Walking the Offa's Dyke Path
Day Three: Trial by Mud
The long and winding road that leads to your door
Delayed by a leisurely breakfast, the hikers set off later than planned. This misstep proved costly as they began their 13-mile trek from Redbrook to Llantilio Crossenny. Fortunately, they only needed to carry their day packs, with their larger bags transported to the next stop for them.
The journey took them through stunning countryside and rolling farmland. They soon arrived at a small town, where they paused for coffee and stocked up on lunch supplies. Refreshed, they continued their trek into lush fields—where they met their biggest challenge yet.
"Mud, mud, glorious mud"
If yesterday’s trial was flood, today’s was mud. Deep, thick, relentless mud. In places, the fields they traversed were covered in four inches of wet, sticky, and slippery sludge—stretching on for miles. Walking through such terrain was exhausting, demanding extra energy to stay upright. Yet, the group pressed on, slogging through the unforgiving muck, their boots caked in the brown ooze.
Eventually, they grew accustomed to the muddy struggle, adapting to its demands. Their spirits were lifted as the song "Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud" became their anthem for the day. Despite persistent threats of rain, luck was on their side—it remained dry throughout.
Welsh farmers
A welcome stop along the way
The unexpected delays and late start meant they arrived at their farmhouse accommodation at 5:30 PM—after trudging the last few miles through darkness and, of course, more mud. Without a proper road and armed only with basic directions, they spent an hour wandering through dark paddocks before finally finding their way.
Exhausted, they were greeted warmly by an elderly Welsh couple. The farmer’s wife—a poet—shared her musings on Wales’ infamous mud. After a day spent wading through the thick mire, the hikers found little comfort in more tales about its enduring presence.
Still, the rain had yet to fall, but how long would their luck last? Would they encounter more flooded paths ahead? And would the endless mud ever ease up? What awaited them on the next leg of their journey?
Join me in the next installment of Walking the Offa's Dyke Path.