Things conspired this week that my free day was also the day when the weather was "variable" - not outright rain, but showers on the wind - never heavy enough to get thoroughly wet, however warm enough to dry quickly.
I chose to head off to Longtown and follow some routes out of the Kittiwake book, climbing up to the Offa's Dyke path on the border line as well as looping around to the Hatterall hill loop. If the weather got bad I could just drop down the far side to Llanthony and loop that way.
I parked in the village hall car park and down a lane that dropped to the river - Olchen Brook.
However the guidebook said to cross the ford and continue into the field. The reality was that this was a campsite and the path ha been redirected around the entrance.
Following the divert and into the campsite. - it would have been better to go the other way from the car park, which I would find out on the return.!
Escaping to the top corner and into sheep fields. There were many path signs and I was glad the GPS could assist in picking the correct ones.
Finally climbing up to a farm lane that led across to Great Turnant farm
Through the farm yard and down the drive to the back road - still ascending.
Leaving the back road on a corner onto a green lane that crossed above the last fields, before a path that led into the bracken.
This path climbed diagonally across the slope - it was used by the sheep which was why it was passable through the bracken.
I continued across a path junction heading in the same way aiming for the ridge. The first rain shower hit here - only light.
Out of the bracken as I gained the less steep slopes above and around onto the ridge.
Here the path kind of disappeared into multiple sheep trails and I made my way across the heather to the main ridge path.
On the main path - Offa's Dyke path which had been gravelled to be less destructive.
Looking along the ridge with sugar loaf and Skirrid standing out. The path here was slightly down hill, but mostly flat.
Along the way a number of gravel bags had been dropped - presumably by helicopter.
On to the trig point before a descent to a col.
Ahead the path is clearly visible as it follows the ridge.
I did file away the marker where the path drops back down for my return.
Continuing on the good path as it wound up the lesser side of the col. Now joined by the Beacons way trail as well.
Reaching the end of the flatter ridge, before it started to descend properly.
There was a cairn here that gave a good view to the south, and a path coming from the other leg of the ridge that joins here.
Looking south to sugar loaf and skirrid.
Across to the west and the other ridges of the black mountains.
Next down gently at first.
To the final pimple (with trig point).
Then more steeply down (with Skirrid prominently ahead)
I passed a group of DofE youngsters having a break as they climbed up from the iron age fort that marks the last promontory of the ridge.
Through the ramparts and onto a track. This is where I left the Offa's dyke path and the Beacons way, going down a farm track.
The track became a road and continued down to a sharp corner where I left it to cross a sheep field.
Now traversing the fields (with stiles) following a general direction.
Across to Perthi-crwn - much enhanced building with loose dog patrolling.
From here across a final field dropping to a back road.
I followed the back road up Cwm lau as it paralleled the stream.
Ending at the farm - Blaenyoy - through this and still following the stream through rough ground climbing behind the farm.
Eventually settling onto a better track after it was joined by another coming from my left.
It zigzagged up the slope - I stayed on the mainly defined path (as the one marked on the map was not visible).
As the slope lessened the path once again disappeared into a multitude of sheep tracks, so I angled over the heather to the main ridge track.
Back along this main track dropping down to the col where I would leave it.
Here I caught up with the DofE group once again - they were going up to Capel-y-ffin, before dropping back to Llanthony for the night.
I turned down hill over the side and followed a good track across the slope.
Below I could see the tents of the Glamping site and the castle at Longtown.
The path cut through the bracken to the top edge of the fields, before I picked up a path heading straight down the slope.
Still going through the sheep fields to the Cayo farm and campsite.
Through the farm yard and out onto the alternative route.
I chose to cut back to my initial lane, however did notice a more direct path back to the car park.
Up the lane and turned away from the car park to visit the castle site.
Very prominent, but mostly closed off for safety.
I paused for lunch at the castle looking over at my ascent route from the morning.
Then back to the car park.
