Sun 16th May - Day 30, Selattyn to Grindley Brook (26 miles)

I set off at 07:00, in the sunshine for a change, walking for 2 hours along minor roads through Gobowen to get to Hindford where I picked up the Llangollen Canal, from here it was 'plain sailing'.

These canal tow paths are great, going by Lower Frankton on my way to Ellesmere I felt as though I was really motoring when I overtook one of the canal boats!

I had an hours break in Ellesmere for my lunch, it was a hot day and I sat on a bench by the canal to eat a pie & chips.

A short while after I had set off again I met the boat I had overtaken, it was moored and the owners gave me some orange juice & filled up my water bottles. I was telling them I would probably be camping on the tow path as there were no sites shown on the map, they said there was one at Grindley Brook.

It was a bit further away than I had intended to go but I had nothing to lose & a shower to gain, so I put my foot down.

I spoke to some more boat owners and was given more refreshment and £4 donation. When they ask me why I am doing it I often tell them that I live in Orkney and was on holiday in Cornwall with my wife and after an argument she drove back alone and left me to walk home!

Just before Dobson's Bridge I passed through a wooded section, where I saw a lot of large creamy/yellow butterflies, and then stopped at a bench for another break. A man sitting here shared a whole packet of custard creams with me, one of my favourite biscuits.

A man in a small white motor boat slowly passed us, I had seen him while I was having my lunch in Ellesmere nearly 4 hours ago.

He had no shirt on and had a can of beer in one hand and a large mobile phone in the other hand. He was trying to contact his wife but had no signal on the phone, he couldn't remember where they had arranged to meet for him to be picked up and so was just motoring up and down!!

I eventually got to Grindley Brook at 18:30 and thankfully there was a small campsite at Mill Farm, that makes up for the one that had disappeared near the Severn Bridge!

The sun was still shining, it had been a long, hot and tiring day but an enjoyable 26 miles nevertheless.

500 miles completed.