Hay on Wat to Pandy – the Black Mountains 

Last night was the last night with my sis and Debs took me back to Hay on Wye to start my walk back to the tent, across the Black Mountains to Pandy. We stopped en route at a roadside fantastic cafe and had a good breakfast. It’s good for me. I last all day on breakfast and I’ll make sure I get one every day in Nepal. Can’t wait!! But hold on Smiffy. This is the most beautiful walk in the UK innit?

Well, it compares with The Scottish Highlands. Let’s face it, we live in a corner of a beautiful country and if we get off our botties and push out to the extremes we get serenity. And this trip I’m getting the weather too! And look at this poppo. Lovely.

I set off from Hay at 10.30 for an 18 mile trek, climbing up 2000 feet and making good pace (hopefully) across a 15 mile ridge in the Black Mountains, following Offa’s Dyke Path. 

The first stages were difficult, quite steep and up to a ledge before the final push up to the top. Looking back this is the ledge above Hay.

Looking to the right the mountains looked magnificent.

And looking ahead the steep face up to the top was a bit intimidating in the warmth.

The wind was blowing from the west and an acrid burning smell came across from a moor fire a few hills away. Good luck firefighters.


The climb was reasonably ok and a wind and clouds were beginning to develop to cool things down. Without a backpack my pace was better than I thought, and the top was reasonably flat. Excellent. And there were hundreds of wild horses in dozens of herds scattered around the top. 

It started to rain and I legged it fast. Really fast. The views either side were brilliant. Left and right. 

What a walk. Unbelievable. Loving it. But I got wet and cold and all good things come to an end.  I got into Pandy at 16.30. I did 18 miles, including hard going, in 6 hours. Cop that! 

Night night.