Offa’s Dyke Day 12: Pandy to Monmouth

An account of walking the 177 mile long-distance trekking route between Prestatyn and Chepstow, along the Welsh-English border.

Day 11 of this walk can be found here.

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It was raining when we woke up and continued to rain, getting heavier and heavier whilst we breakfasted. As we left the B&B I was (finally) wearing my hated waterproof trousers and in my most waterproof (but least breathable) jacket, with the underarm vents fully opened. Sporting a cap with my hood pulled up over the top and gaiters under my waterproof trousers. I was hot. However, given the choice between soaked and sweaty, I picked sweaty.

We’d been really pleased when a lady we met on the Hatterrall Ridge the day before had told us she’d seen lots of people that day but, “They weren’t proper walkers, not like you!” We were delighted to be described as proper walkers, and as we headed out despite the driving rain, it felt like it!

We have been joined for the last 2 days of the walk by Steve, Damian’s Dad, who arrived in a taxi as we had breakfast. He had done the reverse of our next two days walking by bus and then taxi, with a diversion via Millets to prepare for the inclement weather.

We couldn’t see the ridge we walked along the day before at all; even the closer foothills had disappeared into the cloud. This was a pity as it would have been good to look back on the views and a very pleasant day’s walking in better weather. To be honest, we enjoyed it in spite of the rain. The route was mainly through agricultural fields, but we had a variety of different crops including potatoes, wheat, turnips, grassland, barley, woodland, oilseed rape and a blue flower which I thought was linseed, but I’m now trying to identify as it doesn’t look like the right sort of flower. Update: it may be borage. We also walked through many orchards, growing apples that seemed to end up in Bulmers.

We met some amazingly friendly horses, including a yearling who stood inside the kissing gate, in an effort to come and talk to us. My favourite was the overly friendly foal, who wanted to groom me back when I stroked her and kept trying to steal my cap. We also saw some White Park cattle — a lovely rare-breed which are white, with black noses, ears and feet.

Our route took us past White Castle, which is a rather imposing construction. There is an interesting looking Three Castles Walk between White Castle, Grosmont and Skenrith, but at nineteen miles in length, that will have to wait for another day (or possibly two days if we actually want to explore the castles too). There was a lovely church to St Cadoc at Llangattock-Lingoed, where we discovered that Llan means place of burial, a suffix very common in Welsh place names. It had the remains of an incredible fresco of St George on the walk and the coat of arms of Queen Anne, but I’m not sure why. We visited another church, which was unfortunately shut, but had a pleasant, sheltered porch in which we ate lunch.

Walking into Monmouth came as rather a shock to the system as we walked under the historic arch and up the high street. I saw more people in a couple of hundred yards than I have in the last two weeks! Steve needed a new rucksack, so I was tempted into Millets at sale time and found some bargain walking boots. I took off my wet and muddy boots and damp socks to try them on, borrowing a pair of the shop’s clean socks to do so. Putting my damp socks and boots back on afterwards was soul-destroying, even if it was only for a few hundred yards more pavement!

Day 13 of the walk can be found here.

We are raising money for The Teenage Cancer Trust during the walk. If you would like to donate, we’d be very grateful.

Our trip was organised by Celtic Trails Walking Holidays, who I have so far been very impressed by. I have received nothing from them for this endorsement. #celtictrails #shareyoursteps

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