Ascent: 1150m
Weather: rain for about an hour first thing, then warm and cloudy.
This section is nicknamed the Switchback. Between Knighton and Mellington there are five hills which apparently look from above like the spread out fingers on a hand. It would probably have been possible to take a perfectly nice level route around them, but King Offa (with scant regard for the feet of walkers 1200 years later) chose to build his Dyke in pretty much a straight line over all five 'fingers'.
We seemed to be on or very close to the Dyke for much of the walk, some of which was *insert swear word of choice* steep.
As usual, there were a lot of sheep. Today we saw Welsh moutain sheep, texels (or dog-faced sheep, as we know them) and local Kerry sheep. The Kerry sheep breed is named after a nearby town, and today we crossed over the Kerry Ridgeway which is supposed to be one of the oldest roads in Wales, an old drover's route.
We also crossed the half-way point on the Trail today, marked by a signpost which said 88.5 miles from Chepstow and 88.5 miles to Prestatyn. So far I think we're holding up ok, I have one small blister on my toe, Rob as a sore ankle, we've both got a midge bite each and my shoulder remains attached.
We went out for a pleasant meal at Mellington Hall, and are now back at the B&B which is very comfortable and has a very friendly little dog - although it did growl at me earlier when I tried to eject it from my lap so I could stand up.
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