Today, we gathered our new-found confidence and tackled a potentially challenging drive around the eastern Brecon Beacons National Park to the small town of Hay on Wye and back to Abergavenny. We followed a route outlined by our Lonely Planet guidebook - but in reverse. Typical of us ! We were told by our B and B landlady that the drive was beautiful but "single-tracked". Bring it on !
The initial part of the drive was easy enough, through quaint towns like Crickhollow and Tretower, where the ruins of a castle and a restored medieval home became quietly evocative in the light drizzle. 
The road narrowed and began to climb slightly towards Hay. The countryside was green and peaceful and had the air of being a contented senior citizen who knew its ways and customs well. We reached Hay around noon and enjoyed a coffee and a stroll through the lovely little town of books
hops.
The road narrowed and began to climb slightly towards Hay. The countryside was green and peaceful and had the air of being a contented senior citizen who knew its ways and customs well. We reached Hay around noon and enjoyed a coffee and a stroll through the lovely little town of books
hops.We left Hay 
and headed south .... and up ! The road narrowed crazily and curved, and each corner or curve promised a potential sudden encounter with anything from a sheep to a lorry. With a few concerted pushes on the accelerator, we finally emerged from the claustrophobic green trees of the valley to an immense open expanse of treeless rocky pasture. It was a sudden and amazing transition. With the Black Mountains on our left and the Vale of Ewyss falling away on our right, and sheep everywhere, we were reminded of previous experiences in Scotland and Iceland. It was stunning.
and headed south .... and up ! The road narrowed crazily and curved, and each corner or curve promised a potential sudden encounter with anything from a sheep to a lorry. With a few concerted pushes on the accelerator, we finally emerged from the claustrophobic green trees of the valley to an immense open expanse of treeless rocky pasture. It was a sudden and amazing transition. With the Black Mountains on our left and the Vale of Ewyss falling away on our right, and sheep everywhere, we were reminded of previous experiences in Scotland and Iceland. It was stunning.We parked the car and walked frequently. We stumbled upon Offa's Dyke, mostly a w
alking or mountain biking path today, but in the 8th century, the Anglo-Welsh equivalent to the Great Wall of China. During one of our photo walks, we happened on a herd of 7 ponies, a stallion, four mares, and two colts. Their shaggy manes and skittish manner made me believe they were wild , and we approached with a caution matched by the large grey stallion, who urged his harem across a small stream while keeping watchfull eyes and pricked-up ears on us. It was magic.
alking or mountain biking path today, but in the 8th century, the Anglo-Welsh equivalent to the Great Wall of China. During one of our photo walks, we happened on a herd of 7 ponies, a stallion, four mares, and two colts. Their shaggy manes and skittish manner made me believe they were wild , and we approached with a caution matched by the large grey stallion, who urged his harem across a small stream while keeping watchfull eyes and pricked-up ears on us. It was magic.As we progressed on this narrow road, we had the sense that we were soaring or floating in a middle world, with the lush valleys and farms below and the stern cliff tops above.
And then we descended in a mad rush back to earth. We followed a kamikaze fuel truck that just barely fit the road, as hedges and trees enclosed the road in a green leafy tunnel. I resolved to keep up with the fuel truck, reasoning that, as long as he was ahead of us, we would not be involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle. What followed was something out of Mad Max. The fuel truck driver was either insanely suicidal and tired of living, or else he was the coolest, most confident driver on any highway on the planet. I chased him for all I was worth and it seemed at times that he was actually trying to lose me, rushing headlong on the narrow wet roadway, where a single misjudgement could have meant a firey death for either of us: but I stayed with him, twisting, turning, braking, accelerating, steering and rallying. It was mad, and found myself wishing I was videoing the chase. I wanted to meet this guy and either shake his hand or shake my head in disbelief.
But eventually we had to let him go. We came to Llanthony Priory and the small and lovely St. David's Church
. We have seen many riuned priories and abbeys: Lanarcost, Lindisfarne, Glastonbury and many others: but Llanthony matches and surpasses them all in its eerie and silent testimony to enduring faith. The small church of St. David's, next door, is an 11th century shrine. The two are on opposite ends of ecc
lesiastical architecture: the Priory is grand and impressive, St. David's is humble and gentle. Both were superb, and the farm next door with its herd of beautiful heavy horses, capped a great afternoon.
. We have seen many riuned priories and abbeys: Lanarcost, Lindisfarne, Glastonbury and many others: but Llanthony matches and surpasses them all in its eerie and silent testimony to enduring faith. The small church of St. David's, next door, is an 11th century shrine. The two are on opposite ends of ecc
lesiastical architecture: the Priory is grand and impressive, St. David's is humble and gentle. Both were superb, and the farm next door with its herd of beautiful heavy horses, capped a great afternoon.The only disappointment occured at the end of the day trip. We'd read about Wales' oldest inn, the Skerrit Inn, and resolved to eat there. We found it, sure enough, but it was closed for the afternoon. Damn the luck ! No matter, back to Abergavenny and a good pub meal at the Hen and Chickens. We also managed to arrange our next two nights in Cardiff.
There is a sense now that we are gaining in skill and confidence, that we're hitting our stride as the trip begins to wind down. We feel good so far, not sick like we were in Iceland, not as frustrated as we were at the beginning of this trip. We are growing confident in the car, which was severly tested today, and it performed well. I always want to finish strong in anything I do, and it feels like we're doing just that. But the adventure continues tomorrow in Cardiff. We have our route planned and the car is ready. Are we ?
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