Lunch is at The Red Lion (good food and good beer) and our walk (Walking World id=5854) is just a mile back up the road at Warren Wood on the edge of the Radnor Forest. A waterfall at the dramatically named Water-break-its-neck-trail proves more of a long dribble but the short walk from there offers a pleasant 4 mile ramble through woods and across moorland.

And so we cover the first half of our target in Radnorshire, now part of Powys.

Driving on to our b&b in Knighton we find it a busy market town with steep hills and narrow lanes, a dominating tower and as the only town on the Offa's Dyke Path, it hosts an interactive visitors' centre much used by walkers. Glyndwr's Way also passes through Knighton, making it a popular place judging by the number of thriving pubs and b&b signs. Our stay is at The Horse and Jockey - nothing to look at from the street but a busy little courtyard with two bars, one darker and gloomier than the other, plus a very pleasant family restaurant. The rooms are good value and offer all we need. They've done well to offer something for everyone.

We drove to Rhayader on Sunday to make more miles in Radnorshire and deciding to avoid the cloud-shrouded hills we took a four mile stroll along the base of the hills (Walking World id=3931). Gentle woodland gave way to moorland, sheep and bracken, then crossing a stream rather awkwardly with slippery rocks we see a sign "dogs roam free". We take that as a warning rather than an exhortation by the Liberty for Dogs Society and walk warily on. On reaching a farm gate we find that from somewhere deep inside comes the howling of hounds so we pause to take stock. First happy little puppies come our to sniff at us but then an older and fiercer dog joins them and our thoughts turn to safety so we turn back the way we came, now accompanied by young hounds who may be part of a fox hunting pack and treat us as pals. We leave the old dog to growl away on his own.

Shaking off the dogs at last we take lunch in the Triangle pub and after a soothing pint of Reverend James we head off in our several directions, this time along more major roads and passing through the greatest number of red kites I have ever seen in one place - 8 on a single tree and perhaps another twenty wheeling above. See the red kite feeding centre at Gigrin, Rhayader. An alternative walk to Walking World id=3931 is id=3596, nearby and takes in the Gigrin Quarry and bird reserve.

Welsh Map