15 weeks in Knighton..

On Tuesday, I will begin the latest quest in my odyssey. The carbon footprint of a medical student such as myself is ridiculous. It is also eminently avoidable. Those charged with administration of medical degrees such as mine appear to have limited interest in the logic of our placement allocations.

The 87 miles and 2 hours which separate my hometown of Denbigh from Knighton in Powys render commuting impossible. I am therefore faced with the additional expense of rent and living costs to augment the existing ones of my family in Denbigh. Up to a point, I don't really care where I gain my training experience during this, my final year. I do though crave a modicum of understanding and common sense. Last year I drove an hour to Whitchurch in North Shropshire for my two monthly GP training. That was bearable.

There is one certainty which is now undeniable. Being a mature student with a dependent family is no guarantee to any degree of understanding. Caveat Emptor: Let the buyer beware. When an application is made to study medicine or any other subject by the consumer (student), there is never any indication of the additional costs for which you need to remain mindful. I shudder to think of how much this degree has cost me in terms of diesel and the environment in terms of CO2 emissions. No account is taken of such trifles because they know that you have no choice and they are blissfully unaccountable for such things.

Knighton it is then. It lies within the county boundary of Radnorshire and a thrown stone would land on English soil. Like many border towns it has an intriguing history. It boasts one of only two churches in Wales dedicated to St. Edward. He was the patron Saint of England before George. In 1402, a village called Pilleth just to the South was the site of a Welsh victory led by Owain Glyndwr against the English forces of Sir Edmund Mortimer. This battle is referred to by Shakespeare himself in Henry IV part 1. Unusually for fading Welsh market towns, Knighton still boasts a Railway station and provides an important link between the industries of South Wales and the Midlands. From a Welsh perspective, Knighton is the meeting point of two important walks. Glyndwr's Way and Offa's Dyke both pass through this historical gem.

The demographics of Knighton are also interesting. Although their average ages are low, unemployment is also low at just 2.9%. Is this just a coincidence or is their conceivably a relationship between these two figures? As I write, it has a Liberal MP and a Liberal Assembly Member.  Not many places like this left now. The Scottish Highlands spring to mind. In the 1970s it attracted the likes of Julie Christie and John Mayall as residents. Perhaps it offered the peace and tranquility which their professions found so elusive? The young people of the town gain their qualifications and cross the border in search of opportunity and employment - a familiar picture throughout North and Mid Wales today. It may not have been my preferred choice but I shall certainly embrace my time there - who knows, it might be even nicer than Denbigh. Time will tell..