Day One!

So ... the day has finally arrived - the first day of the great trek along the River Teme!




The day began rather inauspiciously when I awoke this morning, pulled back the curtains and saw the rain falling. The waterproof coat was removed from the bag and put ready to wear. At 7 am the trusty Peter Stretton came and picked me up and drove me to the starting point for the walk - not quite the source, but as near as I could get, about four miles north west of Beguildy.



The weather this morning might be described as 'sunshine and showers'. When it rained, it really rained, then the sun came out for long enough to dry me off, and then the heavens opened again.


At 9.30 I reached my first port of call, Beguildy Church, where the churchwarden, John Peregrine, and a group of the faithful were waiting to me meet me (see right).











About 10am I set off again, heading for Llanfair Waterdine. Just before the village, my route took me off the road and along a footpath which then went over the river (see left) - and so out of Powys (and the diocese of Swansea and Brecon) and into Shropshire (and the diocese of Hereford).







I have never been so pleased to enter a church as I was when I got to Llanfair Waterdine Church, as we were in the middle of another deluge. Here I met the churchwarden, Ruth Davies, who had very kindly brought me some tea in a flask. She also took this picture of me (right).






Leaving the church the rain had stopped - for a while. I continued along the road until picking up the Offa's Dyke path to take me into Knighton. Here I called into the church (see left) before meeting my parents and seeking refuge from another downpour in the Horse and Jockey Inn, where we had an excellent lunch.






After lunch, the sun had come out and so it was a pleasant walk along the railway to Stowe (and so back into Shropshire). I even took my coat off but this only made it start raining again! By the time I got to Bucknell, however, the clouds had parted, the sky was blue and the sun was shining. At about 3.45 pm I met the churchwardens, Brian Whittal and Ian Hay-Campbell (see right) at Bucknell Church, who provided me with more tea.








Here I managed to take the first external shot of a church of the day ... the weather not having permitted it until now! (see left).











On leaving Bucknell I was on the home straight. Inexplicably I missed a turning which would have taken me through Buckton and ended up on the main road earlier than I had anticipated. This meant, however, that I was able to look at Brampton Bryan Church (see right).






Before too long I was in Leintwardine, and was welcomed at the church (see left) by the churchwarden, Frank Jones, and a group of the faithful with more very welcome tea. After a brief bath at the home of Canon Neil Crawford-Jones, with whom I am staying, we went, at Frank's invitation, to the Sun Inn for a pint. (By now it had turned into a beautiful evening.) For many years the Sun was run by Flossie Lane until her recent death - which was marked by an obituary in The Times. The Sun is a remarkable pub, consisting of three rooms - the tap room (three beer barrels on the floor), Flossie's sitting room, and the room where we sat with our very welcome pints. It seems that Frank has the keys, so is clearly a good person to know!






As I write this I am relaxing at Neil and Nigel's and we are about to have supper. Today has been an amazing day - I have met some wonderful people, and had an exhilarating time; and as I have survived today with all that the weather has thrown at me, then I am sure that I can survive anything!