"Up The Dyke" Day 11 - July 23rd 2002, Froncysyllte to Llandegla " "
Day	Date	Start	Finish	Approx. Miles	Hours	Accommodation
11	Tue. 23rd July	Froncysyllte	Llandegla	11	5½	Elinor and John Rogers, Hand House, Llandegla Village, Denbighshire, LL11 3AW, Tel. 01978 790570

Click on any picture to go to a larger version or to go to the full set of Offa's Dyke photographs for this day.

No title for today's walk yet.

Today's start wasn't as disastrous as yesterday's when we nearly didn't get up but wasn't without its problems! Had a wonderful breakfast at Alan and Anthea's wonderful Argoed Farm. When we come to dish out the stars for Offa's Dyke Path B&B they will get top marks. I set off walking at about 09:10 down the road to the bridge over the River Dee with a wonderful view of the Telford Aqueduct. The Dee bridge was closed for work but it looked possible to walk across only to be told by a "Jobsworth" that I couldn't pass. I told him that it was not only a road but a public footpath and a national trail but that didn't cut much ice with him so I just continued and ignored him trying to stop me. I'm not sure that national trails or even footpaths can be closed like that without a reasonable diversion.

I reached a point just before The Path goes up to the Llangollen Canal and realised that my water had been left behind at the B&B. Although it was only a few hundred metres away I couldn't risk the wrath of the Jobsworth so got on the phone to Noelene and, twenty minutes later, she arrived with the supplies! I then set off proper! The weather was dull and overcast but not cold and there had been rain in the night.

I walked along the canal for a few metres and met a guy walking north to south carrying a 25 kg pack and camping all the way. Had a chat with him and wished him well. I put on my gaiters as there was rain in the air, crossed the canal by a footbridge and continued over a couple of fields, going through a tunnel beneath what I guessed was a disused railway line. There was rain in the air and it began to come down heavier so I put my waterproof on, which stopped the rain almost instantly, so I took it off again. That's how the day went; one of those awful waterproofs on and off and on, etc. days - until later when my jacket stayed on!

My unanswered question of the day was "Who is Trevor?". Everything in the area seems to be named after him - the village, shop, church, the hall - "Who is Trevor?" I climbed up what I guessed to be Trevor through, I suppose, Trevor Woods and reached a road, unfortunately the wrong one! I had turned the wrong way in the woods and had to backtrack quite a way to get onto The Path again. On the right route I crossed a stile with a note left on it "JOHN the Not a Couple passed here at 10:15" it was then 10:45 so I guessed that I had little chance of catching Harry and Steph today. But I walked on more briskly, nonetheless.

I left the woodland and came to an open moorland road. Nearby on a rocky outcrop a party of Scouts (from Germany!) were raising their flags and having their photos taken. The views from here were tremendous and The Path follows the tarmaced road for almost three miles with Castell Dinas Bran, an impressive ruin on top of a hill, way ahead. To my right were increasingly wild looking limestone outcrops and a buzzard flew above - dramatic stuff, indeed Further along a side path leads up to the castle and I could see a couple of people who had climbed up to it. Later I found out that they were the Not a Couple and I had wondered why the tiny specks were waving in my direction!

I turned off the road and, according to the guide, this is where the hard stuff began - a long walk across the scree below the limestone cliffs I had seen earlier. I began to climb slightly across the scree field but the path was pretty clear and the walking not as difficult as I'd expected. I continued along the scree path and met a guy walking on his own who had been up to the cliff tops, then an older couple who were walking parts of The Path and had on full waterproofs as well as carrying umbrellas. We spoke briefly and wished each other well.

The Path descended from the scree path down a nice grassy track through bracken and then a more stony path and it began to rain again - waterproofs on time! I crossed a ladder stile, the first of the whole Offa's Dyke Path and then onto the road again for a climb through woods and onto the Cyrn-y-Brain moors at World's End. The Path continued on the road over the moorlands for a mile or so and then across the moor itself. I almost felt that I was in Lancashire! The Path here has been extensively boarded and the going was quite easy, although it was raining steadily now, was more windy and colder. I kept my jacket on but it still didn't drive the rain away!

The Path headed for Llandegla Woods, a large stand of standard coniferous trees with the normal gloomy track through them. The way here is good, however and I continued through as the path began to open up. I saw a wonderful large fungus by the side of the track, which of course, had to be photographed! At the bottom of the path is a normal sized stone house with three enormous stone columns at its front and an exterior metal spiral staircase going up to the first floor. Just afterwards I passed through a gate with "Offa's Dyke Path" spelt out in large wrought iron letters in both English and Welsh. Very fine it looked. Saw at least three generations of a family out walking together and we exchanged cheery greetings.

I walked down a couple of fields and crossed a footbridge over a tributary of the River Aleyn, happily gurgling along on this wet and gloomy day. I looked back up The Path and saw Harry and Steph walking down towards me and then found out that it had been them waving at me from Castell Dinas Bran where I had overtaken them. It was a shame that I hadn't realised at the time. We walked together up to the very busy A525 and headed for The Crown pub for "a break" and to meet Noelene. Once again we were disappointed as it was closed. What is it with Welsh pubs that they are always closed when you want to use them?! Noelene took a few photos of us and we walked together into Llandegla, me stopping off at tonight's B&B, the wonderful Hand House where we were warmly welcomed by Elinor Rogers with tea and cakes. Harry and Steph were to continue to Llanferres where we met them later for dinner.

Hand House is right on The Path next to the church in Llandegla and is a converted pub dating, originally from the 13th century. Had a shower and a relaxing afternoon doing nothing much at all - great. Met the Not a Couple at the Druid Inn, Llanferres where they were staying and had an excellent meal, good beer and excellent company.

Tomorrow is eighteen miles over pretty tough terrain, so the rest should stand me in good stead (I hope!).

Day 11 Impressions

The weather of day 11 was the only thing that spoiled the day. There were superb views and the sort of rugged terrain and open moorland that I am used to in the Pennines. It was also good to have a short day between two eighteen milers and time to relax and recuperate a little.

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