Mon 10th May - Day 24, Monmouth to Pandy (16 miles)

I woke to clear skies & left Monmouth in the sun at 07:30.

After going through a short stretch of farmland the next mile went through the woodland of King's Wood where I saw deer and squirrels, this was the only woodland I was to go through today.

It started to cloud over again while I had a short break and it remained like this, with occasional sunny breaks, for the rest of the day, good walking weather.

The Way took me through an orchard and a few miles on I came to White Castle, imposing moated remains of twelfth-century castle, where I stopped for an early lunch at 11:30, watching peacock and orange-tip butterflies.

I arrived at Pandy at 15:00 and pitched the tent in The Rising Sun Caravan Park, no laundry here either!.

Only 15 miles today because there were no other campsites nearby as the next stretch is along the top of a range of hills, the highest point being 703m, these are part of the Black Mountains. I am looking forward to this section.

It got very hot by the end of the walk, I hope it is a bit cooler tomorrow. Later on I heard thunder rolling around the hills, but it never came to anything.

I never saw any hikers at all today, everyone must be walking in the same direction & with my early starts I am probably always ahead of anyone on the same section.

382 miles completed.