The Long Mynd (south)

Drovers coming through Llandrindod Wells would have used the Long Mynd to reach Shrewsbury Station; not because it was easier – it isn't – but because of the 37miles of open fields on the uplands of the mountain.  Grass for nowt.  Desert grass maybe, but grass nonetheless.

(The northern bit we did in fog a few years ago (see Leebotwood, above) and the last slide on that page shows “Open Fields” non-stop all the way.)

We started at Plowden (SO378876) and slogged up the slope.  It was cold, the wind was biting and Chris hates going up very steep hills almost as much as I dislike going down them.  But we did our five miles – even rescued a sheep caught in a wire fence, then looked at each other and said, “Enough's enough.”

Ever read Bill Bryson's “A Walk in the Appalachians”?  Or seen the film, as we did on our return?  That was exactly the same story, on a larger scale.  No prowling bears or falling snow for us, thank the Lord, or an encounter with a 300lb husband sniffing infidelity and wielding a club, but the moment of surrender in the film had so many of the elements of the walk, especially when Robert Redford (BB) turns to his walking companion and asks softly: “How much are you missing home?”  The answer was (equally soft): ”Gawd, I'm missing it.”  And home they went.

And that is almost exactly what we did, except that Chris didn't say “enough”, she said: “The next few miles ahead look very much like the miles we've done,” or some such.  Then she said something like: if we go straight down here (#4) we'll catch the Handless Road to Plowden and the car.  We won't have to retrace our footsteps!  (Doesn't everyone hate retracing footsteps?)

So that's what we did.  And boy, wasn't home, a book and a glass of wine a beautiful idea?


PS The views were magnificent.  Those the wind could not take away.  Oh, and I have a photo of snow, a small patch...