and I've uploaded already!

There's not a lot to report today but here goes.

I had planned on going for a bit of a walk on Monday but I must admit to being a bit leg weary from Sunday so apart from getting a bit of shopping I spent a good part of the day writing and completed another chapter. I'm not sure where the time goes, I thought I was writing pretty solidly but the day flew past, over six hours for a pretty straightforward chapter - geez, I need to pick things up a bit!

Tuesday last week, the Welsh government re-opened the principality to leisure visitors and Cadw, the Welsh heritage department, opened up many of their free to visit sites. Whilst it was tempting to rush over straight away, I thought it might good to a) let the initial joyous rush of visitors pass and b) have some useful mapping so I'm at least aware of the steep bits! And so I had a plan, a plan that involved several Cadw properties and some quiet roads through the Monmouthshire countryside - oh, and I ordered a couple of OS sheets covering any likely ride into the principality.

Yesterday then was to be the day, the forecast was dry, the wind slight and I set off a bit earlier than of late to give myself time at the stops. Over the Severn then up the Wye valley as far as Monmouth. A quick map check then on to Skenfrith about 10km up the Monnow, I thought, silly me, it would be fairly easy going but this is Wales and the couple of ascents quickly reminded my legs where we were! It wasn't really lunch time but I ate a sandwich after taking a short trip around the surprisingly intact 13th century remains.

Another look at the map and Grosmont castle was a further10km up the river, with, I noted, some heavier climbing on the way. not that I recall seeing the 1:7 up into the village! As the furthest point on the ride this was to be lunch, a second roll and a banana later and another scurry around castle remains. This then is the second of what are known as the Three Castles, all built in the early 11 hundreds when Monmouth was nominally English and the Welsh were getting restless. They form a pretty much equilateral triangle, more by luck than design and the third, White Castle was the next stop.

Some more steep up and equally down before a more pleasant rise to the 150m contour and impressive White Castle, complete with warwe filled moat! Wow, well worth the effort to get here, the views north and west are impressive - probably not what the 1200 man garrison would've called them mind for its exposed and must be bleak in the winter months. I checked my map, I could have a mostly downhill run from here to the coast and with over 100km already covered my legs voted to do that. But first, before I started the long haul back, another stop.

In fact it was only at the bottom of the hill, Hen Gwrt (clearly a made up name) is the site of a bishopric moated manor house, I've seen similar sites from Denmark to, well here, the building is long gone leaving behind a grassed rectangle of land surrounded by a 4m wide moat. Yep, its about as exciting as it sounds and I'm into this stuff! Then it really was time to head out of the hills.

The land is more rolling here, sandwiched between the Wye and the Black Mountains, the lanes narrow and often high hedged, flitting this way and that, between orchards and mixed farmland. I made quite short work down to Raglan where I picked up a bigger road down to Usk. I had it in mind to follow the Usk river towards Newport before cutting east to Chepstow, however, I got a bit carried away and ended up in the city. Oh well, at least its straight forward from here.

It was approaching six, or maybe just turned when I stopped for ice cream at Chepstow - still another hour's riding to go! By the time I stopped the clock I'd been out for 10 hours, over 7 in the saddle, amassing 197km (@120 miles) and 1850m of going up along the way. I was tired but not exhausted, that's six consecutive 100 milers since July 1st - well I'm impressed!

And so to today. I thought I'd have a more restful day so I made do with a 15km hike into the city centre and back which resulted in a blister or two - grr - my feet / legs really do not like anything other than riding!

I've done my usual posting, Racquets is the book 2 chapter and Wot a Wobbly is the book 21 offering.

Think that's everything, well I hope to have the next re-edited book up on Amazon at the weekend if that's of interest.

Tschussie

Madeline Anafrid