The clouds were impressive:
The path was mostly well-marked and easy to follow, although there were a few unexpected turns. We went through fields and crossed a brook, then came out into an area where the grasses and flowers were a bit overgrown. This meant that we got a bit soaked, even though it wasn't raining. Grrr. We went up a short incline to a gate that led onto a road. The gate was not well-designed for north-bound walkers, because you are standing downhill from the gate (it's a little steep right there) and the gate opens in toward you. Very awkward. (But of course very easy in the reverse direction.)
The path followed the road briefly and then turned in and up again on the other side. We had our eyes on the clock since we had a taxi scheduled to pick us up back in Hay-on-Wye, but we picked up the pace a bit, in hopes of reaching a waterfall that was marked on the map. We got to the area in the forest where we thought the waterfall should be, but we didn't see one. We did stand on a mossy bridge and look down on a small stream running over some rocks... but I don't think that counts. Oh well.
As usual, the return trip was much quicker than the outbound journey. We decided to look for a scenic spot to rest and enjoy the view.
I liked this tree stump, which seemed to have been chopped down and struck by lightning. Perhaps not in that order.
After a while, we sat down on the bank of the river Wye, near some sheep:
As we chatted idly of this and that, we gradually became aware of a strange croaking noise in addition to the rush of the river. No, on second thought, it was a grinding noise. I looked over. Sarah was right; it was the sheep. Chewing. They'd edged closer and closer as we sat there with our backs to them...
As you can guess, we did make it out of there alive. I'm almost sorry about that; it would have been a much better story otherwise.
We took the taxi to the bus to the train to Cardiff. Sarah set up the recorder for Dr. Who, and we enjoyed a lovely dinner at Juboraj Lakeside. I'd just like to recognize this establishment for a truth-in-advertising moment. Usually a restaurant which is practically beside a lake would be called "Lakeview" ... but here they could not get away with it since the lake is nowhere in sight.
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