Wye Valley Walk: Symonds Yat to Ross-on-Wye

She Said:
May 22 Loved the Saracens Head Inn in Symonds Yat. Huge room, great bed, spa-like modern bathroom and a view of the river that couldn't be beat. Dinner was outstanding (we split the sole.) I have finally learned my alcohol in England lesson. For years I continued to order a Chardonnay each night and for years I was disappointed. Let's face it, outside of London, good wine is not a priority. R always said to dump the wine and go with a pint of the local and I'd never go wrong. I took his advice and I am now a happy ale camper. Last night R had a dark "rite-flanker" and I had a "Hereford Pale Ale." I have seen the light. In the Small World Department: our innkeepers son is living in Mountain View, working at a start-up and being mentored through 500 Start-ups. He was so happy to hear we were from Palo Alto that he gave us each a Saracens Head T-shirt. We told him we'd take a picture of us wearing them and email it to him. Bright blue sky, sunny and hot. Not ideal walking conditions. I would rather walk in the rain (really) than in the hot sun, but we take what we get. * Right out of Symond's Yat, we encountered 30 college students madly observing vegetation and taking notes - they were collecting data for a fellow student's PhD project. * Further on we passed a few small, stone farmhouse ruins that reminded me of the famine cottages in Ireland. The crops failed and the people moved on (or died.) * We also passed an abandoned wire factory that we learned supplied all the wire for England in WWl and all the wires for the heater vests for the bomber pilots in WWll. We crossed the old railroad bridge just near the factory and walked right up to a WWll pillbox, situated to guard both the factory and the railroad tunnel behind it. Another reminder that England was really in the thick of it in both of those wars. * Ate lunch in the yard of St. Margaret's Church in Welsh Bickner (UK place manes kill me) and began our long slog through field after field. Turns out that, back at the pillbox, the Courtfield Estate started and we skirted their fields for miles before we finally exited the estate. One big piece of property. I should mention here that all those fields were exposed - no shade, only sun. I should also mention that it was about the time we came out of the estate grounds and walked another couple of miles in the sun that I had a bit of a meltdown. The soles of my feet were killing me and I was longing for a bus. And wouldn't you know it, the trail brought us right to the busstop in Kerne Bridge. I made R wait hopefully with me for 10 minutes, but no bus came. And, of course, there was no bus schedule in the busstop ( though every other crazy thing in the neighborhood was advertised.) On we went. 5.5 miles further. Lots of big uphills. I finally made a mind-set switch and decided to be grateful instead of furious and we limped into Ross-on-Wye somewhere around 5:30. The Royal Hotel is anything but. Firehouse shower. Good pints. Foot rubs. Tomorrow is a new day.

He Said:
The weather was perfect today; sunshine, active spring in the air, wonderful light for landscape photos, etc... But it was a bit warm for 13 miles on the third day of a walking trip, especially when most of the 1500' elevation gain came in the last 2/3 of the distance. We were happy to get to our hotel and rest our feet.
What was unexpected was the good internet connection we had in our room.
Here are some of the photos we took today.

The hand ferry at Symonds Yat across the river Wye