River Severn at Hafren Forest, Wales

The River Severn rises at Plynlimon in the Cambrian mountains, mid-Wales, and flows thence to the lower counties, including Gloucestershire, before it finally joins the Bristol channel and the sea. Here in the heart of Wales it is still small, sometimes swollen by recent rainfall, as it was this morning. From the house I can hear it rushing through the valley.

I woke later than usual to a rain-spattered window, but the skies soon cleared. By 10.30 we were ready for the short drive up to Hafren Forest car park, which is the jumping off point for the Severn Way, and the Wye Valley way, and plenty of other trails. We headed uphill towards the source of the Severn, stopping for a sit down at Blaencathra falls, before continuing further uphill until my friend H. decided she had walked far enough. She is ten years older than me, so we called it a day, and walked back by a slightly different route. I admit I was disappointed not to continue all the way to the source, as we did in February 2016, the last time I visited, but by the time we got back to the house I was aching in places I didn't even know existed. A mere 15,000 steps, but the most I've done in a long time, and on uneven, uphill terrain too.

After lunch we attempted a jigsaw (tricky) and planned a holiday for next year. I want to go back and do more walking in Madeira, I loved the tropical landscape so much. I think I've persuaded H, though we haven't booked anything yet. It's far too soon!

Dinner over, we watched Autumnwatch again (we've missed one episode) and I started catching up with blips and deleting my really terrible phone cam shots of Madeira. I think if I go back there again, or to Budapest in February, I will start using a small camera again.