Usk Valley Trail

James was working on Friday and Jennifer came up to the Ardencote Manor to join me for the morning. We had a really lovely time; we went to the jacuzzi and chatted in the sunshine, then we had lunch in the attractive dining room and chatted some more. I wish we could spend more mornings like that! Then James arrived back at the hotel early afternoon and we set off for our two hour journey into Wales, which unfortunately turned into a three hour journey due to roadworks. I haven't been in Wales since a one night stay in North Wales about 45 years ago as part of a family holiday. As I recall, the bed and breakfast that we stayed in was dirty, the owner would nowadays be under great suspicion for the way he touched Jennifer and me, who were both under ten years old at the time, and it was raining. However it would be unfair to dismiss a whole country based one bad experience - especially the rain, of which we have plenty in Scotland - and it is only by chance that I haven't been back since.

Well, Wales is certainly looking beautiful today in the warm Autumn sunshine under a cloudless blue sky. We are staying in the Brecon Beacons area with the hill-walking club in a very pretty hostel built from grey local stone, where James and I have an ensuite room. It's basic but clean and it's set in a gorgeous valley. After the others set off for their walk up the hills, I sat outside in the sunshine before going on my own walk through the woods, down across a field and along the river on the Usk Valley trail. My crutches were useful on the uneven ground and I made good speed. I spent a while sitting beside the river reading my book and it was absolutely idyllic.