Ostara at Offa's Dyke

Ostara is the Pagan festival that celebrates the Spring Equinox, on or about 21st March. This year I felt privileged to share it with a gang of super-fit cycling and walking friends at a hostel in Clun, Shropshire, from which we explored the vicinity of Offa's Dyke. Offa's Dyke is a massive linear earthwork, roughly following some of the current border between England and Wales. In the 8th century it formed some kind of delineation between the Anglian kingdom of Mercia and the Welsh kingdom of Powys, constructed by Offa, King of Mercia from 757 to 796. To this extent is analogous to Hadrian's Wall that roughly divides England and Scotland.

Some of the boys have breakfast outside
where the day's activities (cycling or hiking) are planned.

For the hikers, it was a long march to the ridge where we joined the Offa's Dyke path,.....

.....and then it was a matter of following the waymarks

A Yellowhammer opens his bill to sing us on our way

As we reach the top of the ridge, the enormity of the construction becomes apparant

I wonder how many people Offa employed (or press-ganged) to construct
this 177 mile (280 km) ridge and adjacent ditch.

Magnificent views out over the Shropshire countryside

A group of migrating Golden Plover fly past

The hikers going down pass the cyclists coming up

All in all it was a strenuous but rewarding weekend, concluded with an opportunity to relax and partake of the local ales on the final evening. My thanks to those responsible for organising the weekend.