Pilgrims in the Borderlands

Contact guide@walktalkwales.com for more details. Travel along ancient footpaths in the Black Mountains and the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park. Experience the old Spirit Paths and ley lines (alignments of ancient sites stretching across the landscape) at olden sites of pilgrimage. Duration: 3 days. Difficulty: Moderate. There are uphill climbs that anyone in good health can manage.

Day One: 12.30 pm Length: 3 ¼ miles You’ll need energy to climb the Skirrid Mountain , and so our trip begins with lunch at the Skirrid Mountain Inn - allegedly the oldest Public House in Wales . Outside the Inn, in the courtyard, Owain Glyndwr gathered his troops to march against the English. It is said that the Inn itself is haunted by its gruesome past. Skirrid This area is surrounded by hills and mountains - the Blorenge, the Sugar Loaf, and the Holy Mountain (also known as the Skirrid). The Holy Mountain is 486m above sea level. We Welsh call it Ysgyryd Fawr and it provides stupendous panoramic views of the Welsh borderlands - a great reward for not too much effort. See the site of the old church where the Catholics were driven to worship in secret during the reformation. Listen to the force of the wind at the top and you will know this mountain has been holy since way before then. Hear the stories and myths associated with this special place told in a way you have never heard before. Patrishaw Church We then travel to the Vale of Ewyas for our accommodation, visiting Patrishow Chapel and holy well along the way. Patrishow is remotely situated and is one of the earliest churches in the vicinity. Here you will see ancient wall paintings and texts (including the grim reaper), a wooden screed that survived the reformation, and a holy well that is still used in pagan rituals today with the symbolic twig crosses of St. Brides. All this and stunning views as well. We then sit down to relax and enjoy an evening meal.

Day Two: 10.00 am Length: 5 miles Walk to Capel–y-fin chapel, a small simple place nestled in the mountains. The chapel has been described as looking like an owl surrounded with its ancient yew trees. Walk up to the ruins of father Ignatius monastery, in this beautiful yet remote setting at the foot of Lord Hereford’s Knob. Hear the stories of self inflicted pain, mutilation, and naivety as well as Father Ignatius’ incredible ability to convert people. Three visions of Mary, mother of Jesus are recorded as taking place here which may explain why this spot in the Black Mountains draws people to develop communities of one kind or another. Walk around Lord Hereford’s Knob (2232 ft / 680 m summit) and picnic by the fairy glen and stream, where the water sprites and sylphs abound. Follow the source of the stream to the mountain ridge and walk across Lord Hereford’s Knob to the Gospel Pass , where St. Peter and Paul are said to have preached the gospel. This is wild mountain space, where you feel in touch with the elements. Feel the rawness and remote nature of this beautiful place. In the late afternoon, enjoy some free time either in Hay on Wye – the second hand bookshop of the world – or, for those who are interested, a short pony trekking trip may be possible at an extra cost. We then gather together for an evening meal.

Day Three : 10.00 am Length: 4 ¼ miles Llanthony Abbey No borderlands trip is complete without walking some of Offa’s Dyke Path and seeing the famous Llanthony Priory, cradled in the Black mountains on the easterly edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park . From the site of the priory, we walk up past the ruin of Siarpal (through which a ley line runs). Siarpal and Llanthony Priory were once owned by the poet Walter Savage Landor, a contemporary of Wordsworth, Shelley and Byron. He wanted to build a romantic agrarian community at Llanthony but ended up on the mountainside in a mansion he built at Siarpal, hated by the locals, and eventually he disappeared to Europe . We join Offas Dyke Path to walk along the mountain ridge. Here we have magnificent views of England on one side and Wales on the other. We walk to a trig point of 1810 feet above sea level. We descend gradually, walking through woodland to return to Llanthony Priory. Llanthony had a limited working life as a monastery. What caused the locals to lay siege to the Priory, keeping the monks trapped inside? And why did the monks flee to England ? Why have attempts to maintain communities failed in this area? Some say it is to do with the energy of the ley line, which attracts people but is negative in its effects! In the same grounds as the Priory you can see the little church that was once the site of St. David’s (the patron saint of Wales ) first hermitage and hear his alleged views of the Priory and the Siarpal ley line. Our walk ends with lunch at Llanthony Priory.