Author Topic: Offa's Dyke Trip Blogg.  (Read 2829 times)

Slogger

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Offa's Dyke Trip Blogg.
« on: 16:54:42, 02/06/19 »
For anyone interested, my sub 5 day Offa's Dyke Blogg.


https://sloggers5dayoffasdyke.blogspot.com/2019/06/offas-dyke-path-may-2019.html
« Last Edit: 18:03:06, 02/06/19 by Slogger »

sussamb

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Re: Offa's Dyke Trip Blogg.
« Reply #1 on: 19:16:51, 02/06/19 »
Nice write up, and loved the photos, gave me a different perspective on the walk as I did it north to south  O0
Where there's a will ...

Jac

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Re: Offa's Dyke Trip Blogg.
« Reply #2 on: 19:29:45, 02/06/19 »

................and breath. I enjoyed every mile of it. I think you're mad and how you had time to chat with the people you met on the way, take super photos and appreciate the glorious scenery and charge your phone? I really don't fathom. But, inspiring? yes. I have the maps, have walked some of the sections separately and now really want to do it properly, end to end - but not in <5days!
Great TR.
« Last Edit: 19:37:24, 02/06/19 by Jac »
So many paths yet to walk, so little time left

gunwharfman

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Re: Offa's Dyke Trip Blogg.
« Reply #3 on: 21:46:12, 02/06/19 »
Yes a great walk and great photos, I really enjoyed Offas Dyke the second time. I am 74 now and my first time was a bit of a disaster. I had my Prostate removed in April 2015 due to cancer (I was 70)  and in June 2015 I thought I was back to normal and decided to celebrate by walking Offas Dyke. In hindsight not one of my best decisions!

I set off and over the next few days, I gradually realised that each days effort was giving me more and more problems. I had already gone through the 2 week incontinence period after my operation, the nurses said I would and then I would return to 'normal,' which I did. But in reality, I didn't! I began to leak every time I walked downhill (uphill and on the flat was fine) and each day was worse than before. I didn't dare sneeze, that was the worst of all!

Monmouth helped me out, I bought some ladies sanitary towels and cut them up, which did help my embarrassment a lot, but by the time I reached Knighton I knew that I had to give up! It all worked out OK though because by July 2015 I realised that I really was back to normal and walked for 50 days along the GR10 across the Pyrenees and proved it! I completed the Offas Dyke route properly the following year.

Have you another route planned?


tonyk

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Re: Offa's Dyke Trip Blogg.
« Reply #4 on: 10:16:41, 03/06/19 »
 Good report.Interesting comment about the ex-para.re;to there being nothing much to look at.Your comment shows that its still possible to see everything and appreciate it despite trying to go for a fast time.

vghikers

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Re: Offa's Dyke Trip Blogg.
« Reply #5 on: 13:14:13, 03/06/19 »
A fantastic fast-and-light trip, especially for such a hilly route, and an absorbing report and pictures.
I recognise the sleep problems well, it always works against me - the more effort I've put in, the harder it is to get to sleep, and what sleep I do get is fitful.
I read somewhere a few years back that someone had calculated the total ascent added to the ODP purely by stiles - it was really high, thousands of feet.

pdstsp

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Re: Offa's Dyke Trip Blogg.
« Reply #6 on: 09:12:47, 04/06/19 »
Great read, Slogger - mighty impressed you found the time to take so may photos!




Slogger

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Re: Offa's Dyke Trip Blogg.
« Reply #7 on: 15:32:38, 05/06/19 »
Thank you for your comments everyone. I had wanted to do OD again, but North to South. However, these days if I can, I try to get at least a couple of days at or near to the start of my trips with my wife, so she gets a little something out of it too, and i need a bit of a rest from my work before the off. Trouble was she's not keen on Prestatyn, for staying over, and Chepstow meant 3 or 4 train changes on the way back home for her, so we settled on Chester. I wanted to leave the car near the finish and it worked out that leaving it at Prestatyn and getting the train to Chepstow would be best, so that's what I did.
That meant alarm at 3am, which had an extra sleep deprivation impact leading to the B&B in Hay on Wye.Being a last minute decision I had no time for foot preparation so set off with a build up of hard skin on both heels. However the paper taping did its job superbly well and I had no foot issues whatsoever.My elbow and especially my backside (after the fall) are now on the mend and I have managed to patch the arm of my Goretex jacket.Next trip, who knows, but this one has given me some confidence that despite my problems I may be able to complete the Cape Wrath Trail and maybe even the Cambrian Way if I allow a bit extra time.

FTSTTLB

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Re: Offa's Dyke Trip Blogg.
« Reply #8 on: 21:30:25, 05/06/19 »
I've done the Prestatyn to Knighton part. Loved your blog and photos.

andyapanel

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Re: Offa's Dyke Trip Blogg.
« Reply #9 on: 09:31:29, 13/06/19 »
I did it 6 weeks ago, walking South to North.It took me 10 days and 2 hours, though, so I feel a bit ashamed.
I met lots of interesting folk to talk to, most of whom were walking North-South. I was wild camping and I only met 3 others doing that; most folk had daysacks and were walking to B+Bs.
The toughest bit was north of Knighton, but the dyke was also well preserved there.
Monmouth-Buttington was not a lot of fun; I had wet feet, it was raining and the view from the top of Long Hill was not really worth it.
The Clwydians provided excellent views: I could not believe I could see the Windfarms off Prestatyn with 20 miles still to walk.

bricam2096

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Re: Offa's Dyke Trip Blogg.
« Reply #10 on: 19:36:01, 13/06/19 »
I head off to Chepstow in the morning to get ready to set off on my ODP walk. Looks like I won't be needing the sun cream  :D
LDWs done - 32 in total including 16 National Trails and 3 C2C

Wainwrights 176
www.brians-walks.co.uk

rural roamer

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Re: Offa's Dyke Trip Blogg.
« Reply #11 on: 22:37:35, 13/06/19 »
I head off to Chepstow in the morning to get ready to set off on my ODP walk. Looks like I won't be needing the sun cream  :D
Enjoy. Not far behind you on Two Moors Way, we’re driving down Monday. Haven’t we had all the rain we need for June already?  ;D

Slogger

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Re: Offa's Dyke Trip Blogg.
« Reply #12 on: 17:29:21, 15/06/19 »
I did it 6 weeks ago, walking South to North.It took me 10 days and 2 hours, though, so I feel a bit ashamed.
I met lots of interesting folk to talk to, most of whom were walking North-South. I was wild camping and I only met 3 others doing that; most folk had daysacks and were walking to B+Bs.
The toughest bit was north of Knighton, but the dyke was also well preserved there.
Monmouth-Buttington was not a lot of fun; I had wet feet, it was raining and the view from the top of Long Hill was not really worth it.
The Clwydians provided excellent views: I could not believe I could see the Windfarms off Prestatyn with 20 miles still to walk.
No need to feel ashamed, many were taking longer than that, anyway you do it the way you decide, not the way anyone else wants to.

Slogger

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Re: Offa's Dyke Trip Blogg.
« Reply #13 on: 17:31:50, 15/06/19 »
I head off to Chepstow in the morning to get ready to set off on my ODP walk. Looks like I won't be needing the sun cream  :D
Enjoy! It's a great but testing route. I swore I'd never do it again after my recent endevour, however a North South at some point may appeal just to see if it is easier as many claimed.

sussamb

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Re: Offa's Dyke Trip Blogg.
« Reply #14 on: 17:49:27, 15/06/19 »
Having only done N-S I can't really comment but I did find it much easier after passing the Jubilee Tower on Moel Famau, all seemed down hill after that stretch  O0
Where there's a will ...

 

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