Day 27: Tidenham Chase to Monmouth by the river (15.3 miles)

I left my very comfortable Airbnb at Chase farm at 8:50 just as the cows were being taken back to the field after milking. Walking towards Devil’s Pulpit across the fields they were smothered with cuckoo flower. I’ve not heard any cuckoos yet but hopefully I will in the next week or so.

The view from devils pulpit is beautiful and the woodlands around filled with wood anemones, dog violets, dog mercury, 3 cornered leek, celandines, harts tongue fern and toothwort which is not seen before - parasitic perennial herb which feeds off tree roots. A jay was being bombarded by a pair of blackbirds having shown too much interest in their nest. I noticed Amelanchier growing in the felled area of ash among beech whilst Song thrushes were holding court in the woodland birdsong.

I stopped at the Abbey mill tea rooms and was tempted by the moist and tasty bara brith. I finally left at 11 having reminisced being with the girls here. As I walked around the Tintern meander I loved seeing tortoises in someone’s front garden!

I walked through a little cluster of houses at Tintern Parva and admired St Michael’s church. Continuing along the river I arrived at the old station at 11:45. This was starting to feel like a tea room crawl although I didn’t indulge this time! The Wye valley walk follows the old rail track to Broadweir and then crosses onto the other side of the river as the A road takes over!

I met Tash walking the other way who felt inspired by the Long Distance walking idea and wished me all the best - it was a conversation I appreciated very much and really hope she does have a go. At 12:45 I stopped for short break just before Llandogo and started to worry that perhaps I was being just a little relaxed wandering along the river, but it was so calming in the warm sunshine! I spotted a mandarin duck on the water but it was rather camera shy. On the opposite bank the farmers were busy with more muck spreading.

At Backweir, the road and I swopped riversides once again and I met another lovely couple talking about SWCP and possibility of walking the whole of Welsh CP; another donation promised. I spotted a possible female goosander and was delighted when I then saw a pair which helped confirm the ID. Beautiful birds, followed by a Shag sunning itself on a rock.

I had an idyllic late lunch enjoying the river between White and Redbrook with a mandarin duck swimming close and me sitting amongst the cuckoo flower watching a humming type bee with large proboscis feeding off them, and as I set off I noticed a greater black backed gull sitting next to a pair of mandarin ducks. I was chuffed to then see a female mallard with 13 tiny chicks is huddling around her.

It then became apparent that in reality the first half of the walk had probably been more like 2/3rds and I made quick progress past the quaint Boat Inn and along the meadows into Monmouth and over the special Monnow Bridge to the campsite. Putting the tent up leisurely in the sun having arrived at 17:30 I was able to lay out the bedding as I hope will keep me warm (forecast is 1 degree tonight) and write the notes before the sun started to set behind the houses and I headed off to find some supper.

I’ll report on how I got on with the cold in my next post!