Offa’s Dyke Mini Adventure, 49 hours and 40 miles - Knighton to Four Crosses

I found myself with a couple of days free last week and have been struggling with a melancholic mood so took an impromptu decision to head out for some headspace. 

My very first backpacking trip was back in August 2010, Dad dropped my brother and me in Knighton to complete the southern part of Offa’s Dyke, camping at campsites all the way. I’ve always intended to go back and complete the rest but there’s been other hikes to do and somehow I just never got to it. I didn’t weigh my pack back then but I think it was probably well over 15kg, my pack this time weighed 10 kg including food and water, going as light as possible has kept backpacking fun even as my body ages.

I got dropped off in Knighton and began walking at noon, straight up a hill! Within ten minutes I was sweaty and out of breath, wondering what on earth I was doing- I’ve put on weight and not been walking or running much - why did I think this was a good idea? I got to the top slowly, reminding myself that there was no rush and I was supposed to be doing this for fun. 

The walk out of Knighton is undulating - you get to see the path ahead up the other side of the valley as you saunter down to the base. I came across a shady spot by a stream after about 8 miles and took the opportunity to have a paddle. I’d decided to try trail shoes instead of my usual boots for this trek - I want to wear them for my 26 mile charity walk in August as they are so much lighter! My feet ached a bit and I got some hot spots over the walk but no blisters and it was so much nicer putting them on rather than boots in the morning! I continued on after a 30 minute break and at 6pm I started keeping my eye out for somewhere to camp- I knew there was a campsite at 15 miles if I got desperate but I was tired and hoping to stop before then. I came over the hill after Middle Knuck down into a little copse and found a spot just about flat enough to camp. I settled down on my groundsheet and decided to sort out dinner before putting my tent up, I do my best to follow the stealth camping rules- pitch late, leave early and leave no trace, I don’t get scared when I wild camp anymore - except the fear of being asked to move on! I’d put my tent up (as best I could on the uneven ground) and was settled down when I heard huffing and puffing outside- poking my head out I was greeted by a bloke, aged about 80 carrying what looked like gear from the 70s, if I believed in ghosts…. We exchanged pleasantries and he explained that he was planning on camping behind the church about half a mile on, he figured that if he was seen a ‘holy man’ couldn’t turn an old bloke away! I hope that I’m still able to be backpacking in 40 years!

I awoke early and after breakfast of coffee and porridge I was walking by 6am, I knew it was forecast to be hotter today and so I was concerned about getting water, I was carrying 2L and had refilled not long before camp at a random tap on the path, so it wasn’t too desperate. Even though it was really hot I was hoping that, since the weather only just turned, there wouldn’t be a problem getting water from streams. However, it seems that my optimism was not to be rewarded this time, streams were dried up already so I was rationing water and hoping that each stream I saw on the map would materialise. I considered a detour into Montgomery to buy water but it seems that I am too stubborn to change plans- even when I am in danger of dehydration. I pushed on to Forden, there was a decent size stream marked on the map so I was sure I could fill up there- however when I got there it was impossible to get down to the water. I stopped for lunch- rudely interrupted by cows - and finished the last of my water. Just 1 mile to Forden and there was a pub there, which, according to their Facebook page was open from 12. I made it up another very steep hill and arrived a the promised pub. Closed!! There was another couple of walkers sat despondently outside waiting for a bus to get out- the heat had proved too much. They suggested I tried asking at the mechanics 200m up the road if they would refill, I set off in the direction they indicated and on the way passed a church and cemetery- a tip for walkers, where there is a cemetery, there is usually a tap! Sure enough I spotted one on the side of the building and hurried towards it. Just as I was about to start refilling I noticed the vicar sat just behind the church and so thought I’d better check if it was ok, he was ver
y kind and let me refill from the indoor tap, use the toilet, AND gave me a bottle of cold water from his fridge. Forget self sufficiency - I took the help!! I had a vague plan to reach Beacon Ring Hill Fort as it looked like a nice place to camp, it was only 2:30 and about 3 miles so I took an easy slow walk up a forest track that seemed to go on forever and arrived at 5, a perfect place to camp, there was even a bench, a luxury for preparing dinner! As much as I wanted head space it was a little effacing when I realised I had 5 hours to kill before sleep time, I took my time choosing a camp spot and preparing and eating dinner, then it was just me, my thoughts, the view and 3 hours before sunset. Rather than sit with my thoughts for too long, I did a little writing, spoke to Damien and then settled to read a book on my kindle app, the good thing about a short trip is that I don’t have to ration phone use! There was a hairy moment went a Landrover drove up the track right up to within 10 metres of where I was sat on the bench- I was convinced they would tell me to move on but luckily they just waved and drove on. Phew!! Once I’d watched the beautiful sunset I was glad to get to bed and fell asleep quickly, I slept well - just waking a few times in the night as I usually do camping.

Waking at 5:30 I leisurely packed up camp, even ‘unflattening’ the grass to leave totally no trace, and then went to the bench to sit in comfort and make my morning coffee and porridge. I had 10 miles to cover and had arranged pick up at 1, I was planning to walk pretty fast initially as it was downhill to the river and then a nice flat route, I wanted to cover as much as could before it got ridiculously hot (it was already 17 degrees at 6:30). My main concern after the previous day was still water, it was set to be even hotter today and I had realised that I should have carried capacity for an extra litre at least. I set off with 3/4L left, fairly confident that, as I was spending much of the route alongside the river or canal, I would be able to refill. However, it turned out that the route followed along an embankment and the river was impossible to get to for much of it. I wasn’t convinced that canal water wouldn’t cause more issues than it solved, I was even tempted by a cattle trough at one point! (Note: I do carry a filter- I wasn’t intending to just drink from it!). Luckily I was saved, I noticed a break in the trees on the bank and sure enough, there was a little beach that I could get down to. I threw down my pack, ran down the bank and threw myself into the river in thanks. (Ok, so I carefully climbed down the bank, took off my pack, laid out my groundsheet, took off my shoes and socks and went for a little paddle). I still had the little bottle the vicar had given me so I used that to filter water into and carry in my hand so that I could take regular sips to rehydrate slowly. I’ve read about the dangers of over watering, especially as sweating flushes out salts from your body so was cautious not to just down a litre at once. I also stopped about a mile later in a nice shady rest stop (with table, chairs and cake!) and had something to eat. The guy who ran the rest stop even came out and offered to fill my water bottles, nice to know I wasn’t too far from death after all! The last three miles were hot and slow but I reached Four Crosses at precisely 1pm and still had water to spare.

I feel that I have learned a lot from this little trip- it was my first experience of hiking in such heat, I wore a wide brimmed hat and was uncharacteristically good at regularly applying suncream but I let myself down with looking after my water needs and I will definitely carry an extra bottle next time. I am happy that I got back safe and had enjoyed the experience, it was the ‘mental reset’ that I needed and has given me confidence that in 3 weeks I will be able to complete the 26 mile walk for the Alzheimer’s Society.