Day-40 Open to Offas!

A misty and damp morning meant a slightly soggy start to the day from Selattyn hill, with Offas Dyke here it was also an easy start there's no way you can get lost following this national trail with signs everywhere! Initially these led me through simple farm lands until a B road section approached Racecourse common the old (victorian?) ground for Oswestry horse race's not much trace of these with just the ruins of its rather small grandstand visible from the path. From the common my path led into candy woods, a rather good name for these pretty woodlands, although anyone walking the dyke south to north may be too tired from climbing the hills these woods are set in to appreciate the beauty! Personally I found a nice stone built cove with seats to take a few minutes rest and enjoy the scenery and the squirrels hoping around.
But the path must be trod and down I go and with every down there's another up, this one on the road up to Trefonen, where annoyingly my planned stop for food was hampered by the shop having closed recently... No planning for that! Still with plenty of wild damsons to gorge myself on this wasn't such a problem.
The rather busy B road through Treflach and Pont-y-waen leads me to path around Llanymynech hill and on to the redundant Staffordshire canal, even though this canal is no longer passable it is still in the capable hands of good maintenance and the the tow path and lock mechanisms are in good order as are the old buildings and homes that would have been associated with the canal (pic).
Of the canal at Four Crosses I find both pubs closed down but at least the garage shop is still in operation, I bought a cracking locally made pork and blue cheese pie with damson topping! They could have charged twice what I paid for that!.
Crossing some more fields the path runs along the flood defences of the river Severn with views to rapidly diminishing Breiddon hill where mining has certainly shrunk the hill since my last visit... Must compare photos!.
The path followed the Severn somewhat laboriously (or I was just tired!) to Pool Quay, a quick pint there and the Montgomery canal after a few miles became home for the night.