The first proper rain showed itself this morning but somehow I didn't care. I've got some good gear and the rain was only light, but it did last until around midday. The scenery and ambience were attractive and colours seemed to be brightened by the rain. In This part of Wales it is like walking through a giant inverted verdant egg box as one climbs out of one secret valley, and then drops down into another. It is all delight.
Cows followed me at one stage for about quarter of a mile on a track, then I heard a car coming - the cows at last veered off into the field. The car stopped. I assumed it must be the farmer, "are they your cows?" I enquired, "Yes, CATTLE" he corrected me. I had noticed they didn't have certain female attributes. He was a decent type looking very comfortable in the car contrasting with my drizzle outside, but I was happy enough.
My route was following the river Vyrnwy with alternating woodland and sheep cropped pasture, walking perfection
Dolanog is a small village and I hardly expected a village shop with a coffee machine. I was correct. I sat on the village bench and took a breather. A couple came up the road with two dogs, one enormous and the other tiny. We chatted and I joked about the non-existent shop, "you can come back to our house for a coffee if you like". So I spent a pleasant half hour chatting about their time spent in Bulgaria. They had brought the small dog back from there found as a stray. I hope you are keeping a tally Gayle - I'm expecting some sort of a graph or chart.
I continued to follow the river which emanates from Lake Vyrnwy. My B&B was situated just below the dam wall. Ian (his proper name is the Welsh version, not sure how to spell) rears Lleyn sheep, a special breed and is off to auction on Saturday with two rams to sell for breeding, but the association rules say that he must also have ten ewes which he had recently until some workmen left a gate open and two escaped. He is now wondering if he can gain some kind of dispensation - I hope he does. The Gorffwysfa B&B is very welcoming, tea and cake when I arrived and then a lift to the pub which is fifteen minutes walk away where I am now awaiting something called Welsh Oggie. I will report on that next time if I remember.
"Who could wish for anything more"
Dolanog where I was invited for coffee. I was sat on the bench in the recess, end of first building on left
The big dog of the two of the couple who invited me for coffee ( thanks).
More pleasant riverside walking - perfect surface
First view of Lake Vyrnwy
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The chart I'd be interested in plotting would be the number of cups of tea/coffee received per long walk. I reckon your Welsh Boundary Walk would have the highest number; would you agree?
ReplyDeleteYour photos of today's route do look enticing. Tomorrow looks good on the map too (15 miles to Bala, by the way), even though almost all of it is on tarmac. I've driven the road on the NE side of Lake Vyrnwy many times, but not for a long time, so I can't recall whether it gives good views of the water; I do hope that it does.
Gayle - too much research needed to produce the data.
ReplyDeleteYes, all on Tarmac. Macmillan say that Powys local authority refused to let then identify a footpath route with signs. See next post for how it worked out.