20-Oct-97	Route Diagram
		Day 7
		Cwm - Churchtown - Newcastle-on-Clun (diversion of 1.3m at Newcastle) - Lower Spoad - Selley Cross - Knighton
		Route section	13.6 miles

Monday was a grey day with a fair wind. We were lucky enough to be driven back to the spot where we were picked up the previous afternoon which was just below the stile off to the right. We started walking, adjacent to Drewin Farm, the short distance to it up the steep hill at 08:49. Once over the stile the dyke is soon joined on the uphill route. Taking a breather half way up the second field there would have been excellent views had it been clear back over the Vale of Montgomery. We'd climbed 450' and had reached Crowsnest Cottage just as the owner was leaving for work in his car. The track from his residence to the lane some 100 yards away was so undulating that we arrived just as he was about to get into his car from opening his gate and we shouted to him that we'd close it. We'd reached the Kerry Ridgeway road - an old drovers' route along the ridge (of the kerry Hills) which runs east-west at this point and which also serves as the national boundary between Wales in England. Crossing it and climbing the stile in the opposite hedge, we made our first steps into England.It was 09:10 and we'd decided to put a coat on as it was cold, blustery and there was thick drizzle in the air. Just as we were about to start off again, a fox came round the break in the dyke, stopped briefly in its tracks and then turned quickly around to retrace its steps. This break in the dyke is only one of many in the dyke which are thought to have been "traffic control" points and are known as "yatts".

Twenty minutes later and still drizzling unpleasantly, we'd dropped down the steeply wooded valley, crossed the River Unk by its new footbridge and started to climb the track up the left side of the dyke at the foot of the northern slope of Edenhope Hill.

It was quite wild walking the dyke across the top of the hill with a stiff easterly wind blowing from our left. The walking pole was useful to brace against the bank on the right but this stretch of the dyke, though difficult, was worth it if only for the autumnal grasses.

Over the hill (in more ways than one!) we were dropping down the southern slope of the valley slope to the community of Churchtown when we noticed a postvan reversing up the drive of a property (not marked on our map) on the edge of Churchtowh Hill. Remembering the packet and postcards which were in our map case we ran down the remaining part of the hill to the road on the valley floor.

Stopping on the road and gesturing like a "highwayman of old", we managed to stop the postman who must have had an enormous surprise! He accepted our mail. In brief conversation he told us that his sister was on the Net in the United States hence the picture!

[It was only on returning that we learned that the part of the hill we's run down was the steepest part of the whole of the day's switchback : over 350' (100m) in 440 yds (400 m).]

Churchtown : we'd always imagined it to be a town or large village when seen on road signs but is a hamlet of two buildings and the church of St John the Baptist which serves the parish of Mainstone; it was having its roof renewed. Note road signs in next picture - below left.

It was a steep pull up through Churchtown Wood and we rested several times. On the way we passed signs for Wild Edric's Way and once on the top of the hill we joined The Shropshire Way.

Once over Middle Knuck, theShropshire Way moved off to the left and then we were climbing up again over the road before another sharp descent to where (it is thought) two gangs of dyke builders got their measurements wrong ending up at different places so a "bridging" dyke was needed and built between the two.

When we had rounded Hergan and dropped down to the road we met two separate couples within minutes of each other - both out walking circular routes. Without having met before, the couple on the left came from Penn in Wolverhampton and the second couple resided in Sutton Coldfield only 15/20 miles away.

We chatted longer with the first couple before they set off on the OD path to the north. Out in open country again climbing up towards Graig Hill we met father and son, Ken and Alan Randall with Grenville their dog which "liked sitting in cowpats"! They came from Buckinghamshire.

After arriving on the outskirts of Newcastle we discovered that the footbridge over the Clun was "down" and there was a diversion (red acorns) through the village itself adding 1.3 miles to the route. Weather was unpleasant; cold, blustery and wet with thick drizzle.

By the time we had got to the church we'd already decided on a pub lunch despite the perfectly adequate packed lunch in the rucsac just to get out of the damp conditions. Once onto the B4368 we found the Crown Inn where a superb three-cheese ploughmans @ £2.98 and a pint of John Smiths were enjoyed; so was the warmth!

Pub details: Yvonne and Jeff Aldridge, The Crown Inn, Newcastle-on-Clun,Craven Arms, Shropshire, SY7 8QL. Tel: 01588 640271 B & B - room for 4 persons Evening meals from £6.00 19:00-21.30

The pint of beer was regretted climbing the next 610' (185 m) in less than a mile to Spoad Hill cross roads where the terrain levelled out in comparison with a further 100' (30 m) to Llanfair Hill. It was fairly clear of mist on the hill despite being damp.

Shortly after passing the trig point at 14:50 [430 m (1410')] - the dyke's highest point on the day's walk - we met Jenny and Tom from Nottinghamshire were the last couple we met out walking on the OD Path - again doing a circular walk.

Walking along the top towards Selley Cross we wished that the day had been like Saturday with fine weather and long, albeit hazy views instead of the grey, dark light.

Approaching a farm on a muddy track there was a fine view of the deep, broad dyke around the western edge of Cwm-sanaham Hill. Further on at a second farm, cattle had just been fed with a separate pile being placed some distance away for a young calf and its mother.

Once over/around Cwm-sanaham Hill there was a steep drop down on the top of the dyke through larch trees. On the top of Panpunton Hill above Knighton we stopped to take a break where, despite lunch, we tucked into the lunch box having decided that the Offa's Dyke Centre wouldn't be made by 17:00.

Knighton stretched out before us and changing film, we decided to try the black & white film we'd had for a couple of years. Descending steeply with woodland to our left, we turned sharp right down Panpunton Hill to reach the road after which it was only a short distance before carefully crossing the Shrewsbury/ Knighton/Swansea railway line.

The path then follows the river bank to a kissing gate before which we met ????? walking her dog ?????. We made the OD Centre at 17:22 and found the main room (souvenirs, books, etc) open; it's only the Exhibition Room which closes at 17:00. We'd arrived in Knighton.

Walk Statistics
Day	Hr	Min	Mins	Miles	Ascent	Conversations	Photographs	Mins per mile	mph
7	8	31	511	13.6	2855'	6	27	37.6	1.60

 

B & B Details
		Mary Stephens, 8 Church Street, Knighton, Powys, LD7 1AG Tel: 01547 528106
		Warm welcome: pot of tea on tray brought to room on arrival and boots washed in yard at back; what service!       B & B 13.50 Packed Lunch/flask of coffee 2.00 TOTAL   £15.50

 

Meal Details
	Horse & Jockey, Station Road, Knighton, Powys Tel: 01547 520062
	Thick Potato Soup, Broccoli & Stilton Pancake with Jacket Potato & Salad     superb food 8.15 1 pt Tetleys Bitter 1.52 TOTAL   £9.67

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© Scarpa - Page last updated 04/12/97