Monmouth to Pandy

19 May 2010 - Monmouth to Pandy

Distance - 18.1 miles

Weather - Dry but overcast

We stayed at - Brynhonddu Country House B&B, Brynhonddu, Bwlch Trewyn Estate, Pandy, Avergavenny, Monmouthshire NP7 7 PD Cost - £65.00

We left Monmouth via its historic main street, after stocking up on drinks and food. We crossed the Monnow Bridge and exited the town via Watery Lane. We then had a relatively steep climb up to the top of Kings Wood, where thoughtfully some forestry work had recently been completed and we were able to appreciate some good views. From there it was downhill for a while to Lower Hendre Farm. I'm very keen on pigs, so I was delighted to encounter four little piggies rooting about on the footpath near the farm. They ran squeaking off into the undergrowth as soon as they saw us approach!

Just before Llanvihangel-Ystern-Llewern (St Michael's of the Fiery Meteor) the path followed a narrow lane, where of course we came across the largest tractor ever and had to squeeze up against the hedge as tight as we could to let it go past. For today only, we spent a lot of time either crossing or by the River Trothy and a pleasant stream it is too. We left the route of the Offa's Dyke footpath here to take a punt on whether a pub on our map at Tal-y-coed was open or not. We thought we could use a footpath, but "the map is not the territory" and the footpath was completely non-existent and worse, led us into a marsh, so we had to return to walk on the road to get there. Luckily for us though a) it was a pretty pub b) it was open c) it served great food.

Suitably refreshed, we continued on to White Castle, with vistas over to the Skirrid on the way. The path went about two thirds of the way around the castle and so we didn't pay to go in and look round. Instead we stopped in a nearby field and had a little bit of a rest before pressing on to the brilliantly named Caggle Street. The rest of the route to Pandy was through verdant Spring pastures, with an ever expanding view of the Black Mountains in front of us. 

When planning our LEJOG I decided, since we were walking the route in stages, it just wouldn't be complete unless we visited all three of Britain's mainland countries. Also a previous holiday in the Forest of Dean had introduced me to the Black Mountains and I had vowed to myself that one day I would come back and walk them.

Pandy was a small village strung along the busy A465 and wasn't really anything to write home about. I hadn't been able to find any accommodation there and so we walked a little further to Brynhonddu Country House B&B. The accommodation was lovely and as we'd had a big meal at lunchtime in the pub, we just snacked on the food we had bought in Monmouth that morning. We lay on the bed, until the sun went down, watching the lambs frolicking about on the sloping hillside outside.