The Next Walk...

Hello everybody,

Well, here we are again. The Three Men on a Walk team met on the 28th of December to decide which walk we were going to do next. The date had already been decided, Friday 25th May through to Friday 1st June.

We will be joined by three additional walkers this time: Paul Jackson, Andrew Spencer and Tim Duncan. These people will be used as spares in-case any of the others break down along the way.

Andrew was a very enthusiastic commenter on our Offa's Dyke walk, and watched our progress with glee. He so much wanted to join us that he is this time. Paul Jackson has been a keen runner for many years now, however as he is getting on a bit he decided to give up the running and take a slower pace walking instead (he doesn't know what he's letting himself in for). Tim Duncan has done long distance walking before, in his youth, and fancies having another go.

The proposed walks were: The Ridgeway (Chilterns to North Wessex Downs, 84 miles); Cotswold Way (from the beautiful Cotswold market town of Chipping Campden in the north to the World Heritage City of Bath in the south, 102 miles); Hadrian's Wall (Tyneside to the Solway Estuary, 84 miles).

After much deliberation we decided upon Hadrian's Wall. The distance is 84 miles, less that half the distance we attempted on Offa's Dyke, the weaker amongst us rejoice. We will be doing this walk over seven days. Paul decided that 84 miles in seven days with a 20 kg pack on his back wasn't challenge enough so we will be tacking a skirmish into the Lake District, and perhaps a jog up a mountain, onto our last day making eight days in total.

We're not doing this walk to raise money for a good cause this time although sponsorship will be up to the individual.

The website will undergo a design change over the next few weeks to accommodate our new walk and the Offa's Dyke stuff will be archived away but will still be accessible for you to read.

I hope you will enjoy our blog. If you have any suggestions on topics to be covered then please drop us a line at threemenonawalk@gmail.com or leave a comment on this blog post.

In the meantime, have some fun with our polls at the bottom of this page.

Richard.

Coming Soon

Watch this space folks...

Three Men and a Big Cheque!

Well, we've finally reached the end of our epic journey. The story started around a year ago when I had the rather mad idea to walk Offa's Dyke Path - one of fifteen national trails in Great Britain - in order to raise some cash for the folks at Woodmarket House residential care home in Lutterworth, the place where my Dad had died some years earlier.

"How hard can it be?" I said to Simon and Richard in the pub. "It'll be great!" They nodded agreement and 'Three Men on a Walk' was born.

As it turned out, it was incredibly hard.

177 miles doesn't sound all that far, particularly if you say it quickly, but, believe me it is, especially if you're going to walk it in one go - in 9 days and carrying a 20 kilo pack with everything you need to sleep, eat and survive for the duration of the walk.

We set off on 20th May 2011 from Prestatyn in North Wales, having decided to walk from north to south. At the end of day one, Richard was so exhausted - having had a bout of gastroenteritis a week before we set off - that he was unable to continue. The following morning, day two, and Simon pulled a muscle in his groin climbing the Clwydian Range and that was him out of the game too. Both, thankfully, decided to stay with me and get public transport from checkpoint to checkpoint, relieving me of some of the heaviest items in my rucksack into the bargain. As happy as I was that the lads were staying with me, it didn't get away from the fact that I was going to have to walk the remaining 165 miles on my own. And with only me left fit enough to walk, failure simply wasn't an option. If I was to arrive at Sedbury Cliffs near Chepstow on my bleeding hands and knees, then so be it - we were raising money for Woodmarket House and an unfinished challenge meant no money!

Despite some pretty awful weather - torrential rain at times - and some really challenging terrain - the Clwydian Range, the Switchbacks and the Black Mountains to name but a few of the tough sections, Offa's Dyke is a beautiful walk through some of the most stunning scenery in England and Wales - it actually crosses the border more than 20 times. There were times during the walk when I was fed up, times when I wondered what had possessed me to take on such a challenge, times when I was soaking wet and certainly times when I was downright knackered! But for most of it, I can honestly say that I loved it - even the solitude, which actually gave me a lot of time to think about things I probably would never have had the opportunity or the time to think about in my everyday life. I wouldn't go as far as to say that the walk was life changing, but it certainly put a lot of things into perspective for me - an opportunity I reckon most of us could do with now and again.

I finally reached Sedbury Cliffs - some 182.5 miles later - at 3pm on 29th May 2011. The lads were there waiting for me along with my wife and daughter - I couldn't have been happier.

And as for the folks at Woodmarket - well, take a look at the photo below. The picture shows the three of us  (sat on the front row before any of you crack a joke!) surrounded by some residents and staff at Woodmarket House. We raised a fantastic £2346-30!!! Every penny has been paid into the Woodmarket House Comforts Fund, which pays for trips out for all the residents, meals out, Christmas presents and so on. In fact, they are in the process of organising their first trip to Southend on Sea in the next few weeks!

Thank you very, very much to everyone who sponsored us - to raise over two thousand pounds was beyond our expectations and I am absolutely delighted that the folks at Woodmarket House will have a more comfortable and enjoyable year or so ahead thanks to your kind support.

So what's next I hear you cry? Well, watch this space - next year may just see the Three Men on a Walk pull their boots on, shake the grass out of their tents and head for the hills once more.

And do you know what? I can't wait!

Russ.

 

Sponsorship Money

As you know, the walk is now all done and dusted and I'm back to the real world of work - albeit with a noticeable gait! Thank you to all of you who followed the blog during the walk and for the supportive comments and texts. And of course thank you to all of you who pledged sponsorship money for our cause - Woodmarket House Comfort Fund.

We now need to collect the money in so that we can hand it over for the benefit of Woodmarket's residents. If you haven't already done so, could you please arrange to get your sponsorship money to me, Simon or Richard as soon as possible? Cash or cheque is fine - all cheques made payable to Woodmarket House Comfort Fund. You can give it to us personally, give us a ring and we'll collect, push it through my letterbox (with a note so I know who it's from) or post your cheque to me. I'll be emailing those of you who have pledged and who live outside the Lutterworth area with details of the postal address.

Any problems, you can give me a ring on 01455 558229

Thanks again for all your support.

Pictures

Our photo collection of Offa's Dyke has now been posted, please take a look at our gallery.

Home at Last!

Well, I'm home and about to climb the final summit of this trip - my stairs to a proper bed for the first time in 10 days. We're working on the photos right now and hope to have them sorted for tomorrow - I'm sure I'll get the opportunity to bore many of you with a personal viewing at some point in any case, but I'm sure you'll like them - the views were out of this world. I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for the supportive texts and blog comments - it was a real comfort and support to know people care. One final comment from me tonight which probably sums up the whole trip for me and I'd like to quote (not verbatim, but you'll get the gist) a literary hero of mine, Bill Bryson:

Forever more will I be able to stare at some distant horizon through eyes of chipped granite and say, in a gruff, mountain man kind of way, 'Yeah.........I've shit in the woods.'

Goodnight.

Russ

Some Monmouth Pictures

Russ is met by his sister and niece in Monmouth.





Russ and Simon in front of the medieval bridge in Monmouth. OK they're actually in the pub garden.




Russ and Simon salute. We're celebrating the final night of the walk.




Monmouth high street.

Location:Ancre Hill Ln,Monmouth,United Kingdom

Support Team Report - Day Ten

What a fantastic day, witnessing Russ complete his great feat at the edge of Sedbury Cliffs.

Our day began with the threat of rain. I climbed out of my tent this morning and saw vast black clouds heading our way so I figured it would be a good idea to pack up before the tent got wet. It took about five minutes to drag everything past Simons tent and stuff it in to what we had been referring to as Simons tree house. Simon was snoring gently and I hesitated to wake him but he woke up within a minute anyway and I then helped him dismantle his tent.

So after having the final 'All Day Breakfast' we hobbled off to catch the bus to Chepstow.

The bus dropped us off in the centre of Chepstow and we set off in search of the Offa's Dyke Path. It was about a mile from the bus stop and we then walked the two miles along the ODP to Sedbury cliffs where we waited for Russ.

Before Russ arrived we were joined by Russ's wife Dawn and their daughter Lauren. When we saw Russ appear over the horizon Dawn and Lauren dived into the bushes ready to jump out and surprise him.

Simon encouraged Russ up the final climb by waggling a Mars bar at him. Once he had arrived out Dawn and Lauren popped and gave Russ a big hug. Shortly after Russ crossed the fence and threw his Prestatyn shell into the estuary. I think the wind may have caught it and blown it back to Prestatyn. Never mind.

So that's it, this is the last Support Team Report. It's been an adventure in itself travelling on the buses with Simon and I've enjoyed it all, but I was disappointed that I couldn't do more of the walk myself. My knee has been agony for the last five days but at least it can rest now for even though I wasn't walking the ODP I was walking quite some distance from bus to camp to bus with a full 20kg pack and a load of Russ's pack too. The same goes for Simon too who's strain was still twinging this morning.

Thanks for reading our blog, I hope you found it amusing. I have enjoyed writing our part of it and reading your comments. There will be more posts to come, mainly pictures and a video so please keep checking in, and don't forget that we are still accepting pledges. Support Team signing off - until next time...

Richard.

Location:Lutterworth

The Eagle Has Landed!

The Eagle Has Landed! Or, more accurately, crawled to a halt at Sedbury Cliffs. For once, words fail me...well almost. I'll come on to today's 19 mile walk in a moment, but crossing the finish line having walked the length of Wales from sea to sea, 177 official trail miles, although in excess of 180 is more accurate, was a very moving experience, enhanced not only by the welcoming sight of my partners in crime Simon and Richard (Simon waved a Mars bar at me as I made the final ascent to the cliff) but also by two others who jumped out of the hedge as I reached the finishing marker, my wife Dawn and my daughter Lauren!

Lol has been working just outside Paris for a few months now, and the sight of her in particular was more than the emotions could take - it was wonderful to see all four of them and it is a moment I will never forget. After giving my head a good shake and posing for the obligatory photographs, I went to the edge of the cliff and tossed in one of the shells I had collected from Prestatyn beach - there must be quite a pile of them down there, each representing a personal triumph.

Of course, as well as a time of celebration, it was also a moment for personal reflection and to remember why I had undertaken this journey in the first place. Once again I thought about my Dad and of course of the residents of Woodmarket House, who I sincerely hope will benefit from the money we've raised.

I gave my Mum a ring from the top of the cliff and she said my Dad would be up there bragging away right now, telling anyone who'd listen that I'd made it look easy! I'm not sure about that!

Anyway, today's walk to the finishing line was just lovely. I started at about 0700 and climbed up and out of the picturesque town of Monmouth to the top of the hill which overlooks the place and is home to a small white turret shaped building owned by the National Trust - can't remember it's name at the moment, and a Naval Temple topped with a bust of Brittania. The views of Monmouth were stunning.

The rest of the walk today was a mixture of stunning woodland, riverside walking along the bank of the Wye and even more woodland, which culminated in a breathtaking view of Tintern Abbey from above the town of Chepstow.

The five of us left Sedbury Cliffs and Dawn drove us (for me it was like getting into a space ship - it seems so long since I've experienced the luxury of mechanised travel) to the Chepstow Castle - a pub which sits beside it's namesake.

Two large cups of tea later and we're all in the car on the M4 now bound for home. Once I've had an opportunity to get things together, I'll write more about the walk in particular and I'll add lots of photos (I've taken about 400, possibly more, but we've been unable to post them on the blog as we walked) so please keep tuning in.

Another job for the next few weeks is to collect the money from those who have kindly pledged donations. That's all from me for now - I'll add more tomorrow.

Russ.

Location:Church Ln,,United Kingdom

Support Team Update 2 - Day Ten

Russ arrived at the end at 14:50. Pictures will follow when the cameras are plugged in.

Posted live from Offa's Dyke.

Location:The End

Support Team Update - Day Ten

The Support Team have just dragged ourselves three miles to the finish point where we now await our intrepid explorer Russ. He is only about an hour away.



Posted live from Offa's Dyke.

Location:The End

Support Team Report - Day Nine

A hearty breakfast was eaten by myself and Simon in the Rising Sun in Pandy that set us ready for the day of lugging extra weight around on the buses all day.

We had to catch the bus to Abergavenny to find out what to do next which turned out to be a two hour wait for the bus to Monmouth. I said to Simon "oh well, it's all relative. We would only be sat in a pub at the other end". I can't print Simons response but it was not encouraging.

One hair raising bus ride later and we were ejected into the centre of Monmouth. We walked over the medieval bridge and low and behold there was Russ spinning around trying to get his bearings.

At the campsite we set up our tents. Simon went to reccy the town whilst Russ slept and I went for a shower. When I returned to the tents Russ was sat with two fine looking ladies. They turned out to be his sister and niece.

Simon arrived later with a pack of pistachios and bottle of red wine which the three of us thoroughly enjoyed in Simons tree house.

Richard.

Having spent relentless research in the bar at Pandy, I found our only route to Monmouth was via Abergavenny. Arriving in "The bus station" we found we had about 2 hours to wait!!

I tried to amuse Richard by using different fractions for how long was left but he was having none of it. He mentioned imperial measures being ridiculous but its not my fault there are 1760 yards in a mile and fractions go down to 64ths! Taxis are the answer even if they cost twice the price for half the time, apparently.

As support I only thought it proper to buy a celebratory bottle and nibbles for the last night. Well done Russ.

Simon.

Location:Monmouth

Walking on the Moon

Now call me old fashioned, but surely in today's fast paced society, people, more than ever, would seek out leisure activities that took them out into the great outdoors, provided some exercise and plenty of fresh air....mmmm....walking for example! And yet, on a Saturday, a sunny one at that and a bank holiday weekend, I've walked 19 miles along a stretch of National Trail and I literally didn't see a soul in the seven hours it took me to complete - seriously, not a single soul. Now does anyone else think that's odd? Surely walking is a growing leisure pastime in Britain today, so why the ODP was completely bereft of people today is completely beyond me.

Anyway, I set off from Pandy bound for the riverside town of Monmouth at 0730. The weather looked promising and so it turned out - the first few hours were cool and cloudy with just an odd shower, but certainly not enough to make me stop and put my poncho on - which was a good job because, for those of you who haven't seen these things, they not only cover you, but your rucksack as well, and make you resemble a cross between the grim reaper and a sopping wet Obi Wan Kenobi.

By late morning the sun was out and I was in for another good days walking. Compared to previous days, the stretch between Pandy and Monmouth is a reasonably tame affair comprising mainly of gentle hills and agricultural landscape, concluding with a pleasant stroll through Kingswood, a forestry commission area, as you descend gently into Monmouth.

It was a lovely, if not solitary walk and it was an absolute pleasure, albeit the feet and legs are creaking and aching considerably now, not helped it has to be said, even on this family orientated blog, by chapped and considerably uncomfortable knackers!

The walk was pretty uneventful to be honest, although there was one slightly hairy moment when, just as I climbed off a stile I heard a rather loud and alarming snuffling behind the tree in front of me and assumed yet another cow - the bovine species really have made my life a misery at times on this walk - was skulking behind said tree and was waiting to ambush me as I turned the corner. You can imagine my surprise as I crept, commando-like around the tree, ready to cry 'Shoo, you bugger!' at the oncoming black and white offender, only to be stood facing a llama of all things! I'm not sure who was more shocked, me or the llama, but it was good enough to stand still whilst I composed myself and took it's picture!

When I eventually made it to Monmouth, I met Simon and Richard on the beautifully picturesque medieval stone bridge in the centre of town, as they had just been dropped off at the bus stop.

We set up our tents at the Monmow campsite and, whilst Richard showered and Simon recce'd the town, I had the most wonderful surprise - my sister Di and my niece Ceri turned up outside my tent - they'd travelled from Cardiff to see me! What can I say, they've given me the most wonderful boost for the final day and I love them beyond words.

So, the adventure is coming to an end. Tomorrow is the final leg, a 20 mile hike to Sedbury Cliffs and the end of the wonderful ODP. I'll leave all my musings regarding the trail itself till tomorrow. In the meantime, thanks for tuning in again.

Russ.

Location:Monmouth

Support Team Report - Day Eight

I awoke uneventfully this morning - no cheese! Simon and I had decided to hang around in Hay-on-Wye today because there wasn't much to do in Pandy.

This is a picture of my breakfast.



A couple of slices of chocolate cake.

We wandered through several bookshops and ended up at the Hay Castle bookshop, owned by King Richard. I know my wife will be very jealous that I was there and Simon suggested that she would start rearranging them by the Dewey Decimal system.

The first book I picked up was printed in 1783 but was French so I didn't have a clue what it was about. And if you want to know about the 'dissection of the dog' I know where the relevant tomb is.

Our taxi arrived at 2pm to take us to Pandy. The taxi driver, from Book Town Taxi appropriately enough, was very entertaining and took us over the hills Russ was walking so we could appreciate the staggering beauty of the country side. He weaved in and out of the bends narrowly missing the sheep and comoflaged SAS soldiers.

We arrived at the Rising Sun in Pandy and went into the pub to find out where we could setup our tents. Within a couple of minutes Russ arrived, he's getting quicker every day.

That's it from us, just two more sleeps before the end of this epic adventure. Tibet and the Himalayas next year.

Richard and Simon.

Location:Abergavenny,United Kingdom

I Can See the Sea!

What a boost today - as I bounded enthusiastically along Hatterrall Ridge (I'll come to that in a moment) nestled in the distant mountains, I caught a glimpse of the Severn Estuary - our goal! Having pounded along with bruised and blistered feet, nursing a pulled thigh muscle, I simply couldn't contain myself - I jumped up and down and literally whooped for joy! Simultaneously, a troop of soldiers, who had been hidden in the gorse and heather unbeknown to me leaped out and asked if I was okay! After the other day's escapade I couldn't believe it. Embarrassed, I explained myself and they smiled and decided to take a ciggy break. Simon and Richard told me later that the taxi driver had said the SAS were training on Hatterrall Ridge today. Boy were those guys lucky I was a bit stiff this morning, jumping out on me like that! For those who think I'm joking, I took a photo of these guys to prove my point!

So, for the first time in 8 days, I saw the sea - I'm not a big fan generally, but I have to say it looked beautiful in the early morning light.

I left Hay on Wye at 0730 and embarked on the slow and steady climb up Hay Bluff. The climb took over two hours, but was worth every minute. As you round the final turn, amongst the bracken, Heather and wild ponies, you are presented with a view that only the expletive, 'F@&k me!' does justice to - it was mind-blowing. I've always had a passion for mountains - I was raised in them in a small and remote valley in mid Wales - but this was something special. At 2200 feet in the early morning mist, the sun patiently teasing it's way through the cloud cover and with only a gentle breeze to speak of, it was a moment to remember - probably the most poignant moment of the walk for me - so I stood and thought about my Dad and cried.

Hatterrall Ridge is the most majestic of walks, particularly on a day as lovely as this and so I spent the next four hours strolling aimlessly along it's whaleback and simply taking it all in. To the right of the ridge sits Wales, with it's rugged mountains and dark peaks, to the left, England and it's rolling hills and patchwork of fields and hedges - truly, it was a wonderful day's walking.

Eighteen miles later, I descended into the village of Pandy in Monmouthshire where Simon and Richard had just been dropped off by the taxi and we had a beer together before pitching our tents.

We're camping at a pub called the Rising Sun which I highly recommend for it's cuisine - I had the belly pork and it was delicious.

So that's it for today, I'm 141 miles into the adventure with only 38 miles and two days to go. Tomorrow's walk takes me to the picturesque town of Monmouth on the river Monmow - and do you know what - I can't wait.

Russ.

Location:Abergavenny,United Kingdom

Random Snaps

The Hound of Hergest

Day seven brought, you guessed it, heavy rain as I set off early this morning and climbed out of Kington for an hour up onto the top of Hergest Ridge. For those literary buffs among you, you'll know the theory that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle actually based his bestseller, 'The Hound of the Baskerville's' on the legendary Hound of Hergest. There's even a Baskerville Hall nearby which adds weight to the theory.

Anyway, that aside, I didn't see a hound as I climbed the ridge this morning, in fact I saw very little because my head was pointing down to avoid the driving rain which accompanied me for 5 of the 6 hours it took to walk from Kington to Hay on Wye. Despite the rain though, there was no doubt the walking was really exhilarating and in the albeit brief moments when the rain subsided and the sun tried desperately to peep through, the ridge and hills beyond looked hauntingly beautiful.

One thing you do get used to on the ODP is the solitude - I rarely meet more than half a dozen people in any given day, a few of those are happy to chat for a few minutes, particularly those who are doing the entire trail, most are content with a quick and cheery 'Good morning' and then get back to what trail hikers do - walk.

It's really quite odd how ones entire outlook changes, the longer the walk goes on. When I first started I would be constantly looking ahead to see if there was a steep climb or a woodland or whatever in front of me. Now, it doesn't actually matter anymore, I just walk. Whatever the path throws at me I actually love, mountains, forests, hills, narrow ledges, windswept moors, rain sodden fields - it really doesn't make too much difference.

I know I'm rambling now, but the point I'm trying to make is that the longer you walk, the more of the norm it becomes - I suspect it will take some time when I get home to not start walking again when I get up.

Right, that's enough of that - the thigh muscle pull is ok until I descend and then it's agony and I worry constantly that it will snap completely, but it seems to be holding up, the blisters are now covered with compeed and only hurt when I walk on them and the bruising on the tops of my feet have now gone a lovely colour purple.

And as for the rain today, well it soaked everything, my clothes, my boots - it's no fun putting on wet and squelchy boots after you've showered, and even my phone and camera - the phone's dried out but I think my camera's knackered.

As for tomorrow, its supposedly the toughest day on the ODP - a 17 mile hike up and along Hatterall Ridge - most of which is above 2000 feet, completely exposed to the elements and with no escape routes.....Mmmm.

Simon and Richard are getting a taxi, so it really is a case of see you when I see you! Joking aside, I can't wait! The views are apparently breathtaking and the 10 hours or so it will take will give me plenty of time to ponder.

In summary then, I've now walked 124 miles with 53 to go, so as you can imagine from the figures I'm feeling fairly upbeat and confident and looking forward to having a beer with family and friends on bank holiday Monday.

That's it for today then. As always thanks for looking and please don't forget why we're doing this - tell your friends and family to please support us in raising money for the comfort of the elderly people at Woodmarket.

Russ.

Location:Hay-on-Wye

Support Team Report - Day Seven

I was awoken in the early hours of this morning by a flock of birds fighting around my tent. Why they choose my tent at 5am I didn't know, but there they were squabbling, pecking, flapping and landing on the top hoop of my tent poles. I couldn't be bothered to do anything about them at that time in the morning and decided to leave them at it: maybe they would go away of their own accord. When suddenly my tent was hit by a two inch square block of what I could only describe as cheese. I could see it there, above me, silhouetted against the morning sky. So I batted it with the back of my hand and sent it flying and the birds scattering. I opened my tent door flap to see what it was and yes, there it was on the floor, a block of blue veined cheese!

The night before, in the Oxford Arms, Simon had had a cheese platter for his puddling but there was just too much to eat and so had wrapped three blocks of cheese in serviettes to take back to the tent to have for breakfast. On returning to the lawn where we were camping Simon had put the cheese down on top of the fence whilst he negotiated the gate and forgot about the cheese. A fine feast was awaiting the early bird!

Simon was awoken by Ester, the lady who's lawn we were camping on, with a cup of tea. Simon isn't used to being served a cup of tea in bed in to morning but he sure warmed to it very quickly and wanted to stay. I think Heaven for Simon is sleeping on Esters lawn just a few yards from the Oxford Arms.

Most of the day was spent travelling on buses again and when we arrived in Hay there was quite a steep climb up a hill to the campsite. The walk did go along part of the ODP so we have done a little Dyke walking today, although I'm not going to include the 400 yards in any personal tally.

Eating at the Blue Boar in Hay-on-Wye this evening. Very high prices considering the amount of food served. So after eating we moved on down to the Rose and Crown where they were more set up for locals than tourists.

We haven't arranged tomorrow's travel yet so we will see what comes along in the morning. Hopefully it will be bird and cheese free.

Richard.

The first thing I am going to do, after sleeping on a bed that isn't the floor, is to collate all the bus and taxi info! I reckon writing a travel guide for the damaged should be a best seller for all those poor injured Dykers who still want to take part. Thanks for the idea Linda.

Simon.

Location:Hay-on-Wye

Sponsors

During our walk we have been given a number a very kind donations from people when they hear what we are doing. We would like to thank all of those people and so they are listed here:

The couple at Newcastle on Clun camp site.

Jan and Andrea Scott in Kington.

Fred and Sadie Hawkins, proprietors at The Oxford Arms, Kington.

Support Team Report - Day Six

"There used to be a bus that went direct from Kington to Hay, but that was eight years ago, so you're a bit late" was the advice we received this morning on arriving in Knighton. We were trying to plan our route for the following days travel.

This morning we had taken the taxi from Newcastle on Clun to Knighton. The driver was from the bus company that only runs a service from Buttington to Newcastle every other Tuesday and coloured up a bit when we told him our story about that bit of travelling.

The lady at the Offa's Dyke Information Centre was very helpful and let us drop our bags there whilst we went shopping for Russ's provisions. He wanted noodles and we managed to resist the urge to instead buy prunes and Ex-Lax. There were only spicy noodles so we bought All Day Breakfast.

We then picked up our kit and took the bus to Kington. We arrived at our next overnight spot at just the wrong moment because the proprietor had to get out of the shower to answer the door.

We set up our tents and walked around the town. The only thing you can buy in Kington on a Wednesday afternoon is a house. The estate agents are the only shops open.

We settled in The Swan Inn and watched the road for Russ. When he appeared we ushered him in and fed him a pint.

We have just finished three lovely meals in The Oxford Arms, Simon's new home-from-home: the Guinness is only £2.70 a pint!

So tomorrow we are taking the bus to Hereford and then another to Hay-on-Wye to pitch base camp. I think Simon is planning on visiting a few bookshops as the Hay Festival of Literature and the Arts opens tomorrow.

Richard.

Location:Kington