"Up The Dyke" Day 7 - July 19th 2002 , Knighton to Brompton Crossroads "The Only Way is Up, and Up and... "
Day	Date	Start	Finish	Approx. Miles	Hours Taken	Accommodation
7	Fri. 19th July	Knighton	Brompton Cross (Lower Brompton Farm)	16	8½	Gaynor Bright, Little Brompton Farm, Montgomery, Powys SY15 6HY, Tel. & Fax 01686 668371, E-mail gaynor.brompton@virgin.net

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The title for today's walk should be self-explanatory. Theoretically, on a walk where the start and finish are at similar altitude there should be as much down as up. So what went wrong today?!

Had a great breakfast at Jan Berhault's place after a good night's sleep and she packed me an excellent lunch too. The weather was good, overcast with a bit of a breeze, but warm too. Met Harry and Steph at the Offa's Dyke Centre at 09:15 and saw the distance marker which completely disproves the myth that when you reach Knighton you've done half of The Path! The actual mid point must be somewhere later in today's walk and we'll also cross the 100 mile mark today.

We walked down to the memorial stone and then west along the River Teme, a very pretty little river. We crossed it on a footbridge alongside the railway line and then crossed the track itself before beginning the very long, steep and slow climb up to the top of Panpunton Hill climbing 120 metres in a very short distance. This climb was to be typical of the day and the stretch of The Path from Knighton to Brompton Crossroads has the reputation of being the toughest day of the whole walk. At the top a major panic developed when Steph realised she had lost her money pouch and couldn't raise her last night's B&B on the phone. Harry said that he'd wait for her if she walked back to the B&B and then up Panpunton Hill again. She decided to go on and try to contact them later (this she did and all was well with Noelene collecting her dosh). The funny thing is that Steph is the Treasurer of the Long Eaton Rambling Club where she and Harry live! I promised not to mention the fact on my web site, so I won't.

The views from the top of the hill all over Knighton were spectacular and we were reluctant to move on. But there was a long way to go and plenty more hills to climb! Just as we left, the Blister Boys, Barry and Ifor, caught us up but they stopped a while as we continued. Once at the top the walking was easier with good views to the north west. A further climb took us to the top of Cwm-sanaham Hill with views all around. We could see the Blister Boys behind us. They walk quite slowly but they get there and that's what counts. We passed a trig point and then descended for a while, alongside The Dyke, which at this point was only two or three feet high. For a while we seemed to continuously climb up and down (although mostly up!). We crossed a stream built by the Royal Engineers in 1985 (It's good to see that the Army are useful for something important!), down a green path through waist high bracken and a series of new steps crossing a stream and up more steps. It was very thoughtful of the County Council to put the steps in specially for us famous three walkers!

We met quite a few other walkers today and I suppose that's natural near the half way point. Near the top of Llanfair Hill we passed an older couple (The Newspaper Couple) just sitting by the side of the path having a break and reading the papers. They were walking on to Hay-on-Wye and we wished them well. We took a break sat atop an especially fine section of the Dyke shortly after and managed to contact Noelene to pick up Steph's dosh. On our way down we passed four other walkers heading south and they recommended tea and cakes at Springfield Farm (just £2). As we walked we saw a buzzard (we were later to see two others) circling above woods looking for its lunch. The recommendation of Springfield Farm was spot on. We had an excellent half hour break and met Barry and Ifor just before we continued.

We reluctantly continued on our way, past a display about the Clun Environmentally Sensitive Area and steeply downhill to Lower Spoad with a view across a valley to another mighty climb, I think up Graig Hill. We crossed the River Clun, an almost impressive stream, close to a very handsome looking half timbered farmhouse (Bryndrinog) which I just had to photograph. from there we climbed Graig Hill, the hardest climb of the day so far and not very secure under foot.

We stopped for lunch in a field well mown by the sheep and with a view down to Churchtown and another enormous climb on the other side of the valley. We descended to Middle Knuck where three paths go together for a while - Offa's Little Walk, The Shropshire and something called Edrick's Way (please let me know if you've heard of Edrick). Continuing down through Churchtown Wood we saw the church of St. John's. But how this place could be described as any sort of town I don't know, as we saw nowt but the church and a farm. We took a drink and then began the hardest climb of the day, the 100 metres up in 400 metres to the top of the valley and then up and over Edenhope Hill, of which I managed to reach the top without stopping although I really can't remember ever been more exhausted by a climb. But we all soon recovered. The Dyke also managed to climb, apparently without any real effort and looked rather handsome hereabouts! Not long after, we crossed the River Unk over a footbridge. Only one thing was missing - water in the river! So at last I managed to find the absolutely least impressive river on the whole of the Offa's Dyke Path.

After the Unk there was another steep climb in Nut Wood, one of the last major uphill stretches for a while. We began a gradual descent over fields and crossed the old drove road on the top of the Kerry Hills. In a further field were unique cube shaped black plastic encased hay bales which were rather bizarre, almost like something from the Turner Prize Exhibition! So I photographed one of them for future fame! The descent took us to Cwm where Harry and Steph were staying and I continued along roads to Lower Cwm, into fields again and the grounds of the 19th century Mellington Hall. The Path goes along and on top of the Dyke but only a caravan site in the grounds of the hall can be seen. I felt the first real spots of rain and hurried on through very gloomy woods, the sort in which Little Red Riding Hood would have met the hungry wolf! I passed through the arch above the entrance of Mellington Hall and forward along a small road to the Brompton Crossroad, the A489 by the Blue Bell Inn. We had thought to eat there later but, to be honest, it looked a right dump.

I continued across the A road and onto the one to Montgomery, turning off towards Brompton Hall and then left, following the Dyke. It was now raining quite steadily and I was beginning to get wet, but with less than half a mile to go it really wasn't worth getting the waterproofs out. After a few more fields there was a further signposted footpath to Little Brompton Farm, my destination for the night. I arrived wet and exhausted at the same time as Noelene drove into the farmyard. We took Steph's money to her and Dawn, Jon and Alex joined us at about 8:30 for an excellent dinner at Mellington Hall (not too expensive, either).

Day 7 Impressions

Day seven was very hard indeed and you feel this as soon as you leave Nighton. There is no slow build up. But the rewards, as with most high places, were the views. They were the highlights for me but so too were seeing three buzzards, the relaxing tea and cakes at Springfield Farm and (even at my time of life!) being able to climb the biggest hill non-stop. We saw some of the best and most impressive stretches of the Dyke, the B&B was very good and the food at Mellington Hall exceptional. It was great to have some of our family with us in the evening and plan tomorrow's walk with them.

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