Twitchy ODP Day 11 - Hay-on-Wye to Llanthony

What an God-awfully day .........

It was without doubt the WORST day of walking in my life. Absolutely horrendous, beyond belief horrendous. 

It started off in the drizzle, through numerous cow paddocks and fields. Lots and lots of fields, before the challenging climb to the top of the Ridge.  All with some dubious signage, but you get that. Once we got onto the Ridge the world changed. Massive high winds, gale force winds - the like I have never seen, let alone walked in. 

We guess around 40 knots?

Unbelievable, in that at times we were pushed backwards and sideways. There was no trees for shelter, and we had to jump puddles, big puddles. The flagstones were of limited help on the Ridge, where no one could hear you scream. 

Then the big rain started, heavy hard rain that felt like hail coming in sideways.  We got absolutely saturated, and as the rain set in and the wind howled I started to get hypothermia. 

Bendy had gloves, but sadly mine were in the car - big mistake. So I have cold wet feet and numb hands. NHJ.  

By now the cameras were wrapped in plastic and taken out of action. 

Conditions were really bad, low visibility and we were unable to drink or eat. In hindsight we could have managed that a tad better, but at the time our main focus was getting off the ridge and down to the Hotel in Llanthony in the valley. 

Both Bendy and I had a fall - two all.

Not bad considering the conditions. I fell in the Heath on the Ridge, whereas Bendy slipped on sheep do do's 500 metres from the Hotel, covering himself in lamb chop shit. 

We arrived at the Priory Hotel at the same time as the support crew. I dropped the obligatory Aussie "Coo-ees" through the ruins.  

With the worst behind us ( or so I thought ), I headed for the showers. That did not go well, in any shape or form. I blacked out twice, head butting the wall in the bathroom, then head butting the flagstones outside the bathroom. Clearly, I am not as tough as I thought I was. So I had to have a lie down for an hour or two, missing the opportunity to walk through the ruins of the old Priory.

Sigh 😝. 

All up 22.2 kilometres.....

Chalk today up as an interesting experience, preferably not one we would wish to experience again. 

Tomorrow is another day. 

We are hoping for once, for it to be a short one. 

Twitchy