A succesful failure

It was only 6 months after I broke my leg during my last hike in Sweden. I started training the day after the cast was removed and at the checkup in the hospital the surgeon said that the healing progress was remarkably fast, also because of my motivation. But I should not expect to be fully recovered until a year had passed and bending my lower leg in the wrong way would break it again. However, but if I wanted to, I could try my ambitious plan go hiking in Wales and see how far I would come. In late winter we did an overnight camping hike with full gear. Still painful, but I managed. This was easy flat country and I still had a few months to heal and train for Offa's Dyke Path...

So, I planned for a 6 day hike on Offa's Dyke Path with full camping gear, 22 kilo's. One day before we would start on the trail we did a short training hike uphill. The slippery muddy trail with tree roots and slippery stones was terror. And the next day my leg hurt. I decided that the risk was too high. I would surely slip at some point. We canceled. It was a blow, but only a small one. We made some great day hikes, partly along the most beautiful part of Offa's Dyke Path, and deeper in the Brecon Beacons National Park. At some point I indeed slipped and fell, on my other leg, and I thanked all the gods that I was not carrying my heavy load. Just having come so far in just half a year felt rewarding. I was on the trail again, I was hiking and camping again, in the great outdoors again instead of stuck inside with my leg in that horrible cast.

I know a green hill far away...

.. I'll go back there one fine day.