Hay on Wye to Sarn / Newtown
I was awake with the birds 5am and I can confirm it was light! I had a lie-in and got up at 7am. Devotional, followed by breakfast of tea and porridge. Was packed up to leave just after 8am.. but not so fast.. as I rolled past the main shed the owner was bring my wet (now dry clothes) back from the aga. Sensing there was more going on we then had a great time sharing and I got to give my testimony. He was open and said if he had an encounter he’d believe. (Please pray for Richard’s encounter.)
I left at 9.30am and headed North up the border between England and Wales. Several short and not so short punchy climbs.(not easy with camping gear and panniers) followed by beautiful ridges and very fast decents.
Got to have a chat with a chap in Knighton who read the back of my shirt and then again thirty miles on in I saw the village hall door was open so I gave a shout and was offered a brew and some lovely welsh hospitality.
One of the guys was a cyclist and advised a more direct and hilly route direct to my accommodation but due to a road closure I had a two mile work around. I told him the last guy to do this was on the Outer Hebrides and he told me ‘Ride up that hill towards stornaway.. 30 minutes’… 2hrs 30 minutes later I was still riding up the same hill! I’m sure I can still hear him laughing!
Lots of opportunities to pray. Particularly for relationships between The English and The Welsh. Border issues, injustice and previous revenge / grudges.
Anyway I now am in Sarn with Nick and Dawn James..
Tomorrow Sarn to Bala.