It was very, very cold on my start.This was a closer number to my final Fitbit mileage of 16.94 mi. Path starts up, again. It always seems to start UP.Pretty little cemetery.
For all the up and down, the path started very gently. I was lulled into thinking perhaps it’d mostly be the distance that would challenge me.
I wouldn’t call it a “cafe.”
There was a kettle with water, and tea and coffee here, plus bathrooms. Alas, not a mile before this, I had pee’d plein air along the path.
A lovely field to walk through!Long path through the woods. Nice and flat!!!The day finally warmed up a bit.These cows were much too curious. Happy to walk past and not through them.Thanks, someone who made a bench here!Lunchtime!Best view of the day. Downhill from here, quite literally.This is right before the path became very steep downhill and wrecked my knee.
Not only was the road extremely steep with very loose gravel, but there was no grassy verge like you can see in the photo above. Had there been, I could have walked on that, but there was no choice but to descend on the road. I literally inched down, about 1/4 mile. This was at about the 10 mile mark. Knowing I still had almost 7 miles to go was … a little depressing. But it WAS a beautiful day (think how much worse it would have been in the rain!).
See the signpost? You miss it coming down that road on the left. I only saw it when I realized (fortunately, rather quickly) I was not on the correct path and turned around.Thanks, Hiker Hungers. You did your best to save my knee.Calm before the uphill. Time for a little snack before the next 6 or 7 miles.Some rare black sheep. This was shortly before I realized the path went upwards, almost vertical.This was much, much steeper than it looks. I was almost crawling up.
This was so disheartening! I was using my poles to help pull me up, while being mindful of where I was stepping — I would have rolled down the hill had I fallen. Between this and the previous steep downhill section, my knee was feeling really bad.
View after the ascent. I immediately had to press myself against the fence as a farmer came along in a huge tractor with hay for his sheep. I was to see him a couple more times — the last time, he stopped and we chatted for a good 15 or 20 minutes. We discussed how climate change has affected farming in this area.But seriously, very very beautiful. This was reward enough for a rough patch of hiking.Penny Lane! Still plenty of uphill to go, but it was much easier knowing I was within 5 miles or so of town.I recall thinking surely I’m about to descend to the village soon. But no.Still, happy to see (and hear) this.The guidebook tells me I’m close!The little church that could!Tricky to get to this point. Signposts seemed deliberately hidden from view. And this field merely a garbage tip. A little depressing.
After crossing this junkyard, I descended into another up-and-down woodland. It was lovely, but I wasn’t feeling it. I was about 14 miles in by this point.
After a big bunch of up and down, more than I expected. But gosh. This is a pretty road!And finally, the village comes into view.I seriously could have used this about 5 miles ago!!
As I was coming into town, I met a lovely woman, Rita, who walked me into the village and directed me to my digs, Mount Inn.
My Inn for two nights. No cider ever tasted better. That is a fact. If I look weary, it’s because (see below).
I was too late for food at the pub, but headed to The Angel, where they set me up quite nicely!
No burger ever ever ever tasted better! Another fact. I was so hungry I couldn’t even take a proper photo. Enjoyed my Butty Bach, which I discovered translates to “little friend”!Llanidloes in the evening.Seriously???
In my notes for this day of walking, I wrote: That was the hardest day of the walk, and maybe of my life! The equivalent would be rowing two head races in a row.
I found the cutest cafe.This Mediterranean breakfast bowl was fire!Just the nicest place to sit.I’m happiest of all to have a day off walking.I wondered if taking the Severn Way to Hafren Forest might be easier, but all indications were: No.OK. Better.Cornucopia. Yes, that is a pun.Very old market square.One good doggo.Two good doggos.Most excellent lentil soup and scone. I loved this place — Hanging Garden, which was sort of like a community kitchen. Gelato at Cobblers! Homemade in the shop, and SO good.Llanidloes is a Sweet, sweet village. I loved it very much.I complimented this lady on the name of her home, and she invited me in for a tour!
Before this random act of neighborliness, I had been in a bookstore. I inserted myself into a conversation, and ended up getting invited to someone’s home for dinner!!
This floor dates from the 1500s. Yep. Stuff is old here.This beer, on the other hand, was very fresh.As was this delicious plank of fish at the pub downstairs from my room. The Severn. So pretty.
I was quite optimistic about the next day’s walk, which my guidebook clocked at 7.5 miles, and a moderate amount of elevation. I felt good about the knee brace and all the plasters, band aids, and toe spacers. Hope springs eternal, innit.
Debkakes in the UK 2025 