We're very pleased to be posting to you live from our latest adventure. We're currently two days in to the stunning Offa's Dyke long distance footpath and we're very happy bears as we sit in the Miners Arms in a village with one of those great Welsh names that is instantly forgotten by the English. We're happy as we've had a second great day's walking and have a pint of Conwy Brewery's Clogwn Gold beer in front of us and the anticipation of the hake special from the tasty sounding menu.
We actually have our female minder's Aunt Elizabeth to thank for this trip. She invited us all to her 90th birthday party in Cheltenham on Saturday, and this inspired to us to think about fitting in a holiday around the party, as it isn't often we travel so far west from our Norfolk base. The Offa's Dyke Long Distance Footpath (LDP) running for about 177 miles along the England/Wales border between Prestatyn and Chepstow ( or vice versa) seemed to fit the bill, so on Saturday afternoon, after a lovely birthday lunch, we found ourselves being party poopers (sorry everyone) and leaving afternoon tea early to take a bus and a train to the start of our walk in Prestatyn.
Travel arrangements ran smoothly and we reached the Beaches Hotel in Prestatyn shortly after 9.00 p.m. Our room was so close to the sea, if the tide had been in, we could have played stone skimming from the window of our room. We were tired teds though so we let the sound of the sea send us off to sleep.
Sunday morning we woke refreshed to tackle a full English before making our first steps along the sea front to the start of the trail.
Perhaps I should clarify that 'we' is myself George, chief travelling bear and most reliable blogger; Yorkie, my faithful travelling companion, who blogs less as he's too busy eating, and Gio because he simply loves walking and thinks the best holidays are walking holidays.
I'm telling you this as we didn't manage to get a photo at the start with all of us in.
The first mile of the route took us, in lovely sunshine, from the coast, up the High Street of Prestatyn and we have to say we were quite impressed by Prestatyn - it's a lovely little town. The rest of the day unfolded very pleasantly with a lovely mix of gorse covered hillsides, country lanes, woodland and pastureland. Navigation was no problem thanks to all the national trail way marking, it was just a case of follow the acorn.
We had to walk a mile off piste to our B&B (Glen Clwyd Isa) where we had a warm welcome in this comfy but quirky establishment. There were extensive grounds to stroll around in the evening sunshine before we joined the 3 other guests for a lovely home cooked meal of asparagus and salmon (or duck) and berry sponge pudding.
Today the weather had been glorious, with really Mediterranean blue skies. We've walked just over 14 miles across the Clwydian Hills. If you don't know these hills give them a Google and find out more. They are wonderful and the views across to Liverpool and Snowdonia are stunning. The path is mostly turf so kind to our paws, but the ascents and descents between the hills were challenging to say the least. There is no accommodation at the end of this stage but we got picked up and taken to the Hafan Dag B&B where we've really landed on our paws - it's a real gem.
There's only one reason to Growl - the Clogwn Gold has now run out - we haven't drunk that much honest!
Hope to have another report for you soon.
Lots of love George, Yorkie and Gio xxx
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
2 comments:
Suffolk Branch are glad your bus / train combo got you smoothly to Prestatyn and that the sun has shone on you on your first two days. Long may it continue! There was loads of yummy coffee & walnut cake, lemon drizzle, bakewell & birthday cake left over at the end of the party - Suffolk Branch wish they could have DHL'd some of it up a Welsh mountain to you for eleven sets but DHL would not play ball! Good luck with the rest of the hike.
Midlands Branch have enjoyed reading about your latest adventure, and are glad it got off to such a good start. You are in Wales though so we think you might need waterproofs shortly, but by the weekend you could be drier than us. We have lovely sunshine at the moment so will tackle last minute jobs in the garden.
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