Browsed by
Category: Powys

An Offa we couldn’t refuse

An Offa we couldn’t refuse

Comments 1 Comment

My brother Paul is staying with us for a few days so it's time for yet another walk especially as it's sunny. We were going to look for some of the sections of Offa's Dyke around here.

Offa's Dyke is a bank and ditch built by Offa who was King of Mercia from 757 to 796 A.D. The dyke is thought to have been started in 785 AD and took a number of years to build. It runs from the South Wales coast for 177 miles to the North Wales coast following the English/Welsh border.

We knew that there was a visible section in the local park so we started there. You can see the profile of the bank, with the ditch on this side, quite easily.

We continued down the valley slope to the River Teme at the bottom where we saw this sign. The path, generally, is well marked by signs such as this.

The path runs along by the river through meadows often covered in sheep but not today. The hill beyond is where we are headed and Amanda is thinking 'Surely we're not going up there' and Paul is trying to ignore it completely. But, yes, we are going up there. A short way back we crossed from Powys, in Wales, into Shropshire, England where we will remain until we go back into Knighton.

We eventually reached the footbridge over the river. crossed the railway, and started up the slope. The first section is wooded but then we emerged on to open ground but one thing is constant – the steep slope. After much puffings and blowings we paused for a rest.

Amanda is enjoying the view, sitting on the path that we came up, with one corner of Knighton visible below. We certainly seemed to gain height rapidly but then we shouldn't be surprised;  I did say it was steep.

We did, eventually, reach the ridge where the path climbed more slowly. The views were amazing as this one of the valley shows. The little village and viaduct in the distance is Knucklas and it shows the meanders of the river very well.

We went as far as the next visible section of Offa's Dyke shown here with a fence running along the top of the bank with the ditch to its right.

Although there was some warmth in the sun the wind was icy and coming, so I understand, from the arctic. We decided not to hang around.

That is where we turned back and started our descent. One noticeable effect is that going down a steep hill is harder on the legs than going up although going up is harder on the lungs.

Yet another walk completed.

 

First find

First find

Comments 0 Comment

When we moved to this area we expected to find fossils at some stage but not quite so soon and so easily. Amanda turned over a rock in the garden and there they were.

These are brachiopods; a form of shellfish. We haven't identified the rock yet let alone the brachiopods. That will have to come later.

New place, First walk

New place, First walk

Comments 1 Comment

Today was a sunny day although the temperature this morning, early, was below freezing but we couldn't miss this chance to have our first walk since we moved in. We have, until now, done nothing but unpacking and settling in so this will make a change.

It wasn't far to the start of the walk, namely our front door and so we set off uphill. It was quite steep and we gained height quickly and I took my first photograph before we had even left the town. We were heading west to walk around Garth Hill and this view was of Knighton from the very western edge of Knighton.

Garth Hill is just over 1100 feet high but we weren't intending to go to the top but to go around it's flanks. The first part of the walk was along Glyndwr's Way which is well signposted and we were now heading north-west along the Teme Valley ( on our right) and on the other side of the valley is Panpunton Hill.

/

We soon entered the wooded part of the hill and, as you can see in the next photograph we were still climbing occasionally. This view is looking back along the path and the slope shown on the left is as steep as it looks. You wouldn't want to fall down there.

On the way through the wood we spotted some wild flowering currant which was rather pretty and colourful.

We were about halfway into the walk now and the sound of sheep bleating was quite common. There are a lot of sheep round here.

The total walk was only 3 miles and when we arrived at the 2 mile mark we saw this Blackthorn blossom and there was quite a lot of it. Very pretty.

A little further on we saw this little bracket fungus on a fallen tree.

Having walked full circle we finally joined the path that we had started out on and descended into the Cwm in Knighton – very near home now.

That was an enjoyable little walk and we were back in time for lunch.

 

Here be dragons

Here be dragons

Comments 2 Comments

Yes, I know, I haven't posted for about 4 months. This was because of our major personal project which I mentioned briefly in my last post.

That personal project is now complete – we have sold our house and moved about 230 miles west of where we were living near the Essex coast to the English/Welsh border and now live in the small market town of Knighton in Powys, Wales. It is so close to the border that our railway station is in England.

We have been here just 3 weeks and have lots to explore. You may know that in the very ancient maps the legend 'Here be dragons' was often applied to areas that had not been explored so I suppose it's apt in that respect (we haven't explored it yet) and also because the Welsh emblem is a dragon (we haven't met him yet).

We had to make a trip to the County Council offices in Llandrindod Wells and by chance chose a sunny day to do so. Some of the views on the way were breathtaking (didn't have my camera). There is also a long distance path, called Offa's Dyke Path, which starts on the South Wales coast and travels about 150 miles to the north coast passing through Knighton on the way. We are hoping to explore some of that – possibly not all 150 miles of it.

I am hoping to start taking photographs soon so that I can show you what it's like around here. You can't wait can you? smilies