A lovely new walk along the old railway line

 

Yesterday's sunrise, which looked a lot more threatening in a picture than in real life - it was a lot pinkier really.

I had spotted a cycle route when we were at Jewson's recently, so Tam and I set out to explore yesterday afternoon.  It is the old Mid-Wales railway line from Builth to Three Cocks, and then on to Hay-on-Wye, which was closed around 1960.

There's a walk the other side of the river too.  There was a lady (out of sight) walking her collie (river bank, farm left).  We'll try that next time.

Ducky Daddles having a rest on the sodden rushes on the side of the river.

There's a sign like this along the river bank in the Gro, where Keith and I walk most days.  It marks the path of the cycle route from Rhayader along the River Wye.

As an asthmatic, it was wonderful to have a non-challenging level walk (and no mud as it was tarmacced) until it joined the main road up by the back of the industrial estate.

Aberedw - a bit more of a challenge!

Lots of hawthorn berries, like drops of blood, on the trees beside the track. A few elderberries and sloes too and I had missed a good crop of blackberries.  NOW I know where to go for berries next year.

It's about a mile each way, plus the stretch across a former field opposite the showground.  

Above and below: looking back towards home - we could walk it easily from here.

    Today has been a busy day here.  Our usual walk on the Gro this morning, and a prescription collected from town. A loaf of bread put on to cook in the bread machine.   I had stripped the bed first thing, and put it in two loads of washing.  Then I had to vacuum the bed (asthmatic tip - it collects any dust mites on the mattress to which many asthmatics are allergic.)  Then of course I had to put the fresh bedding on which is always a chore when it is the red William Morris Strawberry Thief because the sheet is a very tight fit on the deep mattress so you have to fight to get it on.  I think I am going to have to unpick the seams and put inserts in.

    Then as it was dry I tackled the longest bit of the lawn which got missed last time because it came on to rain a fortnight ago and hasn't stopped since.  It was exhausting and even with the blade raised, still a challenge and I had to keep turning the mower on its side to hook out wads of long pretty wet grass which got jammed beneath.  Keith came to help a bit whilst I hoiked weeds and long grass up from the edge where it has long-overgrown the edging of pretty rolled stones. It was abandoned again as it started raining but I've got over half of it done now.  Mowing is a job I gave up at our last home and Keith took it over - now he finds it very difficult so I have had to step up to the mark again.

    Tea tonight was a very quick affair I can tell you!  Right, time to relax in front of the tv and try and make sense of one branch of my family tree on Keith's side.