Knighton to Drewin Farm

Breakfast at The Fleece House was super, including home-made yoghurt and whisky marmalade. We had been made very welcome by Dana Simmons and her breakfast was certainly the best of the whole walk so far. We bought lunch from the bakers then walked back to the Offa's Dyke Centre. This was a good day to visit Knighton (whose Welsh name 'Tref y Clawdd' means 'town on the Dyke') and the Offa's Dyke Centre in particular since it is 35 years to the day since the Offa's Dyke Path was opened - right here! We bought Helen a badge and a tea-towel to celebrate and took photographs of the commemorative stone. So it was about 9.40am before we set off properly, in light drizzle. The weather improved as the day progressed, but it was never hot so made excellent weather for walking this challenging section of the path. 

We followed the ridge to Cwn-sanaham Hill, with splendid view to the railway viaduct at the top end of the Teme valley. Just was we began the first serious descent of the day, the American appeared from behind again (so he must have taken a wrong turning too), with another couple also walking in the same direction as us. We let them get ahead again. We descended steeply to a pretty cottage at Bynorgan, then there was another ascent and descent which seemed a bit unnecessary given that a track followed directly around the hill at an almost steady height. 

We passed Garbett Hall and turned onto a track which followed alongside an attractive section of the Dyke, eventually climbing alongside Llanfair Hill, watching tractors harvesting. This is reckoned to be one of the best sections of the Dyke and I'd agree. 

We crossed the Clun River just west of the 'splendid half-timbered farm' of Bryndrinog, 'one of the most photographed houses on the Path' then climbed very steeply to the ridge of Graig Hill, stopping to refill our water bottles at the tap provided by Severn Trent Water. A more gentle descent then some short ups and downs (including the climb up a flight of 122 steps) brought us to Hergan, then some more ups and downs brought us to Middle Knuck, and a descent though woodland (so steep it was difficult to stay upright) brought us to Churchtown. 

[The section from Hergan to Churchtown is shared with the Shropshire Way and our onward walk from the Hergan end is described here].

There's a delightful little church here, amazingly isolated, and we speculated that they must have a very small congregation. However, Mrs Richards from Drewin Farm, who sometimes plays the organ here, told us later that they do a good line in weddings - not surprising given the beautiful location. There followed the steepest climb of the day - 100 metres up in 400 metres distance, then a gentler climb to Edenhope Hill and a steep descent to the 'isolated upper valley of the River Usk'. 

The final climb of the day was through woodland to an old drove road at the top of the Kerry Hills. Then, at last, we descended via the Dyke itself and a narrow lane to Drewin Farm, with views to the 'dolerite core' of Corndon. Drewin Farm was a welcome sight in front of us.