and with the terrain being so undulating that's good news. The next few miles should be predominantly downhill as well.
The weather this morning is perfect, sun shining and a chilly breeze to keep things cool, there is talk of rain this afternoon which is a little concerning. I'm currently sat about 420m above sea level and the views all around me are spectacular so I shall not let such conjecture dampen my spirits, just hope it's wrong.
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Wednesday 19 October 2011

Offa's Dyke 2011: day 1 - 12 miles

After a long afternoon, the latter part of which presented me with some uncomfortably steep hills, I am now safely cocooned in my tent. I am now 1 mile north of Kington (OS 292,583) which is a few miles further than I originally expected and already 12 miles into the journey. Despite increasingly heavy legs as the day went on and the hills got more challenging, the day has proved a success.
Tomorrow, not likely to be the hardest day, should prove critical as I try to position myself at the foot of the black mountains ready for fridays ascent, any distance I don't cover poses the potential of losing a day in the mountains and this is weighing on my mind as heavy as before.
For now though I shall get an early night, my lancashire hotpot has filled me nicely and my decision to abandon hiking socks in favour of running socks has prove correct - no soreness or blisters at all.
Hope the sun shines again tomorrow!!
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Offa's Dyke 2011: day 1 - 5 miles

Despite a couple of showers the weather has been kind so far and my progress has been good, in just over 2 hours I've covered 5 miles. The terrain has been a little up and down but well marked and good underfoot, most importantly I've got no early niggles and my body feels fit and healthy.
If everything stays fair I should have about 4 more hours of daylight and get over 10 miles for the day (my original target), that would put me past Kington and well on my way towards the black mountains I fingers crossed!
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Offa's Dyke 2011: Day 1

After last years spectacular fail on the trail ( not intended to sound like a newspaper headline! ), I am heading back to finish what I started and to remove this lack of completion from my thoughts.
I am currently heading to Knighton, the start of the journey and on monday I shall hopefully be arriving in Chepstow ( approximately 80 miles down the road ). At present the sun is shining and there's barely a cloud in the sky, if it stays like this for 5 days I'll be very happy indeed.
It will be another hour or so until I arrive at Knighton but I'm feeling fairly relaxed and in reasonable condition - just trying not to think about the cold nights!!
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