HHH CHAPTER 2: A disappointment and deep dives into the woods and history.

After spending a somewhat austere night in the pilgrim hostel (without heating) I hoped to visit San Buenos well, before breakfast. It’s in the woods across the road. Unfortunately, the keepers of St. Winifrede’s well told me that St. Buenos is totally inaccessible because the storms have knocked down many trees, eroding and damaging the stairs as well. They are seeking funds to fully restore access… I wished them all the best with that worthy project.

So it’s in the woods on the way.

Today I followed the Wat’s Dyke Way, a waymarked path that runs in an arc through North Wales. The forest sections were very challenging. Wide, welcoming paths disappeared under the blooming spring vegetation. At times the smell of crushed wild garlic leaves predominated.

The path could be so steep, slippery and narrow that I had to crawl on all fours. The last forest had a huge road, with reassuring tractor tracks. These eventually disappeared in a tangle of downed trees, piles of brush and deceptive leaf litter that sank beneath my boots. In the end, I had to slide to the edge, rolling over downed trees to, well, let’s say «have a debate» with a barbed wire fence. I think the honors were pretty close. I escaped the tangled wood, but my husband’s lovely down vest, borrowed for this trip, is sadly torn and scuffed.

Get to know the plants up close

Some of the fellings had created clearings filled with the purple color of bluebells, the iconic flower of spring woodlands. Compensation for the exhausting and slow progress.

There were also primroses, the brilliance of wild garlic flowers and the pure white of wood anemones, all backlit and sparkling in the spring sun.

What is the Wat Dyke Trail?

Many have heard of or walked the Offas Dyke Trail. In the 8th century, King Offa built a ditch and a wall (or dyke) to mark the entire border with Wales and separate the warring parties. Wat built its dam even earlier. Although there is some debate about the dates, it is at least 1200 years old.

The Dyke is now very overgrown and eroded…and still very evident despite its age!

The path follows the line of the Dam, sometimes along adjacent fields or lanes. The morning sun gave way to afternoon rain and hail. After fighting through the forests and walking through muddy paths, my hotel appeared, right next to the dam.

Today’s highlight… conversations with strangers, including a young man preparing to enter the priesthood, a boy from central Salford taking a bike ride through the countryside and a lady with a Birmingham accent trying to fill the potholes outside her house.

The low point today… has to be the barbed wire, although it was a close call being chased across a meadow by a herd of large, curious cows.

Gratitude…for the wonderful sunshine, the magnificent views and a lovely long hot bath on our arrival.

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