Completing a Loop

I left home at 5.30am and was in
Hay-on-Wye by 7.30am. Then after walking
5 miles and ascending 2000ft I felt
it was a good moment to stop, admire
the view from Hay Bluff....and have some
breakfast!

The aim thereafter was to walk from there
along the long Hatteral ridge and down to Pandy Inn.
This image, from Google Earth conveys something
of the experience, although one should picture the
far end swathed in grey cloud, dampening the later
stages of my days walk!

So I continued on my way across the winding path
on windy moor....birds, sheep, ponies and the
only very occasional other walker for company.

There may have been few walkers today
but over the years there have been thousands,
each of us wearing away at the peaty soil, as
testified to by heather-topped stumps such as this..

Finally descending to Pandy Inn after
61/2 hours (four of them on the hilltop!)
I achieved an end to a major phase in my current
walking project. The circle joining Monmouth
and Hay, via Wye Valley walk and Offas Dyke path
is now complete. Hurrah!