"Up the Dyke" Day 9 - July 21st 2002, Buttington Bridge
to Llanymynech "Dreamed a Dream By The Old Canal... "
Day Date Start Finish Approx. Miles Hours Accommodation
9 Sun. 21st July Buttington Bridge Llanymynech ~12 (with diversion) 5 Doug & Joan Beeston, Lion Hotel, Llanmynech, Powys, SY22 6EJ, Tel. 01691 830234

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Day 9 Start - Five Go Live!Again, if you remember the song that the title for today's walk comes from just mail me. No guarantee of a prize but I'll make you famous on this web site (for all of 30 seconds!).

We had an excellent breakfast at Nant Golfa B&B and our clothes and shoes/boots had dried from the previous day's soaking. For the one and only time this trip Noelene was walking along with Dawn, Jon, Alex and myself, for a couple of miles of the supposed 10½ miles to Llanymynech. We left Nant Golfa by car for the start and set off at about 10:00, having seen Harry and Steph plodding across a field on our way. We left one car at the start and another at Pool Quay, a little way up the trail so that Noelene could get back. The weather was warm and sunny and it was dry under foot, although I wore tracksters for the second day in a row.

Buttington BridgeAlexWe crossed the railway line at Buttington Bridge and then over the rather splendid road bridge (though not walker friendly as there's no footpath) above the River Severn, my first encounter with Britain's longest river. We walked alongside the river but here it is no more than 10 metres wide and meanders across the fields. The Path connects and then disconnects with the river several times along this stretch and takes us over fields rather more pleasant than yesterday. Noelene picked some of the wild flowers (only the ones that are allowed to be picked!) and gave Alex a running nature trail commentary which she seemed to love. At this stage the Dyke is very unimpressive, resembling little more than a small hump running across fields.

Peace Man!Montgomery CanalWe crossed the main and very busy A483 and up a bank to take us along the towpath of the Montgomery Canal (a branch of the Shropshire Union). Here it was more tranquil, despite the nearby main road, and the canal is very beautiful with lots of fish, plants, especially water lilies and signs of kingfishers. Along the canal we saw a well restored swing bridge which two of the children (guess who!) played with. Jon and Dawn were briskly walking ahead, I in the middle and Noelene and Alex continuing their nature ramble. The going was therefore slow for me but all the better for being so. We reached Pool Quay, where Noelene left us, and had a look at the very attractive lock keeper's cottage.

Pool QuayAlex, Dawn & JonAt Pool Quay the Path crosses the main road again and into fields to take us back to the banks of the River Severn. There isn't much to see along this stretch, apart from the path of the former Cambrian Railway, which judging from the state of the track bed, was dismantled some time ago. We continued along the flood defence embankments, some of which apparently used Offa's Dyke as their foundation, to keep another enemy out, I suppose. There were excellent views of the Breidden Hills and the not so lovely Criggion radio masts and quarry beyond. Along the river banks sheep and cattle graze, keeping the grass short and easy for walking. We arrived at the few houses that make up the hamlet of Rhyd-esgyn. Noelene was supposed to meet us there to pick up Dawn and Alex but she'd been held up in traffic, taken a wrong turning, etc. and we waited quite a while. Jon walked off on his own and, after Noelene the taxi had taken the other two off, I followed.

I followed the river for a while and crossed a sluice gate (although there was no water for it to contain!). A drainage channel, the New Cut feeding into the Severn, was below me and I crossed this over Derwas Bridge and into a field. Shortly after I found that the Environment Agency have diverted The Path around a very big construction of some sort taking place. There seemed to be a series of channels, linked together but with blind ends. It looked as if some rich farmer was having the ultimate garden water feature built in his field (eat your heart out, Charlie Dimmock). The diversion continued for a while and The Path seemed to go back on itself to the place where the diversion started. In all I guess it added almost a mile to today's walk. It seems that the bureaucrats of the Environment Agency have no sense at all, certainly don't employ any walkers and have very little thought for them. There was another (less extreme) diversion skirting what seemed to be a continuation of the same construction as before. Maybe it's something to do with flood defence schemes.

I continued over fields where the Dyke is broad but very low and I spotted Jon about 1½ fields ahead of me. The sun came out and the weather became very pleasantly warm with a gentle breeze. Although the walk wasn't especially exciting, or even interesting, it felt nice and relaxing. I walked past a series of badger setts and met Jon sat under a large oak tree. He had blister problems but was gamefully walking on. We passed behind a farm and into the yard of what had been Four Crosses railway station but is now a milk tanker depot. Having crossed a road and a field we came out on the A483 again and walked a few hundred metres past the Golden Lion pub with its interesting and rather fine wrought iron work. We turned left and reached the Montgomery Canal again.

Vyrnwy BridgeApparently The Path, when first opened, followed the A483 right into Llanymynech but, since the canal restoration goes along its towpath. Jon wondered why it hadn't kept closer to the Dyke itself, for example, by following the route of the former railway line from Four Crosses, a much more natural and straight path. Anyway, the canal was as pleasant here as it had been some eight miles ago, with plenty of dragon flies flitting about, and we slowly made our way along it. We reached the stone aqueduct carrying the canal across the River Vyrmy running parallel to a very fine stone road bridge. We reached a point where the absence of boats along the canal was explained, it's cut in half by a road!

We reached Carregofa Locks, restored about fifteen years ago and saw the splendid lock keeper's cottage and other buildings.Carregofa Locks Border At The Lion HotelThis was a magic place for me and the best sight of the day. We lingered for a while and I took some photos before we moved on towards our day's destination. The canal and a minor road run side by side just after the lock and we were certainly looking forward to the beer (or two!) at the end of the walk. The towpath went under the A483 and we climbed the steps to join it and walk into the village of Llanymynech. The only pub open for a beer was the Lion where Noelene and I were staying the night. It's probably not one of the top B&Bs on the walk but the landlord, and his wife Joan are lovely people, he serves and excellent pint of Draught Bass and our room was comfortable. The pub is odd in that one bar is in England and the other in Wales. We slept in a Welsh bedroom!

Noelene, Dawn and Alex joined us to sit, chat and relax for an hour or so before they set off for Rochdale and Noelene and I went to the Black Horse at nearby Maesbrook and to watch Ernie Els win the Open Championship on the TV there and to have a very good meal.

Day 9 Impressions

Day nine was easy walking and The Path and views didn't demand too much attention. The wild flowers along the River Severn were very beautiful and the Montgomery Canal (both sections followed during the walk) is also very pretty. The Environment Agency's stupid diversion made me rather annoyed to say the least but what can you expect from Government departments? It was wonderful to walk with family and great that Noelene plodded a couple of miles with me. Today was very flat, tomorrow to Chirk Mill promises to be a "more uplifting" experience!

Grub:

Lamb shank (again!)
Chicken with Dijon mustard sauce
Chips, potatoes, vegetables and salad

Booze:

Draught Bass bitter at the Lion Hotel - pretty good
House white and red wine - also okay

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