I will walk 500 miles challenge for Velindre

So, long time not seen, or certainly not much walking. Really didn't expect these 500 miles to take quite this long but there's been a lot of need for interruptions unfortunately. We seem to be back  some sort of form so now we need to get walking and complete this challenge - and get fit in the process! We were going to visit Port Talbot this week having had a birthday boy and in view of another celebration in July when we are as a family having a weekend there. Those who have read the much earlier blog of the Wales Coast Path walk  may remember how we were so pleased with the fundraising around Port Talbot so we always think of it as a special place for us! And so it was opportune to restart our walks. Today's walk was a repeat of a walk back on New Year's Eve in 2015 - or thereabouts.....except that day we got very wet!! We were hoping for better weather today - and we were not let down! We were promised a warm, sunny day but as we set off around 10.30, it felt quite...

Another opportunity arose to walk along this beautiful ridge, quite close to home and this time with my friend and neighbour, Hazel. She was happy to help to make it to those 500 miles which still seem a long way to go..... It was a lovely sunny day as we set off from Gladestry with a promise from Chris to pick us up later in Kington to retrieve Hazel's car. We had views to the Black mountains and behind us a hazy Pen y Fan. Here towards the Black Mountains, the harvest gathered in. And just to prove where we were, here is an Offa's Dyke Path sign.... Didn't see any of the wild ponies today but the views to Radnor Forest over Hanter Hill are always lovely! A chance to see how warm it was with me like a beetroot. And another signpost, a little further along the ridge. Not too long before we were dropping down alongside Hergest Croft gardens and then passing the church and into our local town, Kington. We'd had a good old chat and managed to complete 4 and a half miles an...

We were trying to keep the miles going so when we visited our daughter and family in Surrey, here was another opportunity, not only to add some mileage, but also to have our family with us again! Julia and Richard completed the whole of the Greensand Way at 108 miles from Surrey into Kent a couple of years ago now which they really enjoyed so were happy to do a part of it, close to their then home, with us too! Off we set from one of the Hurtwood car parks having left the other car at the finish point near Leith Hill. Our youngest grandson, Alfred, seemed happy to be taking part too! The Hurtwood is a beautiful, mostly wooded area covering about 2,000 acres which was given the the local people almost 100 years ago and which is now a charitably funded open access area. There are spectacular views along its way both of the Weald and to the north, the North Downs which we were looking at here. The woodland just suddenly opens up to give massive panoramic views. At this viewpoint, an amazi...

 Another opportunity arose to add some miles to our challenge when our eldest daughter and grandson arrived for a vist! This is what is so great about this challenge, we're also involving our family which makes it more memorable too! Hergest Ridge running from Kington to Gladestry is a lovely walk along the Offa's Dyke Path offering quite easy walking and super views. It was also the title of one of Mike Oldfield's Albums back in the '70's. He lived in Kington for quite a while and obviously found lots of musical inspiration here! We did cheat a little by parking at the top of the road before setting off along the path. The going is easy along a lovely sward like path. Around the top of the hill, there used to be a horse racing circuit in the early 1800's which you can still walk around. It must have been spectacular setting for a day at the races! On the summit is a group of monkey puzzle trees, planted I believe to commemorate resettling in Patagonia in 1865 w...

 Off we set again, this time to cross Mynydd Epynt off my list of want to do hills. I found this walk several years ago and added it to my list and now, today, finally we would bag it to add to our 500 miles! And how I will always remember it! We set off on a clear and sunny morning and were just getting our first views of Pen-y-Fan from the uplands when the tyre warning light came on so it was let's just pass the visitor centre for now (and as it turned out not for the last time that day....) and see if it needs fixing.                                     Didn't want to arrive back at the end of the walk in the middle of not very much, which is Mynydd Epynt, with a flat tyre! As it turned out the tyre was OK, the warning light is not always a reliable source. So back again to the visitor centre just a lot later setting off than intended, now it was 11.30. To give a brief explanation of w...