August 01 Ellesmere to Llanymynech

The walk started (and ended) along canals, with some field work in between, but mostly along canals, which means flat like the Thames Walk.  There were lots of boats lined up at the start:

 

In other places parking is at a premium and limited:

The boats all look pretty much the same, except people use the tops differently.:

Like for garbage:

Or for storing a bike:

Or for having a garden:

By and by I came to an intersection:

It had never occurred to me that two canals could meet.

Saw this cow and thought Pharaoh's dream!  This cow was determined to get the BEST of whatever was growing on that tree.  (Who knew that cows ate from trees?  And who knew that cows would go into water more than half way up their legs in order to eat?)

Cows in their normal place:

And sheep, too, as far as the eye could see, maybe farther:

There were lots of bridges to go under:

And fields to go through:

That corn was very very tall.

Wheat...or barley:

After the fields, more canal.  

A locked lock:

A divine stretch of path to walk along.

It is amazing how the nature of the surface you are walking on affects the the degree of ease or difficulty of the walking. Stony is one of the hardest, pun intended or not!

Ferns growing out of a wall:

Ferns and other plants requiring determined bushwhacking for passage:

No idea was this stuff was—it wasn't grass, unless it was— but it was lovely!

Fortunately, this field was not on the itinerary:

I am back at Pen y Voel Hall where I stayed with Alex and Alex about a month ago...a very nice three-room Bed and Breakfast at about the worst stop en route.  The town is nothing more than a busy intersection that features a car wash!!!  A cafe that closes at 3:00, where I got sick from whatever it was I ordered, so was not going to stop in again, a "convenience store" that sells lots of booze and lots of chips or, as they are called here, crisps, and a sleazy hotel that offers very greasy food.  That's all, folks!