Date walked: 14th July 2017

Distance: around 4 miles

Map used: OS Explorer OL 14 – Wye Valley and Forest of Dean

Guide used: Offa’s Dyke Path by Mike Dunn. Published by Cicerone  in 2016

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My plan today was to get to Monmouth. But you know what they say about plans.

I had finished the first day at Brockweir, so I parked up the hill from the Brockweir Inn; (by the way, their website is out of date so I would ring them if you want to be sure when they are doing what – 01291 689548) a bus would be able to get me back from Monmouth to the turning off the A466 for the village.

If they are still doing Pizzas they are very nice but check first

I was going to take the “alternative” riverside route (the “proper” route climbs from Brockweir up towards St Briavels common and the Hudnalls).  Right next to Brockweir Bridge…

Not the prettiest of bridges and it could do with painting

… is Brockweir Quay. If you have read the link I have given for the village you will already know that for centuries Brockweir had a thriving shipbuilding, fitting-out and repair industry. Brockweir was the highest point reached by a normal tide on the River Wye. It’s a tiny place now but my guide says that in the C19th there were a dozen inns and beer houses in the village; those were the days.

The Quay was restored in 2009 by those good people of the Lower Wye Valley Building Preservation Trust. This was without doubt A Good Thing, though the high tidal range of the river is such that the quay is usually a bit muddy.

The River Wye (the 5th longest in the UK) is a wonderful river in many respects but one of the fun things about it is that because it is tidal when the tide is coming in you will find all sorts of debris running inland, away from its mouth).

A few houses are strung alongside the river here. One of the last was offering refreshments. It had the feel of a kind of pop-up affair, so I can’t guarantee that it will be open if you follow in my footsteps.

The path by the river runs through pleasant meadows. It  couldn’t be easier walking but about a  couple of miles from Brockweir I had a sharp pain in my calf. It wasn’t cramp but is was crippling. I stopped to rub it vigorously which eased it a bit but the pain came back very quickly, so I stopped again to rub in some Ibuprofen gel (since my torn meniscus this has been added to my essentials). That helped a bit but I was still limping.

At this point I was opposite the village of Llandogo but there was no crossing of the river until Bigsweir, about two miles further on. Going back was about as far as going on so I decided to limp on, somewhat stunned and very upset that I could have injured myself so easily. In fact from doing nothing at all but walking on the flat in rough grass.

The path kept closely to the river, though it is often hidden behind hedges and sometimes a colony of the infamous Himalayan Balsam. was choking the riverbank.

I was grateful that it was the easiest of walking, the path broadening to a wide track that serves a couple of properties.

I thought this cat must be far from home but the map showed a farm nearby

At Bigsweir House the path headed through a filed of shoulder-high sweetcorn…..

… bringing me back to an open field next to the river.

The Wye is a salmon river, and a lone fisherman in full waders (aren’t they all) was trying his luck.

Up ahead was the rather beautiful Bigsweir Bridge. The elegant cast iron road bridge was built in 1827 and connects the English side of the river (where I was), to the Welsh.

As I crossed over the bridge to find the bus stop I was feeling pretty sorry for myself. If I had torn a muscle, as I suspected I had. It would be weeks before I was going to be able to tackle another decent walk. Boo Hoo.

I made an appointment to see my excellent physiotherapist, Nathan Chadwick who confirmed the muscle pull but was very reassuring that it would mend Ok and gave me several exercises to do. And I was fully fit by the time Bob and I went to France in September, as loyal readers will have already discovered.