I’m off wandering again. This time it’s the Offa’s Dyke Path from Chepstow to Prestatyn – sometimes called the Welsh Coast-to-Coast. Along it’s 180 mile route are ten summits – some requiring a small detour but most conveniently located on the Path.
The activation times I have posted are – well – an estimate. If we get another heatwave, I will be starting very early and stopping for a rest when it’s hottest which will completely ruin that day’s schedule. Also, day 10 looks like it could be very busy so I may consider activating GW/NW-053 the previous evening and find somewhere suitable nearby to spend the night. I will have my ‘phone with me so I will self-spot if necessary.
Peter M0COP has kindly offered to meet me half way to re-stock me with food and other necessities. Nevertheless, I shall only have 2m with me this time. I’ve got too much else to carry for eleven days of walking.
Later on, I’ll be walking through territory that is very familiar to many and close to the centres of SOTA activity in the UK. I would be delighted to say ‘hi’ to anyone who fancies joining me on any of the summits for a joint activation. Otherwise, I look forward to working many of you as I head north.
As I live in Bishops Castle, South Shrops, I am only a couple of miles from Offas Dyke so what ever day You will be on this bit a drink will be on me!!
Also possibly can join You for an activation somewhere near here…
Hope You get this message, good luck with the walk, hope to work You…
I am informed that Richard has now cancelled his ODP Walk and as some people will be aware removed all the corresponding activation alerts from the database.
I am pretty sure a report / explanation will follow in due course.
I am extremely sorry to hear this Stewart, particularly as Richard has put in a lot of effort into planning this walk.
I am sure that he has not taken this decision lightly.
Yes, I’m back home. I guess Stewart heard me talking to Frank earlier on 2m FM or working Tom and Jimmy.
There were a number of contributing factors. I suppose that lack of sleep caused by being woken every hour as a new band of heavier wet stuff hit the tent might have distorted my reasoning slightly. It was a snap decision that I made early this morning and it’s one I don’t regret. If anyone is interested in my reasoning, I’ll happily do so privately. e-mail me. As I say, there were a number of contributing factors.
On a positive note the ridge walk from Pandy to Hay-on-Wye on day 3 was just stunning. Most - if not all - of us have approached Black Mountain GW/SW-041 from the north and returned that way. The 10-mile traverse of the entire ridge is breathtaking on a good day - and I had a very good day for it. Visibility was so good I could clearly see the Somerset coast line some 40 miles away. Apart from one notable and very welcome exception (a certain GW3RMD/P!) I saw almost no one it’s entire length. It was great! The heather was in bloom, the sun was shining for much of the time and small herds of pure-bred Welsh ponies were grazing. I’ll pop a couple of photos on Flickr later.
Will I go back and complete it? Probably not. Will I do other LDPs? Probably - in fact almost certainly. (He said as various bits of kit lie around him slowly drying out.)
Thanks to everyone I worked and particularly Peter M0COP and Frank G3RMD for their support.
Pleased to hear that you are back home safe and sound Richard. As fairly regular wet weather activators, both Paul and I know what it is to have wet kit and clothing. That’s why we have so far not followed your example and have kept to using Travelodge accommodation on our sorties.
I certainly admire your whatever-the-weather attitude (whilst always being mindful of safety as I know you are).
Yes, it was very wet overnight and even as I arrived home but I kept dry. As an aside, the journey home was a testament to the public transport network. Two buses and three trains and I was home by 1230 local. Not bad.
As I said, there were many contributing factors of which the WX that morning was but one. As I also said, it’s unlikely that I will go back to complete it although it’s just possible that I’ll do the final stretch some time.
In reply to G4ERP:
That might explain me hearing you talking to Jimmy on Wednesday evening? Was off to collect a caravan for sister-in-law, so only caught snatches of QSO.
Yes, thanks, the tent has long since dried out and is packed away for it’s next outing. The bites are receding and whatever else, that ridge walk was brilliant. I really must post some photos.
Looks a splendid day’s walking Richard. Sorry that it didn’t work out so well after that.
I often look back to the Pennine Way in 2006, and realise how lucky we were. There were so very many factors that could have brought the walk to a premature finish, but they all worked out in our favour.
And at that, we were walking between booked accommodations and meals with baggage transfer moving our clean dry clothes, towels and toiletries on for us. I have often considered the ODP, and even have the pair of National Trail guidebooks with OS 1:25000 strip maps, but it is not the burning ambition that the Pennine Way was in all honesty.
If I did an LDP in the future again, to be honest I am more drawn towards a repeat of the Pennine Way than any of the other paths.
One “bonus” effect of your early finish on the ODP - was that it was nice to work you on 2m FM from Bredon Hill last Wednesday.