On Offa's Dyke, when asked by fellow walkers, I told them I was walking the Path as far as Knighton, which was true. I neglected to say I was then planning to continue to John o'Groats. Perhaps I thought it would be boasting, or maybe I was superstitious and thought it would show excessive hubris, and result in the Gods casting me down. However this morning I had to admit to a fellow camper and Offa's Dyke walker that I would be hiking to Craven Arms today with the aim of reaching John o'Groats, although I was careful to avoid committing to a time frame.
After a coffee in Knighton today's trip started by entering the county of Shropshire and a ramble through a verdant wood where a dog began barking furiously at me to the distress of his owner (fortunately he (the dog) was on a lead). A gentle climb over fields followed as a warm up for a steeper climb to the top of Stow Hill, passing a circular pool from where I disturbed a heron. More fields, woods and, inevitably, another hill followed. On coming down into a valley I saw Hopton Castle ahead of me.
A medieval fortified manor, it was saved from collapse by a public spirited preservation trust and is now open to the public. After a look around I sat on a bench and contemplated the ruin while eating a ham salad roll I had bought in Knighton (the traditional soft roll made a change from the more crusty baguette type sandwiches now popular).
Following a third hill, the footpath crossed fields of wheat, green but with the ears well formed. Unlike some farmers this one was a considerate person as the footpath had been marked by driving a tractor along it in two fields, and using weed killer to mark it in a third. Saves worrying about damaging crops or else trying to follow the edge of the field caught between crops and stingy nettles. Clungunford was a village with a mound or motte, the remains of a Medieval manor. Unfortunately part of it was dug up at some distant time, splitting it into two mounds. A nearby sign indicated it was now known as "bum" hill, due to the obvious similarity. Many of the villages today seemed to have old, half timbered buildings, many restored to perfect condition.
After a section of road walking, albeit including a road dating from Roman times, my route turned off onto an overgrown path then a muddy track through woodland. My way down from my final hill was through glorious buttercup filled fields with a view of Stokesay Castle ahead of me. Its half timbered, projecting upper story, boarded up windows and half timbered gatehouse were intriguing. Unfortunately it was not due to open until two days hence.
After a final river section I reached the town of Craven Arms. From the window of my bedroom at the Inn I can see the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre, were I paid to see an exhibition which included a film with excellent drone footage of the area and the sound made by woolly mammoths that once lived in the area (how do they know?).
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