Last of the Borderlines Film Festival films; first of the Crickhowell Walking Festival walks, with R&J.
More rain. Occasional sun but otherwise cloud.
PT first thing Tuesday then speedy turnaround back home to get into Hereford for Borderlines Film Festival film No. 5: That They May Face the Rising Sun. I didn’t really know what to expect, but loved it – the slow pace provided plenty of time to get to know the characters and their relationships.
Home for a late lunch then an hour of greenhouse enhancements with dad: adding door knobs and a shelf inside and, outside, replacing the missing downpipe for the nearer of the two waterbutts.
At teatime, a full valley rainbow.
My desk stands arrived. Spot on. A big thank you to Weldpress who made them for me. Super service. Recommended!
Grey Valley lived up to its name on Wednesday – misty on a bright sunny morning.
In the afternoon depotted all the houseplants (well, most of them), planning to repot with fresh, fungus gnat free compost, only to find that the “new” bag of compost in the greenhouse mustn’t have been completely sealed and was infested with them. Grrrrrrr. Handily, Phil was in Hereford so he picked up a fully fresh bag on his way back.
T called in as I was washing the roots so we had a bit of a catch up before tomorrow night’s drinks and nibbles.
Late starting PT on Thursday due to an emergency road closure in Ewyas Harold. Back at base, the army camp were making a lot of noise – big bassy booms, gunfire, helicopters. Overcast and windy with rain forecast so I settled in to do some more Nepal 2023 photos and notes, plus a catch up with Steffi. Early dinner then down to TJL’s for wine and nibbles. Lovely.
Gym first thing Friday then back make some scones, have lunch and repot the ferns in fly-free compost in the wind and rain. R & J arrived 3.30pm-ish – time for a cup of tea and a scone, a bit of a catch up and some CWF logistics planning then into Hereford for Wagamamas and The Promised Land, film No. 6 and the last in this year’s Borderlines Film Festival for us.
Up early Saturday to get to Crickhowell for 8.30am and the first of this year’s Crickhowell Walking Festival walks: Black Mountains North to South from Gospel Pass to Crickhowell.
A bit of ascent from Gospel Pass to Twmpa / Lord Hereford’s Knob (690m) then it’s a ridgeline route via Rhos Dirion (713m), Waun Fach (811m), Mynydd Llysiau (663m), Pen Allt-mawr (719m), Pen Cerrig-calch (701m) and Crug Hywel / Table Mountain (451m).
An easy route to follow but foggy to Waun Fach and brutal in the wind thereafter. Not cold, but brace-brace all the way to stay upright.
Having missed Latte Da’s closing time by a matter of minutes, we headed home for showers, tea and scones, beer and nibbles, soup and chilli. And bed!
Sunday’s CWF walk was 12 miles “Overlooking Llangorse” – and yesterday’s main ridges too. A smashing circular route from Bwlch – one to do again.
Handy parking on a lane out of Bwlch. The route took us up over Mynydd Llangorse, dropping down via Cockit Hill and then straight back up Mynydd Troed. Curving back towards Cwmdu for a ridgeline descent into the valley then back up again onto Mynydd Llangors and retracing our route back to Bwlch.
Much easier walking and conditions than yesterday’s Black Mountains North to South.
Back at base: showers, scones, soup, chilli and crumble – then bed.
Back to Crickhowell on Monday morning, via Abergavenny to drop off the single duvets at The Laundry Basket in my case. We reunited at CRIC for the day’s hike: Mynydd Llangatwg.
My first time walking this side of the Usk. A bit boggy on the top but fab views back down to Crickhowell, Llangattock and across to the Black Mountains – even on a grey day. A really varied route – roads, woodland paths, footpaths across fields and sheep trails over moors.
Farewell to R&J then home for the last pair of scones, shared with Phil.
Lentil soup for dinner with Spaceman on the telly.
In the garden I spotted the first leaves on the waterfall clematis, and the Bacton Stud wild garlic is going great guns.
More flowers on the daffs and the camellia. Snowdrops all gone.
TV: Our Flag Means Death (finished season 2), Shōgun, Spaceman.
Podcasts: History Extra, Gone Mediaeval, Americast, The Today Podcast, Tweet of the Day,
Photos: Herefordshire week 219 on Flickr.
Phil: w/e 2024-03-10.