Sponsorship. Home of Herberts

Don't forget this is not just a self absorbed trip down the Welsh side of me.



http://www.justgiving.com/gesonoffasdyke





is the link if you would like to sponsor me (your amount is hidden!)

I'm in Welshpool now about to tackle the climb up to Powis Castle (there's bound to be one) and look at the seat of the Herberts. The picture below are two of them resting up in St Nicholas' church in Montgomery. But it's not uploading (aargh! Rufusonian Technophobia is setting in)



On my first night I stayed in a splendidly isolated guest house called The Florence. In the garden was a forty foot monkey puzzle tree. I missed it at the time but this was an appropriate symbol of the connection between the Wales of my father's youth and the country he died in. The monkey puzzle tree is indigenous to Chile (Its seeds are a delicacy there).

Up on Hergast Ridge, where I spent a magical night under the stars, I came across six of them silouetted against the morning mist. They were planted by a local big boy to commemeratethe death of his wife. Lawrence Banks (No relation to that mascara wearing, John Travolta mimmicing all round good bloke- Paul).

Then again, and maybe not finally, at a forest just outside Welshpool where they stood among redwood at over 90 feet tall and celebrating 50 years next month.