Church Explorer Update

 

St Harmon

After a few disastrous visits where I found the church locked I managed a few days down in Wales where I went round and got to the remaining churches off the Clerics Trail of Francis Kilvert. In all I manged to get to all ten over two days starting at St Harmon going around the Hay-on-Wye area and Bedwardine where he is buried finishing up after driving through the rain over the Black Mountains at  Capel-y-Ffin .

 

When I came down to our caravan I was looking at the sky's to see if it was going to rain so on the first day I drove up to St Harmon which was not as far as I thought then down to the Elan Valley for some photos. The next day I visited seven churches along the river Wye ending up leaving Hay and going on to Llanigon which turned out to be locked till I asked a lady tending a grave if it was normally locked. She told me where the church warden was who I had phoned already. The lady then mention she knew where the key was so I managed to get photos inside. The next day I went to Hay then down to Capel y Ffin and home.

I Visiting all the churches on the trail would take a few days driving around them all, I have been at it a few years. If you were to walk to each one I'd say weeks. I seem to remember Kilvert walked to many around Clyro and no doubt the same in Bedwardine  but getting across the Black Mountains to Caple y  Ffin must have been arduous as back then the road would have just been a track and the top of the mountains a wild and woolly place. It was pouring with rain when I drove over and misty, when it is sunny the place must look amazing, I'd love to have seen Gospel pass on a clear day. As much as I would like to see it I'm not sure I fancy the drive around the narrow single track roads again which on a good day will cyclists and walkers, there were enough when I was driving in the rain. I will be writing up the blogs  in the order I visited the churches over next few weeks which will take my blog into November. That will give me a backlog of churches I will still be visiting them in the meantime.

 

Capel Y Ffin

Till next time