Offa's Dyke, day 5 (Knighton-Forden)

I gave myself a rather ambitious three days to complete OD from Knighton to Prestatyn after my four day completion of the southern half in July. Another cheap train journey to Knighton, and then it was away at midday, still feeling some effects of yesterday's half marathon but not too bad. Yet again, the forecast was for hot and sunny weather - exactly the same as it was for the southern half. Not a cloud in the sky until Rhuallt, dehydration an issue again, as it was in July. I immediately got back into the groove again, and it was as if the last few weeks had never happened and I continued exactly where I left off at the station, right on the modern border. The route climbs steeply out of Knighton, moving up towards Panpunton Hill. This begins a section of OD known as the Switchbacks, considered to be one of the harder sections of the Dyke (which the route follows for much of the day). In reality, the climbs are fairly short lived, although steep, and the going was delightful skirting little valleys until climbing up to Cwm Sanaham hill. There follows a whole series of little valleys with views down to the Teme valley, crossing Llanfair hill until descending into Newcastle. This is the point I reached all those years ago, and it's actually a fair way from Knighton! I was guilty of underestimating the route again, running out of water, and indeed only passed the formal OD halfway point around here - rather intimidating given the fact I had 48 hours left to complete the job! Then came a stroke of luck, a crucial drinking water tap before the steep climb up Graig Hill as the switchbacks continue (I packed two small bottles and one granola bar). This section following the top of the dyke itself is all tranquil and absolutely delightful, quintessential borders/dyke scenery throughout, and I did remember some of it from the early 2000s. Hergan, Middle Knuck and Churchtown are all beautiful and I started to get views out to Corndon (home of a classic but defunct fell race that I once did) as I crested the lonely Kerry Ridgeway. After Cwm, the day began to flatten out as the switchbacks are passed - I was running out of water again as it remained very hot indeed, pushing close to 30c yet again. But the going got easier, following flat land now into Shropshire, but still along the line of the Dyke itself past Brompton Crossroads and then gradually passing east of Montgomery, nestled within a fold of hills. Getting to the Railway Inn in Forden proved an annoyingly complex sting in the tail - well north of Montgomery, and a strange linear village with two distinct settlements. Even worse, direct paths to the pub were closed off or overgrown so I had to negotiate a series of lanes until finally reaching the pub around 6.30pm. Luckily, I could at least get my evening meal (pie) and a pint of butty bach as I cooled down in the garden (still humid after the sun set). 35k/1252m, but I knew this was the easy day - the next two would be much harder.