Wye Valley Walk 2019 Day 3

An interlude, Friday 26th July 2019

Today was supposed to be walking back to Monmouth from Grosmont via Skenfrith Castle, but instead it saw me retracting my steps of 2 days previous.

Having lost a rubber stopper from one of my walking poles on Wednesday, and knowing the last time I had seen it on the pole, and further surmising a time when I deduced it was wrenched off the pole as the pole was strapped to my rucksack, I decided to test my strength and walk back down the Wye river.  Not all of the way to Chepstow!  That would be ridiculous, but as far as Redbrook, where I had crossed the river.

It was not a long distance, about 6km one way, and I spent it casting about visually, looking for a small rubber foot on the ground.  So much for looking at the scenery and views.  Upon approaching a small building that had something to do with water (a pumphouse perhaps?) I remembered having sat on the steps leading up to it to catch my breath.  When I looked I noticed the undergrowth beneath the metal grid steps, and I realised the rubber stopper could have easily been slid off the pole as I sat down or stood up, and eagerly reached into the undergrowth to search, only to immediately pull my hands back in pain as the stinging nettles did what they do best.  Onward to Redbrook, I searched again around a picnic table I had sat at, but again had no luck finding said rubber foot.

I turned and walked, for the third time, the riverside route between Redbrook and Monmouth.  I took the opportunity to take photos of the section I neglected in my weakened state yesterday, and got some nice river shots.








I never found the rubber foot, but that was just the excuse for getting out and walking today and testing my abilities.  Arriving back in Monmouth I wandered a bit looking at the castle and gatehouse before settling down to read my ereader again for the afternoon.




No worse for the wear I was once again confident in my ability to do a full day’s walk, and mentally sighed with relief that I would be back on track tomorrow.  That, if nothing else, was cause for celebration, and what better place to do that than the Wetherspoons once again, this time for fish ‘n’ chips (which afterward, were probably not the best choice, as they ended up being a bit greasy).  All that washed down with a pint of cider, of course.

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