Monmouth – Llanvetherine

3 July 2025. Up at 05:30 to the sound of squawking seagulls. Better nights sleep on level ground. Bit cooler overnight. Away at 07:20. Once out of town, the path goes through some lovely rural countryside. Edging along farmers fields and through lovely woodland

Around 11:00 I reached Llanfihangel Ystum Llewern and St Michael’s Church, with the offer of tea and toilets. Lovely place to take an early lunch break.

Just after, met a group my age. They are friends from Birmingham University days and are walking the length of Offa’s Dyke but staying in BnB with one of the husbands doing the bag shuttling. May see them again on the path, but not many other people apart from local dog walkers.

The countryside continued with narrow lanes and footpaths across farmers fields. Reaching the impressive White Castle, I had a look around the castle ruins and moat. It was built by the Normans when the Welsh were giving them a bit of trouble. It fell into disrepair after Henry III.

I got in touch with an old friend Dave who lives in the area near Abergavenny. He picked me up from White Castle and with a couple of cups of tea dropped me off back at the Church Cottage campsite (Llanvetherine) ready to continue in the morning. Only one other person on the campsite in a static caravan. Just 16 km today.