Discoe to Gladestry – Via Hergest Ridge

Breakfast in Kington and off to Discoe. Setting off quite late nowadays, ten or half past. As long as I get the miles done I’m not too bothered. 



Discoe was soon left behind in the valley in the photo above, hidden by the trees. The country is really lovely in this part of the UK. Rolling hills with dramatic mountains occasionally showing up. Just beautiful. The weather makes a big difference, although the sun is a devil for walking, even without a rucksack it’s hard, hot and sweaty. As the actress said to the bishop. 

Look at the photo below. Five miles from Kington in the middle of the Welsh Marches and it’s fantastic.

The geographical feature of the day is Hergest Ridge. An impressive lump of rock around 5 miles long and high enough to keep small herds of wild horses safe from humans. Offa’s Dyke Path runs right along the spine of Hergest Ridge, which was immortalised as the title of Mike Oldfield’s second album in 1974.

The hike up was tough but the top was flat with great views.

And horses…….

Walking southwestwards the Ridge narrows and drops down in stages, with a final flourish falling into Gladestry.

Looking back it’s just lush.

OK Mike Oldfield you honoured a great ridge. But only by choosing it for the title. The album was crap.

Some nice houses round here. Look at this one.

Debs picked me up in local Huntington and she’d got a barbecue for us. Yippeee!!!

14 miles done today, 49 in total. Still a little behind. Boom boom!

Night night.