Book 1
50 Walks
Around Hereford
The
start points for all the walks from the given locations in Hereford,
(Whitecross roundabout, Fire station, Belmont and Tesco’s roundabouts) should
take about half an hour by car to reach.
*
All
of these 50 Walks have been covered many times and they have been constantly
edited to ensure most people, (if not everyone) will be able to follow the
instructions given. Walks last covered
in 2017.
*
The
measurements for most walks have been taken off ordnance survey maps, therefore
hilly walks may be of a greater distance than stated.
*
Index
|
Name |
Distance |
Description |
|
Walk 1 Holme Lacy Riverside Walk. |
8 km (5 mile). |
Flat walk mostly along the river Wye. There are many stiles along this walk. |
|
Walk 2 Woonton to Almeley. |
8
km (5 mile). |
Easy walk
with no hills. |
|
Walk 3 Sutton Walls & Marden. |
8
km (5 mile). |
Fairly easy walk with no big hills as you walk
across farm land and fields. |
|
Walk 4 The Spectre of Glyndwr. |
7
km (4.3 mile). |
Hilly walk across field, paths, lanes, woods and
common. |
|
Walk 5 On Offa’s Dyke. |
9 km (5.6 mile). |
Strenuous walk. There are beautiful scenic views as you
walk up to the top of Rushock hill. |
|
Walk 6 Hergest Ridge. |
9
km (5.6 mile). |
Strenuous walk along the Hergest ridge. Scenic views. |
|
Walk 7 Breinton. |
9
km (5.6 mile). |
Easy walk along a lot of minor road. |
|
Walk 8 Abbey Dore |
9
km (5.6 mile). |
Walk across common land and fields. Many stiles. |
|
Walk 9 Bodenham. |
7
km (4.3 mile). |
Easy walk with no hills, you walk across farm land
and fields. |
|
Walk 10 Kings Caple. |
7
km (4.3 mile). |
Walk along road, river and across country, with a
pub in Hoarwithy. A couple of small
hills to climb. |
|
Walk 11 Stretton Grandison. |
6
km (3.7 mile). |
Easy walk across farm land. |
|
Walk 12 Harewood End. |
6
km (3.7 mile). |
Hilly
walk along straight bridleways and up a little valley with some nice views
along good terrain. Don’t go when it’s
to wet. |
|
Walk 13 Monnington Walk. |
6
km (3.7 mile). |
Easy pleasant walk along small roads, grassy lanes
and through Bulmers apple orchards. |
|
Walk 14 Garway Hill. |
5
km (3.1 mile). |
Walk over common land with magnificent panoramic
viewpoints. Underfoot the paths are
firm and grassy. |
|
Walk 15 The Marcle Ridge. |
7
km (4.3 mile). |
Walk over farm and woodland paths and tracks, of
which 1½ miles is along the
Marcle Ridge with its spectacular panoramas.
|
|
Walk 16 Athelstan’s Wood. |
8
km (5 mile). |
Strenuous walk over undulating farmland and
woodland. Athelstan's Wood is an ancient
wood named after a Bishop of Hereford in 1056. |
|
Walk 17 Vowchurch Common. |
10 km
(6.2 mile). |
Strenuous walk over farm and woodland tracks with
delightful views and constantly changing scenery. |
|
Walk 18 Kington and Lower Hergest. |
7 km
(4.3 mile). |
Strenuous walk with one or two small mountains to
climb. Very good views as you walk
along a river, go across common land and walk through Park Wood. |
|
Walk 19 Fownhope & Common Hill. |
6 km
(3.7 mile). |
Moderate walk with three short sharp climbs. Scenic viewpoints and through a nature
reserve. |
|
Walk 20 Stoke Lacy & Ullingswick. |
8 km
(5 mile). |
Walk over farmland, through woods and along the alder tree
lined banks of the River Loddon. There
are some gentle rolling hills but it is an easy walk. |
|
Walk 21 Backbury Hill & Pentaloe. |
8 km
(5 mile). |
Walk over rolling country through woods and farmland. |
|
Walk 22 Brockhampton & River vWye. |
7 km
(4.3 mile). |
Walk over varied terrain of woodland, farmland and along a
lovely stretch of the River Wye. The walk
involves one short steep down and another steep uphill section. |
|
Walk 23 Orleton and Bircher. |
6 km (3¾
mile). |
Easy winter walk, four stiles. 90 per cent country
lanes and open common. |
|
Walk
24 Aconbury Hill. |
6 km (3.7 mile). |
A moderate walk along good woodland paths, roads and across
open land. Only a couple of stiles to
climb. |
|
Walk 25 Weobley. |
8 km (4.9 mile). |
An easy
walk around one of the most attractive and best kept villages in the UK. |
|
Walk 26 Oyster
Hill. |
8 km (4.9 mile). |
A lovely fields and lanes walk with wide views from the top
of Oyster Hill. A lot of stiles to
cross. |
|
Walk 27 Kilpeck,
Cole’s Tump, Orcop Hill and Mynde Park. |
10 km (6 mile). |
Hilly, energetic walk along quiet lanes, field paths with
fine views and parkland. |
|
Walk
28 Pengethley, River Wye & Sellack. |
9 km (5.6 mile). |
An easy
walk on good firm tracks. The route is
over varied terrain, through farmland woods and a 1½ km stretch along the
Wye. |
|
Walk 29 The
Vale of Eywas. |
8 km (4.9 mile). |
A strenuous walk around a circuit of the Vale of
Ewyas. An ascent up the attractive
valley of Cwm Bwchel leads to a cairn at Bal-Bach, marking the summit of a
mountain pass. |
|
Walk 30 Skenfrith
and Garway. |
8 km (4.9 mile). |
Most of this route is along quiet, narrow, roughish country
lanes, little more than farm tracks, amidst the beautiful scenery of the
Monnow Valley on the border between Wales and England. |
|
Walk 31 Worcester
Beacon. |
8 km (4.9 mile). |
A strenuous walk which should be carried out in clear
weather. |
|
Walk 32 Pembridge
and Eardisland. |
8 km (4.9 mile). |
Herefordshire is famed for its black and white villages of
which Pembridge and Eardisland are among the finest. |
|
Walk
33 Around Twyn-Y-Gaer. |
9 km (5.5 mile). |
This is a strenuous walk but has much historical
interest. An Iron Age fort caps the
summit of Twyn-y-Gaer with panoramic views over three valleys. |
|
Walk 34 Ledbury to Frith Wood. |
8 km (4.9 mile). |
A delightful all-seasons walk. The outward walk is along tracks and
footpaths which - even if the grass dampens your trousers - do not usually
get muddy. |
|
Walk 35 Hay-on-Wye,
Mouse Castle Wood and Cusop. |
10 km (6.2 mile). |
Starting
from Hay-on-Wye, this pleasant and easy paced walk goes across fields,
through woods and by riverside meadows in the gentle rolling countryside of
the Wye Valley. |
|
Walk 36 Hereford and Dinedor
Hill. |
10 km
(6.2 mile). |
Dinedor
Hill is the prominent hill (600ft) lying to the south east of Hereford. |
|
Walk 37 Hill
and Lake Around Boddingham. |
5 km (3.1 mile). |
A moderate walk with some steep slopes through wooded area,
along a lake and across country. |
|
Walk 38 Ledbury. |
7.5 km (4.6 mile). |
Walking from the centre of the delightful historic market
town of Ledbury takes us past the church into Coneygrove Wood and over the
hill to the tiny village of Eastnor, with its beautiful early 19th-century
castle. |
|
Walk 39 The Central Ridge Beacon. |
9 km (5.6 mile). |
Views from the ridge are hardly less inspiring than those
from greater heights, and the approach from Colwall and the return have
sufficient twists and turns to maintain interest. |
|
Walk 40 Dorstone. |
10 km (6 mile). |
From the old village of Dorstone set in the beautiful
Golden Valley, this walk crosses farmland and rises to the edge of the open
hilltop of Merbach Hill. |
|
Walk 41 Bishops Frome. |
7 km (4.3 mile). |
Climb a small hill, where spectacular views open up, and
continue through farmland with orchards, hop fields, crops and pasture. |
|
Walk 42 The Cradley Brook. |
7 km (4.3 mile). |
An easy and pleasant stroll for a summer's evening or a
winter's afternoon. |
|
Walk 43 Ragged Stone and
Chase End Hills. |
7 km (4.3 mile). |
The final undulations of the Malvern Hills manifest
themselves as Ragged Stone and Chase End Hills. Lower than, and detached from, the main
ridge, they tend to be less well trodden, and this adds to their quiet
charms. |
|
Walk 44 Hoarwithy and Carey. |
7 km (4.3 mile). |
An excellent easy walk along well defined tracks and along
the river Wye. |
|
Walk 45 Vagar Hill. |
10 km (6.2 mile). |
Very good scenery.
Very strenuous hilly walk. |
|
Walk 46 Ballingham. |
8 km (5 mile). |
A moderate ramble with a steep descent. Sloping fields, view from Carey Bank and
along Wye Riverbank. |
|
Walk 47 Putley and Aylton. |
7 km (4.3 mile). |
An easy walk with one climb into some woods. Going through orchards, wood, field paths,
country lanes and two churches. |
|
Walk 48 Bredwardine. |
8 km (4.8 miles) |
Hilly strenuous walk along fields, lanes and roads. Beautiful views across the Wye Valley. |
|
Walk 49 Winforton. |
8 km (4.9 miles) |
A steady easy walk across farmland and along small
roads. |
|
Walk 50 Staunton-on-Wye. |
7 km (4.3 miles) |
Don’t do it when its wet underfoot as it crosses a number
of arable fields. Pleasant walk with
no hills. |
Starting Points
Hereford
Whitecross
Roundabout.
Fire Station.
Asda.
Belmont Road.
Tesco’s Roundabout
Walk 1 Holme Lacy
Riverside Walk
Last walked in January 2019
Description. An 8 km (5 mile) flat walk mostly along the river Wye.
There are many stiles along this walk.
Start. Park the car by the old railway bridge in Holme Lacy. Explorer Map 189
Grid 554357.
Direction from Belmont roundabout (Turn
milometer to zero). Take the A49 to Ross-on-Wye and at «3 of a mile, (528 yds), TL at
traffic lights and head towards Holme Lacy on the B4399. Continue straight on to reach Holme Lacy. As you go thru
Holme Lacy, and just past the Primary School on your R, the road goes over a
former railway line, (4.4 miles). Immediately over the former railway
line, on the L hand side is a gap in the roadside big enough to park the car.
1. Holm Lacy. In the Doomsday Book, Holme Lacy was
recorded as Hamme which was an estate of the Bishop of Hereford and
held by Roger de Lacy,
which is where the "Lacy" affix comes from. In 1354
substantial estates in the west of England were granted by William the
Conqueror to Walter de Lacy, including the lands of Hamme, and just
along the road is Holme Lacy House, a magical
Grade 1-listed mansion where King Charles I rested his still-intact head in
1645. The mansion is now a hotel. Walk a few paces further along
the L hand side of the road to reach the first house, and a footpath signpost.

Walk along the L hand edge of this field, above the railway cutting, and when
you reach the field end you will see the River Wye directly in front of you. Continue
to follow the field edge as it bends around to the R, the river is now way down
there on your L.
2. The River Wye. Keep the
river on your L. Proceed on thru a small gate and stile into F2. Walk
on thru a small field and over a stile into F3. At the end of the next field you
cross over a stile into F4. At the field end you cross over a stile and
continue straight on thru a wooded area to reach its edge, where you cross over
another stile by a metal gate into F5. Continue walking along the river bank (the
river is on your L): and go over a stile into F6. The next stile you cross over is
by a small hut, which is used by fishermen, (it looks more like a portable
toilet), you are now in F7. Continue along the riverbank for about 1 km, (passing
the Confluence of the river Wye & Lugg), crossing a stile into F8.
Continue on to the end of the field to climb some concrete steps to reach the
B4399 Holme Lacy road, on the L is Holme Lacy Bridge that crosses the river
Wye.
3. Holme Lacy Bridge. Cross the
road with care. Go down concrete steps, follow path to stile and cross over
into F9.
Continue by the river for about 1½ km and go thru F10, then its over three wooden
plank bridge and thru a kissing gate into F11 to pass a small tin hut on wheels (R).
Continue along the river and as you reach the end of this field, (with St
Cuthbert's tower in view), bend R, to go thru a small metal swinging gate in
the corner of the field and onto a road.
4. Church Lane.
TL and walk up the lane to the Church
of St Cuthbert, Holme Lacy. St Cuthberts, Holme Lacy church is largely 13th and 14th century work, with
the addition of a 16th century north transept and south porch. There is a solid
14th century tower, rising in three stages at the west end of the church. The
original village of Holme Lacy lay much closer to the church but was moved when
Holme Lacy House was rebuilt in the 17th century.
3 3
4 2 5 1
5. St Cuthbert Church. When ready
retrace your steps to the start of 4 and go back thru the small swinging gate
and into F11.
This time bear L over this very large field and head diagonally across it to
the far corner. If you are heading in the R direction (Westerly) you will pass
about midway between two poles, and then between two lone trees in the field to
get to the corner. Once at the corner, go thru a small swinging gate and out
onto the road where you TR. Follow the road around to the R as you head towards
Hereford. Continue along this road and about 80 meters past Wilsley House,
which is on your L, you TR and go thru a small metal swinging gate and into F12.
Walk Half L and at the end of the field you go thru a small wooden gate into
what at the moment is a building site. TR, and follow the fence(R) down to the
bottom where you TL.  At the end of the path is
the Holme Lacy road, which goes over the old railway bridge. TR and walk a few
paces along the road to meet up with your motor that’s parked on the opposite
side. Holme Lacy railway opened in 1855
and was located on the Great Western Railway line linking Ross-on-Wye and
Hereford. Under the Beeching plan the station was closed in 1964, the platform
remains but the station building has been demolished.
Walk 2 Woonton to Almeley
Last walked in January 2019
Description. An 8 km (5
mile) easy walk with no hills.
Start. By telephone
box in Woonton. Explorer Map 201
Grid 353523.
Directions from Whitecross roundabout (Turn milometer to
zero). Take the A438 to Brecon and after
1½ miles TR onto the A480 to Creden
Hill. Cross over a roundabout then
traffic lights at Creden Hill and on towards Kington. At approximately 10.9
miles stop at the Leominster/Brecon road junction where you TL, and immediately
TR signed Kington 7. At 12.6 miles you
reach Woonton. TL sign for Almeley 1½, take the first right and park up near to
the telephone box.
1. Woonton. Woonton is a hamlet about 1 mile from the disused railway
station at Almeley, this station was on the Kington and Eardisley line. The name
of Woonton is Anglo Saxon and means, ‘the dweller at the farm by the wood’
(Wod-tun). The Religious Society of Friends have a meeting house in this
village. Go back up the road from the telephone box and cross
the main road ahead onto a Public Footpath, ‘Friends Meeting House 1888’,
(Chapel Stile Cottage) is on your R. Walk to the end of the wide footpath and
go thru a kissing gate (R) into F1. Keep to the R edge of this large field. Go
thru a gap in the hedge into F2 and continue along the R field edge. At the
field end you TR and go thru a kissing gate and continue along an enclosed
track. Pass stables and house on your R and follow a wide track/drive to meet a
road where you TL. As the road bends L you continue straight on down a ‘No Thru
Road.
2. No Thru Road. Continue along the ‘No Thru Road’ and when the road
bends L, by a footpath sign, TR, go thru a gate and along an enclosed track,
(the track may be a little overgrown the further along you go). When the lane
peters out, continue in the same direction by walking a short distance along
the edge of the field on your L. At the end of the field you TL and continue
along the field edge for about 25 paces, then TR into the tree line and go down
some hidden steps. Cross over a footbridge and continue up F3, passing a lone oak tree to reach
a stile by gates. Cross over the stile into F4 and continue along the L edge to
go thru gates and along an enclosed track. Go thru a gate into F5 and
continue along the top R edge. At the end of the field TR and cross over a
couple of stiles, into F6. Continue on up, keeping a hedge on your L to
cross over a styled footbridge into F7. Keep to L field edge and go over a stile/metal
gate onto a road.
3. St Mary’s Church.  Cross the road ahead, go thru the small church gates and follow the
path that goes past the main entrance and around the L hand side of the church. It
is not known how long there has been a Christian church on this site, apart
from some re-used arch stones above the doors, which are of an earlier date,
the oldest part of the church is the base of the West Tower, which was built
about 1200. Beside the church of Almeley is a grass-grown mound upon the keep
of a medieval castle once stood. The whole site of the ancient castle is now
under pasture. Neither the Doomsday Survey nor the earliest list of border
fortifications make any mention of an ancient castle on this site and no
evidence exists as to when Almeley Castle was built. Continue on
the path to a small metal gate and onto a road where you TL. Continue down the
road to reach a stone track/drive on your R, going to ‘The Batch Cottage’, this
track/drive appears just before the road goes over a stream.
4. Batch Cottage Drive.
TR, walk along the R hand side of the stream along Batch Cottage Drive,
which is a Public Footpath. On reaching a garage yard, take a couple of steps
to the R and continue in the same direction, walking along an enclosed path
that’s to the R of a garage, and after a short distance goes thru a kissing
gate and across a concrete footbridge. Follow the woodland path, the stream is
now on your R. 60m further on, just before reaching a wooden seat, bear R onto
the lower path. Upper path gets overgrown. Cross a wooden footbridge and
continue on the main path, keeping the stream on your R and ignoring any
bridges that cross the stream. Pass a black and white cottage, then pass ‘House
at Pooh Corner and continue on up until you reach a main road.  Go passed a
red phone box (L) to reach a road junction where you TR, (The Friends Meeting
House is on your R).
6 5 4 3 2 1
5. Almeley. Continue
along the road towards Almeley. Almeley is
mentioned as a small village in the Doomsday Book of 1086. Almeley had a
railway station on the line from Kington to Eardisley, the station building,
(which is used as a cattle shed), and the platform still exist.
Pass a Public Footpath sign on the R, and a few meters further along, on the L
is another Public Footpath sign, (about 100m from a house) where you TL and
cross over a stile into F8. Bear slightly L as you cross this field to
cross over a stile by a metal gate into F9. Follow the overhead cables to cross a stile
that’s near to the corner of a wood into F10. Follow the overhead cables; the wood is on
your R, to cross another stile into F11. Continue across the next field and in the
field corner you cross over one stile, then immediately TR to cross over
another stile and onto a tarmac lane, where you TL.
6. Brick House Farm. Continue along the lane to reach ‘Brick House Farm on
the R. The lane veers L, you keep straight ahead and cross over some grassland
to join a narrow road where you TR.
Continue along the road for about 1 km to reach the main road where you
TR. A short distance further on you TR to reach the start point at red phone
box.
Walk 3 Sutton Walls
& Marden
Last walked in March 2019
Description. An 8 km (5
mile) walk, fairly easy with no big hills as you walk across farmland and
fields.
Start. From a
lay-by opposite, and a little way up from Sutton-St-Nicholas church. Explorer Map 202 Grid 535455
Directions from Whitecross roundabout (Turn milometer to
zero). Take the A4110 Canon Pyon (Three
Elms road) for 1 mile and TR at the traffic lights onto the A4103 Worcester
(Roman road). Continue on the A4103
towards Worcester and at the second roundabout, at 3.2 miles, TL, signposted
Bodenham and Sutton-St-Nicholas. At 5.6
miles, TR at the cross roads, (just past a red telephone box and ‘The Golden
Cross Bar and Restaurant’). Travel along the road a short distance and park on
the L hand side just past the church, which is on your R (total 5.7 miles).
1. Sutton St Nicholas Church. The church is on your L as you walk back down
to the cross roads by ‘The Golden Cross Bar and Restaurant’. Go straight across the crossroads and walk
along the road ahead. After about ½ km,
(just past a black and white house on the L called Ordis Cottage) you TR and
walk up a wide enclosed bridleway, signposted ‘To Ordis Court’. Continue up the
enclosed bridleway. A few hundred metres further on the track bends to the R,
you carry straight on and go thru a gap in the hedge into F1.
Keep to the L hand edge of the field as you climb up to reach a copse, where
you TL into the copse. After about 20
meters in, you meet a track that goes around the bottom of the ramparts.
2. Sutton Walls Hill Fort. TR,
after a short distance, by a way marker post, the track goes around to the L
and follows the foot of the northern ramparts.
Keep along the inside edge of the wooded area below the ramparts which
are on your L and an orchard field is on your R. Travel around for about ½ km to reach a way
marker post (R). If you want to go to
the top of the ramparts continue on for a short distance and take the first
track on the L, else TR by the way marker and go down the track to cross a
stile into F2. Sutton
Walls hill-fort was occupied from about 400 BC until the Roman Conquest. At Sutton Walls the average height of the
adult males was 5 ft 8½ inches - this was actually taller than the average
height of adult British males in the 1950s, when the site was excavated. Archaeological
digs have revealed that around AD 48, 24 people were killed in the fort
(probably by Romans) and thrown into the ditch. The
skeletons show the wounds received, and some were decapitated. This did not end
occupation, however, and the fort remained in use until around the 3rd century.
3. Sutton Walls Hill Fort. Continue down the R hand edge of F2, cross
over another stile into F3. Continue on down the R field edge and at the
bottom corner, (by a metal gate and stile), you TL and walk along the R field
edge. Go thru two metal gates into F4 and walk along the L field edge, along a farm
track, to go thru a gate onto a road. TR, walk along a short distance to a road
junction on the L, Church Lane, and cross over to the war memorial. Continue down Church Lane to have a look
around Marden Church, St Mary. St Mary’s church in Marden is made up of Kent ragstone,
sandstone and a little crowstone, the oldest part of the building, the Chancel,
dates from around 1200. The Tower dates
back to the thirteenth century, and the reason for its unusual shape is that
when the first six bells were hung, the original battlements and steeple were
removed. The belfry was then enclosed with the white weatherboarding seen today
which is known as a ‘snuffer’. The oldest of these six bells was dated 1693.
There are two war memorials in the church, which can be found at the western
end of the south aisle. They remember those villagers who lost their lives in
the two World Wars.
4. War Memorial. Return back up the lane to
the war memorial. Opposite the war
memorial you TR over a stile in a fence and into F5.
Go across F5 (a small field) to cross over another stile into F6. Cross over F6, keeping parallel with the dyke,
which runs along the L hand field boundary, to cross a concrete footbridge in
the top L corner, and thru a metal gate into F7. Walk across this field to cross
over another stile by a metal gate into F8 Go slightly
R as you cross this field to cross over a stile, which is to the R of a loan
tree, into F9. Cross this field and bear R to follow the
river to the end of the field where you cross a stile onto a road. TR.
3 4
5. Moreton
Bridge. Walk along the road for 20
paces and TL over a stile by a gate into F10. Continue
across a large field and cross over a stile into F11.
Continue in the same direction across this field, and when approaching
the field end, bear L to cross a way marked wooden footbridge that’s nearest to
the copse corner, into F12, (ignore the bridge on your L and the bridge that’s
on your R). TR and continue up the L
field edge, (the copse is on your L). Cross a stile by a gate, (the stile/gate
is to the R of Freens Court Farm), into F13.
5 2 6 1
6. St Michael’s Church. This next path across a large field was
poorly defined but may now be better trodden?
Bear slightly R and aim for a T pole in the next field, the third T-pole
from the R of a red bricked house. As
you come over the brow you will see a stile in the hedge. Cross over the stile into F14 and
continue in the same direction to go thru a small/large metal gate into F15
(field is adjacent to Sutton St Michael Church). The church dates
back to the 12th century and has been little altered since it was first built
situated above the watermeadows of the river Lugg. The Knights Hospitallers of the Order of St.
John reserved the R to bury pilgrims who died in their care in the churchyard;
the same churchyard is the only burial ground for the united parish today. Continue to the opposite side
of this field and go thru a large/small metal gate onto a lane, TL and continue
a short way to the road where you TR.
Continue along this road to the start point.
Walk 4 The Spectre of
Glyndwr
Last walked in March 2019
Description. A 7 km (4.3 mile) hilly walk across field paths,
lanes, woods and common.
Start. Near Westhope Bus Shelter. Explorer Map 202 Grid 464510.
Directions from Whitecross roundabout (Turn milometer to zero).
Take the A4110 Canon Pyon (Three Elms road). At 6.4 miles, after just passing thru
Canon Pyon, you TR onto a minor road to Westhope. At 7 miles at a T‑junction
you TL, the road bends to the R then goes thru Westhope and just before a red
post box and a bus shelter [7.3m] you turn sharp L. After 200 meters you can
park on the R hand side of the road.
The Spectre of Owain
Glyndwr. Glyndŵr was born in 1359. On 16 September
1400, Glyndŵr instigated the Welsh Revolt against the rule of Henry IV of England. Although initially
successful, the uprising was eventually put down. Glyndŵr was never
captured nor tempted by royal pardons and never betrayed.  Owain’s wife Margaret
along with two of his daughters were taken prisoner and incarcerated in the Tower of
London. They were all to die in the Tower before
1415. The Great Welsh Rebel was in fear for his life, not expecting a pardon
from the new king, Henry V, and living out an existence in deserted places
and caves. Tradition has it that he died and was buried
possibly in Corwen church of SS Mael & Sulien close to his home, or
possibly at his estate in Sycharth or on the estates of
his daughters' husbands — Kentchurch in south Herefordshire
or Monnington in west Herefordshire. Glyndŵr has remained a notable figure
in the popular culture of both Wales and England, portrayed in Shakespeare's
play Henry IV, Part 1
(as Owen Glendower). In 2000, celebrations were held all over Wales to
commemorate the 600th anniversary of the Glyndŵr rising.
1. The Hamlet of Westhope. Return back down the road to
Westhope and bearing L at the T-junction you pass the bus shelter and red post
box on your L. 30 meters further on, opposite a house called ’Speedwell’,
you TR, cross the road and go a short way along a drive, then fork R off the
drive and along a public footpath and thru a metal gate/stile and into an open
field F1.
 Walk
slightly L to cross over another stile/metal gate into F3. About 50m along the R hand edge TR
thru a metal gate into F4. TL to walk along the L hand edge of this field
and thru a metal gate into F5. Keep to the L hand edge of this field and go
thru a gate, down steps, across a sunken path, up steps, across a stile into F6. Keep
to the L field edge to cross over a stile into F7. Continue along the R hand edge
of this field to go thru a metal rusty gate on your R and into F8. Immediately
TL and go thru a newer metal gate into F9. Go to the end of this field, keeping the hedge
on your L, to cross a metal gate onto a wide stone and concrete farm drive.
2. Lawton’s Hope Wood.
TL, walk up the drive for about 40m and then TL thru a metal gate and walk up a
stony pathway to go thru another gate into a wood. Walk along the stony pathway
for about 100m, when the pathway starts bending R, you continue straight on,
along a not so well defined, unmarked dirt track, (if you reach a T-junction on
the stony pathway you have gone to far). 100m further on you go thru a metal
gate into F10.
On the same line but bearing slightly R, slope down the field, and not far from
the bottom you TR thru a metal gate into F11. With the tree line on your L, continue along
the L hand edge of this field for about 80m and TL, to cross over a two-plank
footbridge into F12.
Climb a steep bank, keeping near to the fence/hedge on your L. Ignore the small
wooden gate(L) and continue on up the L field edge to reach the top, where you
go thru a small wooden gate onto a farm track. TL, after a few paces TR to
climb five steps and continue up an enclosed track. You then climb 16 more
steps onto cross paths, where you TR and continue up an enclosed public
footpath, (Holly Hall Cottage is on your R and Stone Cottage is on your L
side). After about 80m TR at cross tracks and continue up hill along a public
footpath to reach Backwoods House gateway on your R, the gateway consists of
two metal gates with stone statues of lions on each post.
3. Lion Statue. Continue
in the same direction up an enclosed track to go thru a small wooden gate into F13. TL,
follow the edge of the field that bends R and a little further on it turns
sharp L (by a way mark sign). At this point don’t TL but go straight on up across the field, passing a concrete
water trough, to cross a stile onto a well defined stony track. TL and go along
the track, after passing ‘Rose Cottage’ on your R the track gets wider. Continue
along this wide stony track to a triangle and onto a tarmaced road.
4
1 5 3
4. Beech Farm. TR, go
along the road for a few paces and just before a cattle grid you TL and go
along an enclosed public footpath, then between buildings and onto the end of a
tarmac road. TR then after a few paces you TL and go thru a small wooden gate
that is next to a metal gate. Keep to the L hand fence/hedge and continue on in
the same direct until you reach a metal gate. Go thru the gate and continue
along an enclosed track to reach a small wooden gate on your L. TL thru the
gate and into into Westhope Wood. Go downhill for about 130 meters to a track T-junction
by a marker post and TL. Continue down for about 35 meters and TR at another
marker post. Bear L at the next marker post, and continue along the inside edge
of the wood to go thru a small wooden gate, out of the wood and into an open
field.
2
5. Westhope Wood. TR and continue along
the field edge keeping the fence/wood on your R. When you get to the field
corner TL, and with the fence on your R continue down to the next corner but
before you reach it bear L and head for the rusty looking gate with a way mark
sign and a tall wooded pole attached to one side. Go thru the gate and continue
down to the L of farm buildings and on to a road. TL and three quarters of a
mile along road you arrive at the start point.
Walk 5 On Offa’s Dyke
Last walked in April 2019
Description. A 9 km (5.6
mile) strenuous walk. There are beautiful scenic views as you
walk up to the top of Rushock hill.
Start. Kington car park (off
Mill Street). Explorer Map 201 Grid
295565.
Directions from Whitecross roundabout (Turn milometer to zero). Take
the A4111 to Kington. At 18.2 miles you
TL at a roundabout heading for Kington Town Centre. Go thru the town centre and near the end you
TL at the clock tower (18.8 miles) and along Mill Street into the car park
(total 18.9 miles).
You follow the Offa’s Dyke path (acorn sign) to the end of number 3.
1.
Kington. Kington is an historic market town on the English/Welsh
border, and though on the western side of Offa's Dyke, it has been an
English town for a thousand years. The
town is in the shadow of Hergest Ridge, and on the River Arrow. The west end of Kington is dominated by the
tall clock tower commemorating Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887. Kington
has a long history of cider making, going back to even before Roman Times. Leave the car park and TR, continue to the end of ‘Mill Street’, TL at
the clock tower and proceed up ‘Church Street’.
TR by the war memorial into ‘The Square’, and continue up the road as it
curves L, then R before dropping down to reach a ‘No though Road’ directly in
front of you, (Crooked Well road). Carry on down to cross over Back Brook, and
thence across the busy by-pass.
2.
Kington By-Pass. Continue up the lane opposite, (ignore the
stile on your R). Once the road has bent L you TR and go thru a small metal
gate, and head up towards a metal gate on the R hand side of a house. Continue past the house and along an enclosed
track. Go thru a wooden gate and continue on up, to go thru a kissing gate and out
into F1.
Keeping to the R field edge, head up hill towards another house.   From this point on you will be following the acorn, the Offa’s Dyke way
marker. Continue up hill, staying to the L of the houses in front, you then
go across a golf link of Kington Golf Course. Kington Golf Club's 18-hole course on
Bradnor Hill is said to be the highest in England, over 390 metres above sea
level. You pass a small yellow post and cross over a tarmac lane
and on across a cattle grid. Continue on
down the lane/drive. Just before reaching
a wooden gate you bear L to go thru a metal gate into F2. Cross the field, heading to the L
hand corner of a belt of woodland to go thru a small/large metal gate. Continue
in the same direction, keeping the wood on your R and a fence on your L. At the
end of the fence bear slightly L; further on you go thru a small metal gate,
down two steps and into F3. Cross over F3 and over another stile into F4. Continue
in the same direction, down a dip to go thru a small/large metal gate by a big
old tree into F5.
Continue in the same direction to go thru a small/large metal gate in the
corner of a field into F6. The direction will now change slightly to the R
as height is gained to reach a fence/tree line.
3. The Bower. Continue
in the same direction, a tree line/fence is on your R. When you are getting
near to the end of the field you bear L, to go thru a metal k/gate into F7 (the
stile is about 80m to the L of a metal gate). Continue in the same direction, across
F7
and arrive at Offa's Dyke itself, where you TL and walk on the R hand side of
the mound but on the L hand side of a fence.
Offa was the King of Mercia from 757 until his death in July
796, many historians regard Offa as the most powerful Anglo-Saxon king before Alfred the Great. Offa built an earthwork, (Offa’s Dyke) that
covers about two-thirds of the length of the English-Welsh border. Go over a stile into F8; keep
to the fence (R). When you reach a clump of
trees, you follow the mound as in bends to the L. Keep fence on your R. Cross a
stile into F9,
and 80m further on the track drops slightly to the L, still keeps in the same
direction. Height is lost as our route curves past woodland on our R, to reach
a stile/metal gate. Go thru the gate into F10, and a few paces further on the track bears L;
100m further on you TL. This is where
you leave the Offa’s Dyke path.
4 3
4. End of Offa’s Dyke. Go
straight downhill to the corner of a fence by a track junction, TL over a stile
into F11. Bear slightly R and 80m further on you cross
another stile into F12.  The route now parallels the
stream, which is on your R. It continues on for over a kilometer, keeping to
the R edge of a number of fields, to get near to farm buildings of Dunfield,
the first buildings on your R. Do not
follow the track as it bends R and goes over the stream, but continue in the
same direction, keeping to the L of the stream. Cross over a stile onto a track
and bear slightly R, continue forward, with a fence/stream on your R, to cross
a medal gate/stile into F13. Cross over the field to reach a metal gate,
which you go thru to enter Bradnor Wood. Take the track to the L, uphill, then
30m further on it veers R and continues on level ground. The track now follows the edge of the wood
for about a kilometer and leads out of the wood to a tarmac road, by Dingle
Cottage (ignore the first cottage you pass).
5 2
5. Dingle Cottage. Turn R for a
few yards, and at the gable of the cottage go L, and continue along a fence on
your R (no path). At the end of the fence continue in the same direction
heading towards an off white house.   Keep to the fence on your R, and after a
short distance turn sharp R and go thru a metal gate onto a driveway. TL and
walk along the drive. When the driveway bends to the R, TL and crossover a
stile into F14.
Bear R to go thru a metal gate and into F15. Cross this field, passing between two barns to
get to F16.
Bear R and drop down to the far R corner to go thru a gate onto the bypass. Cross the by-pass and up the road to Kington Town
Centre. Continue almost to the top of
the hill, and if you want to visit the church you TL at a road junction, which
is just past the turning for Hergest Ridge on your R, else continue on along
the road to the town centre and back to the car.
1
Walk 6 Hergest
Ridge
Last walked in May 2019
Description. A 9 km (5.6
mile) strenuous walk along the Hergest ridge.
Scenic views.
Start. Ridgebourne Road,
park on grass verge at end of road.
Explorer Map 201 Grid 279568
Directions from Whitecross roundabout (Turn milometer to
zero). Take the A4111 to Kington. At 18.3 miles cross over the first roundabout
and head for Rhayader on the A44, then at 18.6 miles you cross over another
roundabout, heading in the same direction.
At 19.6 miles you take the first turning on the L signposted Kington
Town Centre. At 19.9 miles you take the
first turning on the R signposted for Ridgebourne and Hergest Croft. Carry on up the single track road to reach
the end where there is a green signpost, ‘Thank You for Visiting Kington’
(total 20.5 miles).
Hergest Ridge
Hergest Ridge is a large hill on the border between England and Wales
(the highest point being in England) near the town of Kington, the Offa's Dyke path
runs the length of this ridge. During
the Second World War
the hill was cultivated,
but has now reverted to rough sheep grazing and moorland, and is partly covered
by bracken
and gorse.
The Vaughan family
features a lot in Hergest, Kington history, Thomas Vaughan being the first to
reside here. He lived at a place called
Hergest Court and was the archetypal wicked squire. He was killed, decapitated actually, at the
Battle of Banbury (part of the “Wars Of The Roses” series) in 1469.  Thomas was buried in the
eerie family vault at Kington Church, but his ghost, in the form of a black
bull, and accompanied by the ubiquitous black hound, rampaged thru the area
scaring the populace to such a degree that the people simply refused to go outside
and the whole economy of the area was seriously compromised.
A disused Victorian circular country
racecourse is sited on the hill and is clearly marked on Ordnance Survey maps and still visible
today on the ground. The racecourse was
popular between 1825 and 1846 replacing an earlier racecourse on nearby Bradnor
Hill just to the north of Kington town.
Horse races continued here until around 1880 in summer with panoramic
views on all sides and popular with the local gentry.
Mike Oldfield Hergest Ridge (the place behind the album name)
- Hergest Ridge is a hilly ridge which Mike Oldfield was able to see from his
house at the time of writing the album.
He moved there after the success of Tubular Bells to escape the
attention.
1. Car Parking. Walk up the
path and pass thru a gate, we now come upon the open hillside. You are now walking along a wide stony/grass
track, following the fence and tree line on your L.
2. Fence/tree Line. After a
short distance you follow a narrower grass track that bears off to the L,
keeping next to the fence/tree line. A
little further along, at the fence corner, you TL to following the fence/tree
line. Continue on until the fence/tree
line turns L towards a farm. Continue
straight on, past a tall sign post, down and up a gully to again join the
fence/tree line on the other side of the gully, carry on in the same direction
keeping the fence/tree line on your L.
3. Fence Corner. At the next corner the
fence/tree line dips L then R, you continue straight on to follow around the
edge of the gorse bushes which will be on your R hand side, then you meet up
with the corner of the fence/tree line ahead.
Continue on in the same direction and the fence/tree line again dips off
to the L, you carry straight on to reach a tall wooden signpost. Bear slightly R and head for the tallest lone
tree, passing another way marker post before meeting up again with the corner
of the fence/tree line.
2 1
4. Fence
Corner. 50m further on the track veers away from the fence/tree line,
off to the R, and goes down a gully and up the other side to meet up with the
corner of the fence/tree line further on.
Continue in the same direction, following the track as it bears slightly
R of the fence/tree line on your L, (the fence/tree line drops down L then
comes back up). Continue on to reach the
fence/tree line corner, at this point the track heads away from the fence/tree
line and towards the brow of the hill of Hergest Ridge. You go past another
fence corner before reaching the brow of the hill.
3
5 4 3
5. Hergest
Ridge. TR. Take the wide track that’s on the L side and travel up and along
the ridge that has signposts along it, indicating that you are on the Offas
Dyke Path. You now walk along the top of
the ridge, the Offas Dyke, to the car, which is about 4 km away. About half way along you will pass a small
group of monkey puzzle trees with a bench to sit down on. You may see
a number of wild horses and foals’ and can imagine the horses racing around the
1 mile track that surrounds you.
Walk 7 Breinton
Last walked in April 2019
Description. A 9 km (5.6 mile) easy walk along a lot of minor road.
Start. National
Trust Car Park at Breinton. Explorer Map 189 Grid Ref: 472396.
Directions from Whitecross roundabout (Turn milometer to zero). Take
the A438 to Brecon and at 1.8 miles TL into Breighton Lane, signposted
Breighton 2. Continue on and at 2.8 miles at a T‑junction you TL for
Hereford. At 3.2 miles you TR, signpost for Breighton Church, and continue
along a road which is ‘Unsuitable for Long Vehicles’. At the bottom of the
slight hill the road bends sharply to the L, a few meters further on you TR and
a short way down this lane is a car park near to the church
(total 3.6 miles).
1. St Michael Church. The country church of St Michael at Lower Breinton overlooks
the River Wye and is just a few miles west of Hereford city centre. The first
church here was built in the Norman period, but this was extensively restored
in the Victorian period to produce the church we see today. It gets quite a few
visitors because it is located directly beside the popular Wye Valley Walk,
which follows the course of the river. The interior is largely Victorian, with
a number of 18th and 19th century memorials. The parish register begins in
1625. The earthworks around are the remains of Breinton Camp, a moated house
which was the country residence of the Treasurer of the Cathedral in the middle
ages. Leave
the car park thru the kissing gate and follow the track straight ahead down to
the river. If you wish to see the Breinton spring, do not go thru the gate at
the bottom of this track, but turn R and follow the riverbank for 50 meters. You
will see the spring water coming out of the hillside at eye level. To continue
the walk, return to the gate and then follow the riverbank downstream towards
Hereford. Continue for one and a half kilometers, going over a small-gated
wooden footbridge, and further on you see a large redbrick building on your L,
(Warham House).
2. Warham House. As the track reaches the end of the field opposite
the house, and just before another small gated wooden footbridge, TL, go thru a
small metal into F1. Keeping to the R field edge, continue up towards the house,
going thru a kissing gate into F2 continue up the R side of the field, passing
the house (L), to go thru another kissing gate onto a road, passing a notice
board that says ‘Welcome to Green Bank’. TL, following the road to a T‑junction
(ignore the drive on the L into Warham House). TR, almost immediately TL, to
continue along another minor road. Stay on this road to the next T-Junction. TL
and proceed along this road for a kilometer, reaching an old cider press and a
cattle grid on your L. Cider Press Little Breinton Farm. This
cider press, presumably it was a two-stage process is by the roadside adjacent
to the farm entrance. The farm is surrounded by cider orchards.
3. Wyevale Wood. The tarmac ends as you pass Upper Hill farm on the R,
and is replaced by chippings, dirt etc.  The lane narrows down to a dirt track, and
you continue on along the inside edge of a wood. Carry on along this track
until you come out of the trees to a crossroads of paths and bridleways. Carry
straight on along the enclosed bridleway. or TR and after a
few paces TR into Wyevale Wood, the nature reserve, bear R to go into the small
wooden hut where you can watch the many
4 3 5
different types
of bird feeding. Wyevale Wood Nature Reserve is secondary
woodland on an ancient woodland site. A small stream runs along the southern
boundary, parallel to the public footpath. Inside the wood is a hut from where
the birds can be observed. The bridleway
eventually
comes out onto a tarmac road that is Green Lane. Follow the lane to the
T-junction, cross the road
ahead
and go though a small wooden gate into F3.
1 2
4. Green
Lane. Continue straight ahead, keeping the R field edge, to reach the top
corner of the field. TL and continue along the R field edge to reach the field
corner.  Follow the track and climb over a stile into an
orchard. Climb over this stile, bear L and walk around the edge of the orchard.
The path rises gently. You walk up a small bank and go over a stile into F4. Keep
to the L field edge and continue on to the end of the field, where you cross
over another stile into F5.
 As you approach another small wood, cross over the stile in
the L corner, where it can sometimes be muddy. Carry on thru the wood on this
footpath before climbing 4 steps (L), going over a stile onto a track. TR and
continue down the track, past some houses to reach the road at Breinton
village.
5. Breinton Village. TL and follow the road thru the village for
2 kilometers taking care in traffic. After 2 kilometers, you pass a large
complex of renovated buildings on the R. The road here turns sharply R, a
little further down hill it turns sharply L. At this turn there is a
well-hidden footpath sign on the R that leads over a wooden footbridge, up 11 steps
and over a stile into F6. Bear R across this field, and go thru a
kissing gate in the far R hand corner, into F7. Bear R and follow the edge of
field to the far R hand corner where you go thru a kissing gate and onto a
track. TR and you will shortly reach a road/drive. Cross the lane and go thru a
small metal gate into a small orchard. Go across the meadow and along a
footpath, passing a tennis court on your L, to go thru a small metal gate onto a
road/rough lane. TR and
follow the lane down to the car
park just around the corner.
Walk 8 Abbey Dore
Last walked in April 2019
Description. An 9 km (5.6
mile) walk across common land and fields.
Many stiles.
Start. Dore Abbey, Explorer
Map OL13 Grid 386303.
Directions from Tesco’s roundabout (Turn milometer to zero). Take the A465 to Abergavenny. At 6.9 miles TR sign posted ‘Abbey Dore 3’. At 9.1 miles at a road junction TL to Dore
Abbey. Continue into Abbey Dore and at
9.8 miles, at a road junction you TL for Dore Abbey. At 10.2 miles, (150 metres past Dore Abbey)
park on the L hand side of the road, in a lay-by oposite a pub called Neville
Arms.
1. Abbey Dore. Abbey Dore
is a village and parish
in Herefordshire,
the place is famous for its 12th century Cistercian Abbey,
Dore Abbey. Dore Abbey was founded in 1147 by French
Cistercian Monks who were not academic recluses but were skilled at managing
their agricultural lands— in Dore’s case breeding sheep with fine wool. The Abbey was suppressed (dissolved) by Henry
VIII in 1537 and the buildings sold to Lord John Scudamore who dismantled all
the monastic buildings and sold the stone, all that remained (i.e. the present
Abbey) was L as a roofless ruin until 1630. Restoring the
ruins into a Parish Church was deemed an appropriate penance for John
Scudamore’s great-great-grandson and the rebuilt church was re-consecrated in
1634. The
Church you see today enjoys regular Church services, has a fine organ and is
the venue for many concerts. From the lay-by you face the main
road and TR to walk along the road towards the Abbey, after a few hundred
metres on the R is the archway into Dore Abbey which was founded in 1147. TL and cross the road, go up a few steps to cross
over a stile into a field F1. Climb up the steep hill to the top L hand
corner to cross over another stile into F2. Cross the field diagonally, aiming for a white
cottage. There is a stile beside the
cottage but do not cross it, instead you continue up the field and go thru the
gap into {F3}. Continue on up the L field edge, and near the top corner you TL
to cross a stile and follow along an enclosed track. After a few metres the
track bends to the R, and a bit further on it ends at another stile. Cross the
stile onto Ewyas Harold Common. Bear R
and continue uphill along a concrete path that gently ascends, you pass under
power lines and continue along the path until it levels off and eventually
brings you to the cattle grid leading off the common. Cross the cattle grid to join the tarmac lane
and continue on the same line, passing farm buildings, (the first building on
your L is called Meadow Croft). After about ¾ km you emerge onto a minor
road. Continue in the same direction
along this minor road for just over ½ km, and TR thru a metal gate into F4
(ignore the first metal gate you pass). There is a way mark sign post attached
to this gate, which is about 400m past Cwm Hill Cottage (L). Bear L across the
field and cross over a double stile into F5. TR and follow the hedge on your R, cutting off
the field corner, to go thru a small metal gate into F6. Cross this field to cross over a
double stile, and continue walking in the same direction to go into F7.
2. {F7}. Drop
downhill; follow the power lines to cross over a stile into F8. Keep
in the same direction as you continue down hill, bear slightly L, to cross over
a ford at the bottom of the field. TR to follow the stream until a stile
appears in the fence on your L. Cross the stile into F9 and walk up the hill to cross
over a stile by Pen-Twyn Farm. Continue in the same direction to cross another
stile a little way ahead, into F10. Go straight down this field to cross over
another stile and down a short enclosed track into F11. Keeping the fence/tree line on
your L, go down to the bottom of the hill and cross over a stile/wooden gate,
then go over a stony track with a cattle grid on your L and continue in the
same direction to cross over a wooden footbridge, up some steps and over a
stile into a field with newly planted trees. Head diagonally L thru the trees
to go thru a wooden gate and out onto the B4347 road.
4 3 2
3. The B4347.
TL, carry on along this road, which bends to the R going towards
Hay, for about 1½ km. Turn into the next
road on your R, sign posted Kerry’s Gate, and continue along this road until it
turns sharp L. At this point you TR and
continue straight on down the drive to a property called Riverdale, which was a
Victorian workhouse. It is now private
dwellings, so keep to the drive. An Act of Parliament of 1834 led to the building of
workhouses such as that at Abbey Dore on the site that is now Riverdale. Instead of each parish being responsible for
it’s own poor and needy, a system dating from the reign of Elizabeth I,
parishes were to be grouped into Poor Law Unions, each run by a Board of
Guardians and each bound to build a workhouse to serve the linked
parishes. As workhouses went, the Dore
one was small, built for eighty to a hundred people that might "farm
out" their poor for a set sum, if they wished. At the end
of the drive keep walking in the same direction to cross over a stile into an
orchard. Go straight thru the orchard. Cross a double stile into F12. Continue
in the same direction, (keeping the river on your R) to cross a stile into F13.
Cross this field, aiming for bottom L corner, and go thru a small metal gate,
then over a wooden footbridge and through another small metal gate into F14. TR,
walk a few paces and TR to go thru a metal gate gap, then bear L and walk along
an enclosed track, (the river is on your R). At the end of the enclosed track
you go thru another metal gate and back into F14. Walk a few paces and go thru
another metal gate and continue along an enclosed track. At the end of the
enclosed track go thru another metal gate into a field, and continue along the R
field boundary, a fence and the river is on your R.  Abbey
Dore Court. TL, 100 metres along the
road you TR and walk along a footpath, the large building on the corner is the
old Magistrates Court. Follow the
footpath to a kissing gate to the R of some large metal gates and continue
round to the R, to rejoin the River Dore.
Follow the river to reach a concrete gated footbridge, and cross over
the river into F15.
Head for the L side of the Abbey as you cross this field.  Walk towards the abbey; go thru another
couple of kissing gates to enter the grounds of Dore Abbey. Continue in the
same direction to leave the Abbey along the main path onto the main road, TL
and return to the start.

Start Parking area in Bodenham. Explorer Map 202 Grid 530509.
Directions from Whitecross roundabout (Turn milometer to zero). Take
the A4110 Canon Pyon (Three Elms road) for 1 mile and TR at the traffic lights
onto the A4103 Worcester (Roman road). TL at the second roundabout sign posted
for Bodenham (3.2 miles). At 9.4 miles,
just beyond Bodenham and before ‘England’s Gate Inn’, TL, sign posted to
Bodenham Church. At 10.3 miles you TL by the memorial cross and park on the R
hand side just before getting to the church (total 10.4 miles).
1. St Michael’s Church.
Bodenham, St Michael’s Church. The parish church of St
Michael and All Angels at Bodenham is set in a beautiful location beside the
peaceful River Lugg. The church is primarily 14th century, in the Decorated
Gothic style and consists of a chancel, a 3-bay nave with clerestory, south and
north aisles, and a solid west tower on a square plan topped by a truncated
lantern spire. Within the church are several intriguing historical monuments
and a 13th century carved stone font. With your back to the car
parking area TR, following the sign to the church the road bends to the R and
then to the L, into the churchyard. The other side of the church you go thru the
gate in the far R hand corner of the churchyard, and cross two foot bridges,
the second one spans the River Lugg. TR, follow the sign to “The Vern”. Stay
close to the riverbank until you reach a footbridge with a stile at each end. Negotiate
this and bear slightly R to cross over F1, heading for the far corner, to cross another
footbridge with a stile at each end. TR, and after a few paces bear L to climb
a small bank to cross over a double stile. TL, and continue up the bank and
into a F2.
Bear diagonally R across this field, head for the L hand side of a small wood, and
on reaching it you continue thru a gap and along an enclosed green lane.  Roadway. TL and
follow this road for about 130m, just before two poplar trees either side of
the road you TL and cross over three planks and a stile into the same field as
before {F2}. Walk straight ahead, keeping close
to the edge of the garden on your R. At the end of the garden TR and follow the
field boundary, that soon bends L. Continue on, and when you reach the far R
hand corner of the large field, go thru a wide gap on your R and into F3. Continue
in the same direction as you make your way to the woods (Ashgrove Wood), keep
to the fence on your L. At the end of the field (after about 80m) TL, go over a
stile/metal gate into F4, TR and continue along the R field boundary. After
about 130m, (near the end of the field), you TR and cross over a footbridge
with a stile at each end, into F5. Head half L across the field to reach the
bridge behind the church, back to the junction of paths.
3. River Bridge.
Don’t go over the bridge but head off to the R, and follow the sign for
Bodenham Moor (1 mile). Follow the river (L), and at the end of the field
you cross a stile into F6. At the end of this field you cross a stile
into F7.

Continue straight across this arable field, passing underneath power lines to
cross a stile onto a narrow road. Cross the road, climb over a stile/metal gate
into F9,
continue in the same direction across this field, to meet a tree line/small
stream on the L. Continue along the L field edge to cross over a stile into F10. Continue
along the L field edge for about 50m then TL, cross over a concrete footbridge
and turn immediately R thru a small metal gate into F11. Go diagonally L across this
field, heading towards two tall popular trees and the back gardens of some
houses. On reaching the two popular trees you go thru a gate gap onto the road
called Orchard Close. TR and then follow the close to its T-junction where you
TL onto the main road. Continue on thru the village, ignoring any side
turnings, to reach the England’s Gate Inn.
4 3 2 1
4. England’s
Gate Inn. Pass the pub on your L to reach the T-Junction where you TL onto
the main A49/A417 road. Walk along the main road, taking great care as the
traffic is often heavy and fast. Take the first yellow waymark sign on the L
(opposite Calderwell Farm, the last in a line of houses on the other side of
the road) and go thru a small wooden gate into F12. Keep to the R field edge and go
round the field boundary. TR when you reach a small gap in the hedge that’s
underneath a public footpath sign, onto a narrow road. TL and continue along to
the end of the road and TR at the T-Junction. Carry on along this road,
ignoring any turnings, crossing over Bodenham Bridge, (the river Lugg flows
underneath). Carry on along this road and take the first Public Footpath sign
on the L, passing thru a kissing gate. Follow the footpath signs, keeping the
hedge on your L, and pass thru two more kissing gates to reach F13.
Cross this small field and go thru a gap in the hedge/tree line, that’s
underneath the R hand popular tree, into F14. Continue in the same direction across this
field and along the R field edge, to go thru a metal kissing gate into the
churchyard. Follow the path thru to the lichgate on your R, to leave the
churchyard and walk back to your car.
Walk 10 Kings Caple
Last walked in May 2019
Description. A 7 km (4.3 mile) walk along road, river and across
country, with a pub in Hoarwithy. A couple of small hills to climb.
Start. Park the car outside St John the Baptist Church, Kings
Caple. Explorer
Map 189 Grid Ref: 559288.
Direction from Belmont roundabout (Turn
milometer to zero). Take the A49 to Ross-on-Wye and after .4 of a mile, at traffic lights, you TL and head
towards Holme Lacy on the B4399. At the first
mini roundabout (.6 of a mile) TR to Hoarwithy.
At 7.2 miles, just before entering
Hoarwithy, TL to King’s Caple. About ½ mile further on, at 7.6 miles you TR, signed to Ruxton, and
drive along a single lane road to the church. Total distance is 8.5 miles.
1. St John the Baptist Church, Kings Caple. The
churchyard stands on the bailey of a Norman castle, whose motte, known as Caple
Tump, stands across the road. This road was part of a Roman road called Caple
Street. In the gallery stands the Benefactions Board from 1796; this shows the
six charities established for the Poor by local landowners and their tenants. An
unusual one is called Cake Money by which Pax Cakes are still distributed every
Palm Sunday to the congregations of this church. The church has six bells, the
oldest dating from 1632. Park on the grass by the tump opposite the 13th century St John the
Baptist Church, (a tump is a small rounded hill or mound). From the road go around the R hand side of
the tump to a stile in the fence on your R. Climb over the stile and cross a
track to climb over another stile into a field F1. Walk straight across the field
to go thru a metal gate/kissing gate onto the Sellack Boat Road, and TR. Continue
on, passing a house called Shieldbrook, which is on your L, and keep on until
the road turns sharp L. Continue straight on, thru the middle field gate onto
the enclosed mud track to cross a footbridge over the river Wye.
2. Bridge over the River Wye. Before continuing,
turn R and go under the bridge to read the memorial commemorating this link
between Kings Caple and Sellack. The bridge, put up in 1895, brought to an end
the centuries old ferry between the parishes. From the
footbridge continue straight across the fields, heading towards the church at
Sellack. You cross over a small wooden footbridge, and continue on to cross
over a stile into F2. Cross the field to reach a stile by a metal
gate. If you want to visit the 13th century church then cross over the stile in
front of you, else cross over the stile on your R, into F3. Sellack church is
dedicated to St. Tysilio and claims to be the only English church dedicated to
a Celtic saint. Head diagonally across the field towards the river, and on reaching the
river you TL and continue along the riverbank. Cross over a stile, which is on
the R of a double metal gate, and continue along the river bank, passing a
smart looking fishing hut by the edge of the woods on your L. Keep to the edge
of the wood on your L as it veers away from the river, at the end of the wood you
continue on, to cross over a stile that’s in the middle of metal gates and onto
a road.
3. Kynaston, Hentland. Take the road opposite, signposted Kynaston,
Hentland, and continue uphill for a kilometer until it turns sharp L. TR and
walk along the enclosed Public Footpath. Continue along this track for 200
meters, then ignore the track as it bends around to the L and walk straight on
down another enclosed track, to go underneath electric cables. The enclosed
track descends a little as it bends to the R and after 150 metres you go thru a
metal kissing gate into F4. Continue along the L field edge; keep to the
fence/hedge on your L and go thru a metal kissing gate into F5. Continue
along the L field edge to go thru another metal kissing gate, to cross over a
farm track and into F6. Keep to the L field edge, there are power
cables above that you can follow. Walk along the edge of this large field that
eventually descends to its far corner, where
you climb over a stile into a wooded area. Walk straight on to climb over
another stile/metal gate onto a concrete drive. Continue in the same direction
to walk down an enclosed track that’s to the L of a double garage and a house
called ‘Quarry Bank’. Walk down the track that descends thru trees to reach a
main road.
5
4. Road to Hoarwithy. Bear slightly L and
walk with care along the road into Hoarwithy. Walk past the New Harp Inn on
your R and take the first R turn signposted Kings Caple 1, (the church of St
Catherine is on your L). The church is not
always open but there are splendid views from the terrace. The
original chapel was built in 1840. The interiors are sumptuous, modelled after
the Cathedral at Le Puy, in France.  Continue along the road passing the tollhouse on the
bridge over the Wye. After
crossing the river bridge you walk towards the Kings Caple sign (R), and just
before the sign, TR, to walk along a dirt track that runs parallel to the
river.
4 1
5. Ancient
road. Walk along this track, which widens to the ancient road it once was,
gradually getting closer to the river. Ignore the stile and footpath sign on
your L. The track bears L away from the river to join the road. Turn L and walk
past the entrance to Lower Ruxton Farm on the L. Just before the white cottage
on your R, TR onto a stone track. Keep to the L of the black corrugated barn,
and go into F7.
Walk straight across F7 to cross over a stile into F8.  TL, and walk up the winding road, as you
pass the large house on the R called The Green, the road bears L. Follow this
to the next junction and bear L. Ahead is Kings Caple church.
2 3
Walk 11 Stretton Grandison
Last walked in December 2018
Distance. A 6 km (3.7 miles) easy walk across farm land.
Start. St Lawrence’s church. Explorer Map 202 Grid 633441.
Directions from Whitecross Roundabout. [Turn
milometer to zero]. Take the A4110 Canon Pyon (Three Elms road). After 1 mile,
at traffic lights, TR onto the Roman Road and the A4103 to Worcester. After
10.1 miles, at traffic lights, TR onto the A417 to Gloucester. At 11.3 miles
you TL, and 100m further on TL again to park by Stretton Grandison church.
1. Church of St
Lawrence. St
Lawrence Church dates back to the 13th Century and over the century’s
the
parishioners have strived to maintain the Church and its Traditions. Inside the
church are beautiful stained glass windows; the only hexagonal font in
Herefordshire that has a sunken quatrefoil on each face, the font has been
painted a reddish colour. There is also a monument to Sir Edward Hopton, died
in 1668 and his wife Deborah, died in 1702. Figures of Hope and Charity grace
the pediment, and a genuine gauntlet from the Civil War hangs from beneath it. Walk
into the churchyard and TL in front of church spire, then carry on up the
straight path and over a stile into a field F1. Bear R and go up the field to go
thru a small wooden gate into a strip of trees. Continue in the same direction
to back out of the trees into F2 going thru a second small wooden gate. TR and
walk along the edge of the field, (the wood is on your R), at the end of F2 you
go thru a small wooden gate into F3, and continue along the field edge keeping the
wood on your R. Continue on, and at the end of this field you go thru a metal
gate that stands between two cottages. Continue on along a gravel drive to
cross over a cattle grid onto a road.
2. Cattle Grid.
At the cross roads (the New House private road is in front), you TR and
continue on for about 80m. TL off the surfaced path and go thru a small, way
marked metal gate and into F4, walk along the L edge of this large arable
field. In the bottom L hand corner you go thru a small metal gate and into F5. Heading
in the same direction, towards a pylon, go along the L edge of this field and thru
a gap in a hedge into F6. Continue along the L edge of this field,
towards the pylon, to cross a footbridge into F7.  Favour the L edge of this arable
field as you head for the trees. At the end of the field you follow the edge
around to the R, and 30m on you TL into the trees and continue along a small
dirt track to cross the river Frome via the third footbridge. Exit the trees by
crossing a plank bridge and small wooden gate into F9. Walk along the L edge of this
large field. Continue around this field to go thru a metal gate in top R corner
and onto the main road, (Mill Cottage sign is displayed).
2 1
3. Mill Cottage. TR and walk along the road
for about a kilometre, passing ‘Rochester House’ (former vicarage then club),
‘Forge Courtyard’ and then ‘The Staples’. Further on, at the beginning of a
small wood (R), you TR and cross over a stile into F10. Bear half R and cut across this
large field, onto a tarmac lane that goes to Canon Frome:St James church, (ignore a
concrete path if you happen to cross over it). A Roman
auxiliary fort, (look at map) lay to the west of Canon Frome and
covered an area of just over 5 acres, the area available for occupation was
about 4¾ acres, the fort was protected by a rampart and double ditch system. The
encampment would have been large enough to have been garrisoned by a mixed
auxiliary unit of both foot soldiers and cavalry troopers with a nominal
complement of five hundred men. The unit was probably stationed during the
early campaigns of governor Publius Ostorius Scapula,
sometime around A.D.47/8. TR and walk along the lane to
reach the gate into Canon Frome Court and the church. Don’t go thru the gate,
but TL and walk along the R edge of F11, to go thru a metal gate in the far
R hand corner.
4 3
4. Field Corner. Now go
ahead thru gap and continue on along the L edge of F12. Cross over a ditch into F13 and
continue along the R hand edge, to cross over a concreted double gated bridge
and into F14.
Very slightly L you then continue on for about 80m and go thru a kissing gate
into F15.
Bear L to go straight across this field and thru a gated gap, which is about
130m in from the R hand corner (or follow the R edge of the field around) to
cross over a low concrete bridge into F16. Go straight across this field to go thru a
kissing gate into common ground. Carry on in the same direction to reach an
unfenced road. TL and head back to the start point.
Walk 12 Harewood End
Last walked in December 2015
Description. A 6
km (3.7 mile), hilly walk along straight bridleways, up a little valley with
some nice views along good terrain.
Don’t go when it’s to wet.
Start. Park
the parking area across the road from Harewood End Inn. Explorer Map 189 Grid 529269
Direction from Belmont roundabout (Turn milometer
to zero). Take the A49 to Ross-on-Wye,
and after 8.8 miles TR and park in the parking area opposite houses.
Harewood Park, situated in a quiet valley
between Hereford and Ross on Wye, is a 900 acre estate which the Duchy of
Cornwall, (owned by Prince Charles and Camilla) bought as part of the
Prudential purchase in 2000. When the
Duchy of Cornwall acquired the estate in May 2000 they made plans to breathe
new life into what had become an abandoned group of farmsteads within
Herefordshire, (The Duchy of Cornwall is a private estate which funds the
public, charitable and private activities of The Prince of Wales and his family). The Duchy has been the driving force behind
plans to revitalise the cottages and buildings on the estate and this positive
rural regeneration project has already created jobs and homes in the area. In 2003 plans were prepared for the estate’s
rural regeneration project that would take an estimated eight years to complete
at a cost of approximately £8-9 million.
The scheme was designed by consultant architect Craig Hamilton and dealt
with the sympathetic and sustainable restoration of three groups of buildings
at Home Farm, Grange Farm and Harewood Park itself. The scheme, which received
considerable support from the local Planning Authority and the surrounding
inhabitants of the area, was designed to provide an inspirational place for
people to live and work but also to save the structures from the plight of
decay and collapse.
1. Harewood End Inn. A Traditional
country pub and restaurant, 5 letting bedrooms all en-suite facility in the
beautiful Herefordshire countryside.
Large home cooked menu available daily.
Go back to the main road and cut straight across it, to
walk along the tarmac Bridleway that’s to the R hand side of Harewood End
Inn. Pass a garage on your R and for
over ö km you go
along a narrow enclosed dirt track that will widen out into a tree-lined
avenue, you then go thru a way marked metal gate and onto a wide stony farm
track. Go straight ahead along the farm
track for well over ö km to reach
Woodlands Farm.
2. Woodlands Farm. Continue ahead between farm buildings to
exit by a wooden gate on the L, (in front of silos), onto a grassy avenue. Walk along the avenue for about 100m to go
thru a wooden gate into {F1} and continue along the L hand edge of this field. Keeping the fence on your L you continue on
for another ö km, going
under power lines and passing trees on your L, to reach the corner of the field
where you cross over a stile by a metal gate into {F2}. TR and walk along the top of the field for
about 100 metres, then TL and descend the field, straight down past stables and
a house on your L to go thru a metal gate and onto the tarmac road.
3. Tarmac Drive.  Carry on in the same direction passing a pond
on your R, and then go thru a wooden gate below the start of a wood on your L. Carry on for about a kilometre up the valley,
passing underneath power lines, going thru a metal gate and then passing a
wooded area on your L. Near the end of
the field, on the L hand side, go thru a metal gate and on up an enclosed
avenue, to go past a restored old farmhouse on your L.
3
4. Grange
Farm. Bear R across a stony drive
onto tarmac drive/lane and continue along lane.
Ignore drive into St Denis Chapel, which is on your R, and ignore the
drive further along the lane on your L, which goes to Grange Farm. St Denis’s Chapel is part of a comprehensive regeneration
project of Harewood Park. Originally the
private chapel to the estate, this is the third chapel on the site and dates
from 1864. Follow the
lane to a road junction and TR at a small pond, (if its still there) in front
of Home Farm. Immediately passed the
farm, (now on your L), you TL and go up 7 wooden steps and thru a small wooden
gate into {F3}. Keep to the fence and
the L hand edge of the field until the fence turns sharp L, at this point you
go straight across the field, going up the steep hill to cross over a stile at
the top into {F4}. Walk on in the same
direction and then follow the R edge of this field. As you pass a house on your R the field edge
will bend L, and after about 100m you TR to cross over a stile in a hedge to
get onto the main road.
4 2
5. Harewood
End. TR and walk along pavement for
35 metres and cross over the A49 to cross over a stile opposite and into {F5}. Go straight across and down the field to
cross over a hidden stile which is just R of the bottom field corner, then go
down steps and onto a road, (if the stile is to overgrown then go thru the
metal gate in the corner, turn sharp R and go thru another metal gate and onto
the road). TL to snake down the road to
the first house on the L which is Netherton Farm.
6 1 5
6. Netherton
Farm. TL towards the house and walk
about 30 metres up the L most drive and just before the metal gate TL up a
grassy channel. Cross the stile, which
is on the L of the metal gate, into {F6} and follow the R edge of the field,
hedge is on your R. Carry on to the end
of the field and cross a stile/metal gate and continue along the R edge of {F7}
to cross another stile in the top R hand corner into {F8}. TL, follow the L edge of this field to cross
another stile on the L and go along an enclosed track between fences to a
telephone kiosk which is opposite Harewood End Inn.
Walk 13 Monnington
Walk
Last walked in May 2019
Description. A 6 km (3.7
mile) easy pleasant walk along small roads, grassy lanes and thru Bulmers apple
orchards.
Start. Monnington Village by
a red telephone box. Explorer Map OL13
Grid 372435.
Directions from Whitecross roundabout (Turn milometer to
zero). Take the A438 to Brecon and at
7.4 miles TL to Monnington-on-Wye. At 8.2 miles TL toward Monnington Court and
park on the verge near to the red telephone box.
Monnington Walk is no doubt
grateful for being off the beaten track, away from the busy A438, and close by
the River Wye. If apple orchards are
much in evidence, then discovery that this is part of the Bulmer estates will
not be a surprise. Visitors are made to
feel welcome rather than an intrusion, and a further bonus is that this walk
involves the minimum of ascent - ideal after Sunday lunch!
1. Monnington
Court. Walk along the road towards
Monnington Court and take the first turning on your R, a bridleway that leads
you past Albert House (R) and onto Monnington Walk, a 1km long avenue with a
line of fir trees on either side. Monnington Court, a building largely of the seventeenth
century, but with a fifteenth-century wing closest to the church. The avenue, lined with fir trees was probably
planted in 1628 to mark the election of William Tomkins as MP for nearby
Weobley. The firs are interspersed with
yews, and some replacement planting has taken place. There are orchards on your L, at there best
in mid or late May when in full blossom.
Continue to the end of Monnington Walk, initially walking
along a tarmac lane and when the lane bends L towards a house you carry
straight on thru a metal gate and onto the grassy avenue that has a line of
trees either side. At the end of the
avenue, after about 1km and just before reaching a metal gate into woods, TR
and go thru a gate into F1.
2. Gate. Carry on straight across the field,
keeping to the fence/hedge on your R. At
the end of the field you go thru a metal gate and TR to continue along an
unmettled road/track. Walk along this
road/track for almost a kilometer, ignoring any way marked footpaths L or R,
the road/track then bends L. A little
further on, by a hydrant 76/6, the road/track bends R and transforms into a
narrow tarmac road.
3. Monnington
House. Continue along this road for
about 1.3 km, ignoring the road on your R (where the telephone box is) that
goes to Monnington Court. Continue along
this road, (which ends at the main A438 road to Hereford), and not far from the
main A438 a big oak tree, a footpath sign and a metal gate on the R hand side
is reached, at this point you TR and go thru the metal gate into Bulmers
orchard fields.
4. Bulmers
Orchard Fields. The
history of Bulmers began in 1887, when H P (Percy) Bulmer, youngest son of the
Rector of Credenhill, first pressed apples from his father's orchard. Bulmers cider can be found worldwide and
Strongbow is sold across Europe, Scandinavia, USA, Australasia and the Far
East. The company is now owned by Heineken. Walk along the L field edge, (after
a few meters the hedge turns L, and further on it turns R). Keep to the hedge on your L and
follow the field boundary around for about 1.3 km, till you reach the end of various
orchard fields, which is just in front of a brook and a wooded area. Before
reaching the field end the hedge turns sharp L, then it bears R and continues
on to the end of the field. At the field end you TR and continue along the edge
of the field, keeping the brook/wooded area on your L. After a couple of hundred meters you TL and
cross over a wooden bridge into another orchard field. Go straight across, going between sets of
orchards and heading for the River Wye.
2 1 4 3
5. River
Wye. TR when you get to the river.
When the river bends L you follow the fence on you L, the fence heads
off R towards the church. Follow the way
marks to the church. Uvedale and Mary Tomkins of Monnington Court rebuilt the
church in 1679 and there is a carved Royal Stuart Arms of Charles II on the
South wall. The 17th Century fittings
are virtually all intact and typically almost everything has twisted legs or
balustrades including the altar table, chancel screen and two-decker pulpit. The famous ‘Heroes Grave’ of William Williams,
who fought under the Duke of Wellington at Waterloo, is in the churchyard. You have a stream on your R as you
pass under the church archway that has
seats L and R. The path bears L away
from the stream to the road, the start point.
5
Walk 14 Garway Hill
Last walked in May 2019
Description.
A 5 km (3.1 mile) walk over common land with
magnificent panoramic viewpoints.
Underfoot the paths are firm and grassy.
Start. From Garway
Hill telephone box, 10 miles south west of Hereford. Explorer Map 189 Grid 448250.
Directions from Tesco’s roundabout. (Turn milometer to zero). Follow the A465 to Abergavenny for a 7.2 miles and
TL onto a minor road signed Garway Hill.
At 8.2 miles TR at the T-Junction.
At 9.3 miles TL at the next T-junction.
At 10.4 miles at the hamlet of Bagwyllydiart, ignore the turning to the
left and continue for 40 meters to TR signed Garway Hill. Continue along main road to park on the grass verge just before the
red telephone box, total distance of 11.8 miles.
1. The
Sun. Walk down the road for 50
meters. TR onto a concrete track with a house on your right displaying a weathered
pub sign of 'The Sun'. Continue up the track, passing the rebuilt cottage on
your right to a metal gate at the end
of the
track leading onto Garway Hill Common.
2. Garway
Hill Common. Go through the gate
onto the common. TR, and follow a fence
line for the first 100 meters, then continue on a wide grassy track towards the
top of the hill. As you
ascend you will see ahead of you, to the left of the top of the hill, the Sugar
Loaf, a triangular shaped mountain, on the southern end of the Black
Mountains. It will disappear as you
climb to be replaced by Ysgyryd Fawr, or Holy Mountain, as it gradually comes
into view. Its geological slip can be
clearly seen, which according to local Welsh folklore is where Noah’s Ark
finally rested! Three
quarters of the way to the top of the hill you will come to a pond on your
right. It provides water for the ponies
that roam the hill. TR here and follow
the path to the Radio Mast at the common boundary fence.
3. Radio
Mast. To got
the best of the panoramic views, move to a small mound 40 meters to the left of
the mast to see, from right to left –
Hereford City, the Clee Hills, Wye Valley, Radnor Forrest, Hay Bluff, Hatterall
Ridge, the entire eastern ridge of the Black Mountains, the Sugar Loaf, Yr
Skirrid and Blorenge. Now
with your back to the Radio Mast take the narrow grassy path to the structure
on the top of the hill, a world war two observation tower and a trig
point. You are now at 1200 ft.
4. Top of Garway Hill. The building is the
remains of an Observation Tower built in World War2 but almost immediately
redundant due to the arrival of Radar.
Alongside it is the Ordnance Survey Tri-angulation Point, once used for
map making but now also redundant in an age of aerial photography and satellite
surveying. To the West below
you is Kentchurch Court, the home of the Scudnmore
family who still occupy it. This is a 14thC
castle, restored
as an Edwardian house by Nash around 1800. Between you and the house is the deer park with
its herd of fallow deer. The house was used by
the BBC TV in 2004 for a series about life in an Edwardian country house. Continue on in the same
direction, taking the left hand fork in the path after about 100 metres as you
start travelling down hill. Keep along
the ridge as you go down hill, heading in roughly the same direction, although
you do veer off slightly left, and head towards a wooded area in front. This brings you out onto a stony track at the
fenced boundary of the common, (and next to a wooden gate at the entrance to a
house in front). TL along the stony
track to join a
surfaced road by a little red post box and Garway Parish notice board.
2 4 3 1
5. Chantry Cottage. TL along the road and pass White Rocks Farm
building on your right to reach a cattle grid.
TL immediately before the cattle grid to ascend a concrete/rocky drive
for about 200 meters to the corner of
a low stone garden wall on the right.
Turn sharp right here to follow the garden wall to pass Chantry Cottage.
Built in 1904 and with a plaque in memory of Rev. Jones
who provided it, in 1929, as a place of
rest and retreat for clergy. Follow the garden wall/fence
uphill to the corner and just passed the wooden lodge in the garden, then
slightly right as you continue straight on, in a north easterly direction,
along a narrow grassy path between bracken, which after a short distance will
gradually ascend. Continue up hill in
the same direction and pass under some power lines as you head for the gate in
the right hand corner of the common. You
are now back at point 2. Retrace your
stops to the start paint.
5
Walk 15 The Marcle Ridge
Last walked in July 2019
Description.
A 7 km (4.3 mile) walk over farm and woodland
paths and tracks, of which 1½ miles
is along the Marcle Ridge with its spectacular panoramas.
Start. The Marcle Ridge car park and
picnic site, 8½ miles south east of Hereford.
Explorer Map 189 Grid 630346
Directions
from the Fire Station. (Turn milometer to
zero). 200 yards passed the Fire Station
TR signed 'Fownhope B4224'. After 3.9
miles, (in Mordiford) TL signed Woolhope 3. After 6.8 miles, (in Woolhope) TL at a T
junction and continue on main road signed for Ledbury 8. Keep R thru the next village and at a road
junction, after 7.7 miles, TR signed Much Marcle 4. Go up the hill and along the ridge and at 8.8
miles TR at the next junction on the R and park in the layby on the L.
(2 blue sign posts at this site: Unsuitable for HGV’s and Unsuitable for
LGV’s).
The route along Marcle
Ridge has been an important line of communication for many millennia. The long, gentle slope of its eastern side
offers well drained, easily worked agricultural land and this is reflected in
the huge number of prehistoric, Roman and medieval sites recorded. During the Bronze Age and Iron Age farmsteads
would have been scattered over this slope with the ridge itself used as a
vantage point
1. Lay By. From
the lay by you go back up to the Much Marcle road and go up the public footpath
steps on your R, over a stile and into F1, (you will now be following the R hand edge of
the fields with woods on your R for the whole length of the ridge, heading
towards the TV and Radio Mast). Continue along the ridge and thru a
number of fields(7), passing the radio mast(L) that’s in field 6. Continue
along the R hand edge of F7, and at the end you go down some wooden steps and
thru a kissing gate onto an enclosed track.
2. Enclosed Track. TR and
continue down hill along the enclosed track.
Ignore all paths off this track until you reach the bottom. Before you get to the old farm house (Grey
Hill Barn) that’s on the R hand side, and by a public footpath sign, you TR and
go thru the metal gate into a field.
Walk straight ahead (going north), under the double power lines and
along the R side of a line of trees to reach a farm track where you TL and
follow the track around the R hand edge of large fields. The stony track crosses
a very small stream and goes uphill, bends to the R, and then joins a narrow
road. TL and walk uphill along the
narrow road that soon goes downhill to join a main road at a T-junction. TR a few metres before the T-junction to go over
a cattle grid, thru double wooden gates onto a tree lined grassy track. With a fence on your L, follow this level
track thru a metal gate and on towards farm buildings. As you approach the farmyard, keeping to the
field edge, you pass a pond on your R and then go thru a metal gate into a
farmyard.
4 3 1
3. Duck
Pond. Follow the farm track uphill
and to the L, after about 50 metres, (at the end of an open barn), turn sharp R
and continue up a track into the woods.
Follow the track along the edge of the wood, (ignore a track going off
to the L) and when the track you are on turns L, you carry straight on and cross
a stile into an arable field. There is
no clearly defined path but you go straight across the large arable field, to
reach the corner of the woods. Continue in the same direction along the top
edge of the field, (the wood is on your L), until you reach a metal gate/stile
in the far top L hand corner of the field. Cross over the stile to go into the
wood, (if in any doubt look at your map).
Walk along the track thru the wood and when the track turns L you carry
straight on to cross a metal gate/stile into a meadow. Cross the meadow keeping parallel to the wood
on your R to reach a mound ahead that used to be a lime kilns. Pause to take in
the panorama to your L of the Black Mountains with Hay Bluff on the northern
end. The village of Woolhope is below
you. The foreground is part of the
Woolhope Dome – an area of limestone surrounded by the more typical red soil of
Herefordshire and its underlying Old Red Sandstone. It explains the mound which turns out to be
lime kilns. At the lime
kilns you TR and make for a metal gate/stile at the end of the wood.
4. Lime Kilns. Cross the metal
gate/stile and go downhill along the L edge of the wood. Leave the wood thru a metal gate and continue
on in the same direction, keep to the L field edge as you go up a large
field. When you reach the top L hand
corner of the field you go thru a metal gate into a short length of enclosed
track to join a minor road. You are now at
Hooper’s Oak. In 1575, about half a mile from here, a landslip buried
buildings. A house near the sight is called The Wonder, In memory of this
catastrophic event. TR here and follow the road for half-a-mile
back to the picnic area.
2
Walk 16
Athelstan’s Wood
Last walked in July 2019
Description. An 8 km (5 mile) strenuous walk over undulating
farmland and woodland. Athelstan's Wood
is an ancient wood named after a Bishop of Hereford in 1056.
Start.
From St David's church, Little Dewchurch, 5½ miles south east of
Hereford. Explorer Map 189 Grid 529317
Directions from Belmont roundabout. (Turn milometer to zero).
Take the A49 to Ross-on-Wye and at «3 of a mile, (528 yds), TL at traffic
lights and head towards Holme Lacy on the B4399. At «6 of a mile, (500 yds), TR at mini
roundabout signed ‘Dewchurch 5’. In
Little Dewchurch, after 5«4 miles TR signed ‘St David’s
Church’. After 5«8 miles park in the lay-by at the
church.
1.
St David’s Church. St David's, Little
Dewchurch, is a small village church set in the beautiful countryside of South
Herefordshire on the edge of the Wye Valley.
It has a medieval tower (14th century) housing six bells that
are rung regularly. The rest of the
church was designed and rebuilt by the architect and artist Frederick Preedy in 1869-70. With your back
to the church take the road to your R, after 30 metres the road bends L, follow
the road gently uphill for a while, and just before the road bends to the R you
TL and cross over a stile into F1. Walk 40
metres downhill, keeping to the fence on your R, to TR over a stile/gate and
into F2.
Follow the pylons and the delightful stream on your L, to cross over a stile
into F3,
and continue along the bank of the stream. At the bottom L hand corner of F3 you
dog-leg L then R to reach the track that crosses the stream. Do not cross the
stream but turn R into F4, and follow the track uphill, with a hedge on
your R, to join a short enclosed muddy lane into the farmyard. Go straight ahead thru the yard, with one or
more gates, to rejoin the road that’s coming from the church.
2. Church lane. Go straight ahead, down the road to the
bottom of the hill and TR onto a track that has a metal gate and stile 40
metres ahead. Cross the stile and
continue on for 30 metres then TL at the first footpath, to go uphill along the
edge of the wood and thru a small wooden gate into F5.
Go straight ahead and to the L of three oak trees. Near the oak trees, on your L hand side, you
meet up with a hedge, keep it on your L and follow it to a gate and stile in
the corner of the field. Cross the stile
onto a road. Turn sharp R onto an enclosed stony track,
which becomes an enclosed green lane, and follow it for about 1½ km, ignoring
all other paths or tracks to R and L.
The track may narrow in places if the grass and weeds on either side
have grown, but eventually the track becomes more defined and will turn into a
lane/road as you continue on to reach St Mary’s church of Little Birch, which
is on your L.
3. St Mary’s Church.
Immediately after the church TR down a track to reach Higgin’s Well at
the bottom. The
well was restored for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897. Legend has it that the landowner tried to
stop local people drawing water from it but after his own house was flooded he
relented and the well has never run dry since! Now TL to take the uphill track behind the
well. A short stretch of this can be
muddy, though some stepping stones are provided. Carry on to the main road and TR, walk a few
paces and TR to follow the No Thru road/Unsuitable for HGVs uphill. The road bears L and continues uphill for
about 1km to the T junction where you TR.
4. T Junction. TR here.  Follow this track gently down
hill to reach its end, at a metal gate. Go thru two metal gates
and continue in the same direction, with newly planted trees
on your L and sawed down trees on your R. Follow the path into the trees to a
T-junction of tracks, where you TL and walk along a wider forest track. Follow
the track downhill, the track swings to the R and runs parallel with a stream
on your L. Continue downhill for about ½ km to a track
junction where a track to the L crosses the stream by a culvert.
5 4 3 2 1 4
5. Culvert.
A culvert is a device used to channel
water. It may be used to allow water to
pass underneath a road, railway, or embankment. In forestry, proper use of
cross-drainage culverts can improve water quality while allowing forest
operations to continue. Cross the stream and turn sharp L
to follow the track uphill, the stream is now below you on your L. Continue on for about ½ km to reach a
clearing in the track, a sort of car parking area. Go to the far end of the clearing and just
before reaching a gate turn sharp R to go up a way marked path that goes thru
the woods. Go thru the wood to reach the other side and cross a stile into F6. Head
slightly R to cross this field, heading toward the R side of an electric pylon. At the end of the field go thru a gap into F7 and
walk along the R field edge, with the hedge on your R. In the Field corner you
go thru hedge gaps into F8, a hedge and 2 sets of stiles are on your L as
you continue down hill to a tarmac lane.
Go down hill to the road junction and TL to the car park.
Walk 17 Vowchurch
Common
Last walked in July 2019
Description. A 10 km (6.2 mile) strenuous walk over farm and
woodland tracks with delightful views and constantly changing scenery.
Start. Lay-by opposite Vowchurch church. Explorer Map OL13 Grid 362365.
Direction
from Tesco’s roundabout (Turn milometer to zero). Take the A465 Abergavenny road. At –8 of a mile
you TR and take the B4348 to ‘Hay on Wye’. At 2–8 miles, in
Clehonger, TL onto the B4349 to ‘Hay on Wye’. At 5–2 miles TR
onto the B4348 to Vowchurch. At 8–6 miles, and
in a hidden dip you TL for ‘Vowchurch’. 200 yards further on park opposite the
church.
1. St Bartholomew’s Church. Was consecrated in 1348, the bell turret is 1522 and inside,
the 17th Century roof covers chancel and nave and is supported by huge carved
oak pillars, the Jacobean screen has dragon carvings and the font is Norman. Walk back up
to the B4348 and cross the main road. TR and immediate L to go uphill on a
minor road signed Vowchurch Common (Private Land). Turn off the road onto a
public footpath immediately before the first house on the L. Keep on the
footpath for almost a kilometre as it changes to a green lane and then to a
muddy track until you reach a way marked path on the L, which is just past a
derelict brick building on the L. Continue in the same direction for 10 metres
then TR up a steep unmarked narrow track, this soon goes between gardens and
reaches a drive that goes to Frogs Hollow house on your L. Cross the drive and
continue in the same direction uphill and around a lone stile to join a road. TL
and go uphill for about 200 metres, (passing a house on your L called Mount
View), to the first house on the R, Juniper Cottage
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2. Vowchurch Common. TR immediately after the cottage to go along a
footpath to a stile onto Vowchurch Common. Bear L and walk along the top of the
common and follow the footpath thru scrub. After crossing a couple of stiles
you reach a small wooden gate and an enclosed track that goes L. Don’t go thru
the gate, ignore any waymark signs, TL and follow the enclosed track to go thru
a metal gate onto a road. TR, go down the road and after about 80 metres you go
thru a wooden gate, a few metres further on you cross over a stile on your L
into a field, (beware of the long drop down some steps on the far side of the
stile).  TL onto a track
and go downhill and thru a metal gate into a green field, a derelict building is
on your L. Continue downhill with the hedge on your R until the field becomes a
wide enclosed track, then after 30 metres TL onto a concrete plank and over a
ditch and thru a small metal gate into a green field. Now follow the hedge on
your L. As you near the end of the field, and in the bottom corner you cross a
footbridge that is 50 metres to the L of a half-timbered farmhouse. TL along
the track leading to Monnington Court farm buildings. Go thru a metal gate and
across a cattle grid to continue along a drive to a road where you bear R,
after 100 metres TL thru a small metal gate into a field.
3. Guys Estate. Go uphill to enter the wood ahead by a gate (Guys
Estate). Keep on a muddy track, generally going uphill. After about 4 hundred metres,
by a way marked post, the track bends R and continues uphill to a
T junction with a very wide gravelled forest track. TL, go along the wide
track until you come to the first main intersection where the track bends R,
(ignore the first footpath on your R). Follow the track as it bends R, (ignore
the track that goes straight ahead) and after half a dozen paces you TL and
follow the grassy track, gently ascending, to go thru a gate gap into a field. Now follow
the edge of the wood for almost a kilometre. 100 metres before the field ends,
near a white house, you turn into the wood and continue in the same direction
and walk along the inside edge of the wood, to emerge onto the drive. Go
straight ahead and follow the drive to where it turns sharp R.
4. Hill Farm. Turn off the drive here, (ignore the gate on your L
to Hill Farm), continue in the same direction for a good 1ö km, stay along an enclosed farm
track that keeps to the inside edge of the wood. You will pass thru a gate, you
then continue on, keeping to the R inside edge of the wood until you reach a track
junction where you bend R (ignore the track ahead that has a chipped stone
path), and continue on past a large wooden building(L) to reach Poston Lodge
Farm. Immediately past a tennis court (L) you TL, and with the farm buildings
on your R you continue on to go thru a small metal gate and into a meadow.
5 4
5. Cwm Du. Go straight across the narrowest
part of the meadow, keeping just to the L of the start of a valley – Cwm Du –
to cross a stile by some mature oaks into a patch of scrub. Go steeply down thru
it for a few yards to cross a stile into another meadow.  Make your way up to the wood on your R and continue along the
outside edge. At the corner of the wood, you turn half R, and head across and up
to the top corner of the field by the wood. Cross a stile that’s to the L of
the wood and go thru an orchard and onto a tarmac road. Cross the road and go
downhill across the narrowest part of the meadow to join a hedgerow on your R. Follow
the field boundary, keeping the wood on your R. Ignore the first stile on your R
and continue around the boundary for a further two hundred metres, going down
then uphill to cross another stile on your R into the wood and thru to the main
road.
1 6 3 2
6. Poston Mill Park. Cross the busy road with
caution and TL. After 50 metres turn into the Caravan Park (ignore the first
turning), go straight down and ahead, passing reception to cross the River Dore
by a footbridge. TL and go thru a metal gate and into a field, follow the
river, which is on your L until you reach a gate, then cross a small field to a
gate to the L of Turnastone Church onto the road. Tradition
has it that several centuries ago two pious ladies disagreed where to build a
church to serve the two local parishes. ‘I vow I will build my church before
you turn a stone of yours’: hence the neighbouring churches of Vowchurch and
Turnastone. Turn L and follow the road back to the start,
crossing over Vowchurch Bridge.
Walk 18 Views to the Urals
Description. A
7½ km (4.6 mile) hilly, moderate ramble. The walk goes thu a park,
along roads and along an open hill. If you stand on the top of the Malvern
Hills and look east the next highest hills are the Urals in Russia. Hereford
Times July 2019.
Start. Malvern Priory Road Car Park. Opposite the
swimming pool. Explorer Map OS 190 Grid 778459.
Direction from
Whitecross Roundabout (Turn milometer to zero). CHECK
MILAGE Take the A4110 Canon Pyon (Three Elms road). After 1 mile at traffic lights TR. Continue on the A4103 towards Worcester and
at 19.3 miles TR onto the A4219 Malvern/Cowleigh Road. Continue straight on to the end of the road
(21.4 miles), and at traffic Lights you TR. On reaching Great Malvern you TL
and go down Church Street (????miles). Go straight over the first set of
traffic lights (theatre is on the R) ignore the next R turn, and TR at cross
roads (parking signs displayed) and go down Victoria Road. Straight across the
cross roads and along Priory Road, to park in the car parks (L) that are
opposite the swimming pool.
1. Priory Road Car Park (opposite Splash Pool).
Emerge and TL along Priory Road. TO BE WRITTEN
At the L
bend, cross and go up a walled footpath next to No4 Priors End. At the end, TL
past Lindsay Arts Centre and TL into College Road to Malvern College. During World War II, the
college premises were requisitioned by the Admiralty and the school temporarily
relocated to Blenheim Palace. Continue. Bend R at Headmaster’s
House, past Ashfield. Swing up L along Abbey Road, short distance to Wells
Road, cross and, at 1860 fountain, TR as if for Colwall.
2. Upper Wyche Road. TL along near pavement, past Chalet No. 24
and Earnslaw Quarry, with views across Seven Plain, for one mile, to the Wyche
Inn. TR, into Herefordshire, to find toilets, bus stop and bench area. But TR
up Beacon Road, at Gundy’s Meadow. Follow obvious surfaced path, perhaps
favouring Hensby’s right, eastern approach for gradual ascent – one mile – to
3. Worcestershire Beacon. Celebrating
the Queen’s first sixty years, the topography will tell you that (RAF Defford)
at Croome Park was 7 miles due east, but can you see the Ural Mountains?
When ready, carry on due north quite steeply down over rougher ground, 550m, to
an indicator stone. At the path junction look for the way to St Ann’s Well. Go
forward five paces and TR, at the time of writing, thru a wooden gate. (Not
back on yourself.) After about 75 paces, fork L down the broader path. Curve
right down narrowing path, thru gorse, until you reach broad cross path. Turn
sharp L. Go under trees, thru gate towards clearing and viewing area, but TR to
St Ann’s Well.
4. St Ann’s Well. Continue down twisty surface to the road. TR
for town centre via 99 steps (actually 95) and Rose Bank Gardens (Walenty
Pytel’s Buzzards),to R of mount Pleasant. TL then fork lower R, signed Malvern
Theatres. After 50m, TL in Abbey Road. TR down Church Street. Pass Priory. TR
for Theatres (old Winter Gardens.) TL into Priory Park. Pass L of bandstand,
across Swan Pool, by Splash to park.
3 4 2 1
Walk
19 Fownhope and Common Hill
Last walked in August 2019
Description. A 6 km (3.7 mile) moderate walk with three short
sharp climbs. Scenic viewpoints and thru a nature reserve.
Start. Fownhope recreation field off Capler Lane. Explorer
Map 189 Grid 579343.
Directions from the Fire Station. (Turn milometer to zero). 200
yards passed the Fire Station TR signed 'Fownhope B4224'. Continue on to the
end of Fownhope and at 6.1 miles you TR at St Mary’s Church and go along
Capler Lane. After a couple of hundred yards, (6.2 miles) a small white road
sign points to the ‘Recreation Field and Parking River Wye’, TR here and go
along a narrow lane to the car parking area at the Recreation Field.
1. Car Park. Return
to Capler Lane and TL, go back along Capler Lane to the road junction by
St Mary’s Church. Go straight across the main road into Common Hill Lane. Proceed
along the lane and on your L you pass Canon House, Church Croft road and then
Fownhope Medical Centre. Continue on for 150 metres and when the road bends to
the R, you TL and go thru a small wooden gate into an arable field F1. TR,
follow the field edge (hedge on your R) which, at about 60m bends L. Continue
along the field edge for about 100 meters and TR at the hedge corner, into F2. Walk
up to the top of the field (fence/tree line is on your R) and cross over a
stile onto a gravel driveway. Go across the driveway and continue up hill, to go
thru a stile gap and onto a dirt lane (Green Lane), where you TL. Walk along
the green lane and after about 40 meters fork R up hill. Continue up the track
to TR at a T junction that’s by a telegraph pole (ignore any small tracks
off to the R). Continue up a steeper track to another T Junction by a way
marked post. TL to go along a well defined track which is part of the Wye
Valley Walk.
2. Wye Valley Walk. Continue along the track, passing a cottage on your R.
The track is now wide and stony as you continue downhill to a main road (Woolhope
road). Cross the road, and then walk on to cross a concrete bridge over a
stream. TR and veer to the L as you go thru a gate and up an enclosed track
into F3.
Continue up the track to reach the end of the wooded area on your R, just by a
marker post. Keeping in the same direction go straight across this field to reach
a metal gate at the end of the field. Do not go thru the gate but TR and follow
the L edge of the field down, to cross a stiled footbridge over a stream and
into F4.
Go slightly L up this field to cross a stile onto a well defined
track/bridleway, (the track goes around the perimeter of Haugh Woods).
3. Haugh Wood. TR, follow the excellent bridleway for about 1km back
to a main road. If you want to make a slight detour to visit
Tom Spring’s Memorial, TR and go along the road for about 30 meters then TL thru
a gate and the memorial is about 100 metres in front of you. Return to continue
the walk. Tom Spring would become the champion bare knuckle fighter of all
England. Perhaps his most famous fight was against John Langan, the Irish
champion, who he beat after 77 rounds. TL and walk along the
road for about 20 meters to TR and go thru a small metal gate into F5,
opposite a black and cream cottage called Rudge End. Go straight across the
field to go thru a field gap and over a brook into F6. Go straight up this field to go
thru a small wooden gate at the top, (the gate is to the R of a house on the
hill). Bear R and after a few paces go thru another small wooden gate, then TL
to go up a track to emerge at ‘Five Ways’, (five tracks, one
of which is a tarmaced).
3
4. Five Ways. There are two enclosed tracks directly in front of
you, take the track on the L which starts going up hill. Continue climbing for
200 metres to cross a bridleway gate/stile on your R to pass into Common
Hill Nature Reserve. Turn half R and climb the hill, then climb some steps to
sit at the viewpoint on Monument Hill, (not that you can see anything). Go thru
the gate on your L and TL, continue up and along the ridge to go thru the next
small wooden gate. Continue along the track for a short while, and opposite a
house on your L you veer R, up a slope to go thru a small wooden gate and onto
a track. TL to follow the track down to the main road, (Hawkers Lane).
5 4 2 1
5. Hawkers
Lane. TR to follow the quiet lane downwards for about 1½ km,
(ignore a R fork into Common Hill Lane) and reach a main road. Cross the road
diagonally R and go thru a metal gate, following public footpath as it bends L
and goes thru a farmyard, and continues along the side of a bricked wall (L), to
find a detached stile which is near the end of the wall. Continue in the same
direction i.e. TL walk 10 paces then TR, and follow the upper R edge of the
field, and after about 70 metres you cross a stile into F7, there are solar panels in this
field. Continue in the same direction, along the R field edge, and in the field
corner you cross over a stile into F8, (ignore the first stile that’s on your R).
Continue in the same direction, keeping to the R field edge to cross over a
stile onto the main road (Capler Lane) opposite Tump Farm. TR, walk along the
lane past the 30mph signs and for a few hundred meters when you TL for the
recreation field and the car park.
Walk 20 Stoke Lacy
& Ullingswick
Last walked in March 2016
Description. An 8 km (5
mile) walk over farmland, thru woods and along the alder tree lined banks of
the River Loddon. There are some gentle
rolling hills but it is an easy walk.
Start. From the car park
opposite Stoke Lacy church 9 miles north east of Hereford. Explorer Map 202 Grid 621494.
Directions from Whitecross roundabout.
(Turn milometer to zero).
Take the A4110 Canon Pyne (Three Elms road) for 1 mile and TR at the
traffic lights onto the A4103 Worcester (Roman road). Continue on the A4103 towards Worcester,
crossing over two roundabouts, then TL on the A465 to Bromyard[3.8m]. At 11.5 miles you reach Stoke Lacy church
where you TR, sign posted Hopton 1, the car park is on the R.
1. Stoke Lacy. To Start the walk go back to cross
over the main road. TL for 40 metres then R onto an access track between houses
and follow it until it ends at a double garage to the L of a house. Go thru a small wooden gate to the L of the
garage into a field {F1}. Continue in
the same direction across the field to cross a stile and foot-bridge into {F2}.
Bear L across {F2} and go towards a line of trees which hide the River
Loddon. Follow the river along until the
remains of a red brick building (Huddle Mill) can be seen behind the hedge in
the bottom L corner of the field.
2. Footbridge. TL across a footbridge into the
bottom of {F3} and then go straight ahead to cross another footbridge over the
River Loddon and into {F4}. TR and follow the river thru three fields
{F5}{F6}{F7}. At the end of {F7}, where
the river bears away to the R, go straight ahead with a fence and house on your
R. After passing the house TR thru a gap in the fence (where a gate used to be)
and into a small paddock, TL and go to the far corner of the paddock and cross
a stile onto a stony drive to the house. TL down the drive to join a minor
road. TR for 5 metres then L up some steps then 20 metres to a stile into a
short green lane (overgrown in 2004 and, if still so, walk to the R of it)
leading to cross a stile into {F8}. Continue ahead, to walk along a wide grassy
strip, passing between a copse on your L and a hedge on your R and a cider
orchard, until you come to a gate. Go thru
the gate to pass to the R of a cottage, continue straight on to the main road
and TR, ignore the tarmac road immediately to your R that passes thru double
gates.
3. Double Gates. Follow the road until you reach the
Three Horseshoes Inn on your L. TL
immediately after it up a track until you come to a track junction. Ignore all gates, tracks to houses and
another into a wood, to continue straight ahead on the on1y track that goes
downhill to go thru a metal gate into {F9}, a wood is on you R. Continue down
and along the edge of the wood and thru a gate into {F10}. Walk along the
inside edge of Boxash Wood and into {F11}. Follow the hedge on your L thru a
gate and onto an enclosed fenced track, carry on to a track junction; a
corrugated shelter is on your R. Ignore
the track to your L and go straight ahead into {F12} and follow a hedge on your
L, to reach a gate at the end of a field.
3
4. Gate. Go thru this gate into the corner
of a field, and a few metres ahead you go thru another gate into the garden of
a house, with barns (Sheepcoutts Court).
Go towards the buildings – the R of way passes immediately to their R. Then follow the garden wall on your L to join
a tarmac drive, where you TL. After 300 metres you reach the main road and TL.
Walk along the road to arrive at the church in the attractive village of
Ullingswick. The
church has 12C origins but had major restoration in the 19th C. It is well worth a visit and the building
next to it – Upper Court – is an interesting 16th C house. Follow the road round the church yard
and onto where the wooden building ends, then after a further 5 metres, on the R
by a finger post, TR over a stile (this stile may be over grown with weeds) and
into {F13}. Keep to the fence on your R
and continue on thru a metal gate into {F14}. Continue on to go thru a metal
gate into {F15}. Go straight across this field to cross a stile onto a main
road.
5 4 2 1
5. Minor Road.
TL and walk along the road for about 1 km to reach
double metal gates and an overgrown footpath post (R), (the house opposite used
to be the Three Crowns Inn). TR into {F15} and go diagonally uphill to an
electricity pole in the middle of the field.
Carry on down the field and on thru the wood, to reach a gate at the
other end. Don’t cross over the gate but TL and walk along the inside edge of
wood – where there is no clear path - to a stile in the R corner of the wood,
cross the stile into {F16}. Walk diagonally R up this large field, aiming for
the top R corner and the end of a tall hedgerow (R). Near the top you bend R
and walk along a narrow part of the field and thru a metal gate onto a minor
road. TR and follow the road to its junction with the A465. TL to go downhill to Stoke Lacy village and
the start.
Walk 21 Backbury Hill & Pentaloe Glen
Last walked in March 2016
Description. An 8 km (5
mile) walk over rolling country thru woods and farmland.
Start. From Swardon Quarry car park and picnic site 5
miles south east of Hereford. Map
Explorer 189 Grid reference SO 578386.
Directions from the Fire
Station. (Turn milometer to zero). With the Fire Station on your L. 200 yards passed the Fire Station TR signed
'Fownhope B4224'. After 3.9 miles, (in
Mordiford) TL signed Dormington. After
4.8 miles TR signed for Checkley and a picnic site. After 200 yards the road continues on around
to the L, a little further on you keep R and head on uphill for a further ½
mile to Swardon Quarry picnic site and car park, which is on your R. [5.5
miles]
1. Quarry Car Park. With your back to the quarry/car park TR, walk 10m up the
road to TR onto a track that’s off to the R. Walk a few metres and TL (by a
sign post for Mordiford Loop), and walk up hill, going thru a belt of
wood-land. After 140m you reach another Mordiford Loop sign post where you TR
and go thru a small metal gate and along a wide grassy path. Walk along this
path for almost 1 km, going thru a gate, crossing a track and thru another
gate, to continue on until you go thru a metal gate into a field {F1}. Keep to
the fence on your R for about 70m, and then continue on thru a wide gateway gap
into {F2}. Go downhill, keeping the fence/hedge on your L, to go thru a small
metal gate at the bottom, into a wood. Follow the path thru the wood and
downhill, (ignore a cross track that appears 15m down). Near the end of the
wood you go down some wooden steps onto a metalled track. TR and go downhill to
the main road.
2. Mordiford. TL
and after 200 m, just past a wooden bench, TL at a Mordiford Loop Walk finger
post and follow a narrow path to join a residential road. Mordiford
is a village and a parish in the district and county of Hereford; the village
stands on the river Lug, near its influx to the Wye, and is under Backbury
hill. The village has a post office, (if
still functional), a bridge over the river Lug, a pub (The Moon Inn), and a
church. The church has Norman portions;
is chiefly later English; has a transept rebuilt in 1852, and a tower rebuilt
in 1814; has also a memorial window to the eldest daughter of R. Hereford,
Esq.; and contains a piscina, an ancient monument, an effigies with a very
ancient inscription, and a memorial of a very remarkable storm which passed
over the village in 1811. The parish
contains also the hamlets of Checkley, Checkley-Green, Sufton, and the Rock.
After the third bungalow on the L, TL down a narrow fenced path to go thru a
kissing gate into {F3}. Keep the Brook on your L as you walk along this long
field, then along a stone chippings drive to reach a metal bridge at the end of
{F3} where you TR and walk up to the top field corner that’s by a derelict
cottage, to go thru a small wooden gate into Bear's Wood. After 50m into the
wood you reach a wide track where you TL. Walk along the wide track until you
emerge onto an open area at the end, (there is a metal bridge on your L that
crosses the stream). Ignore the small track ahead that’s to the R of the stream
and bear R to go uphill on the main forest road. After ½ km, when the road
bends sharp R back on itself, in the far L corner of the bend you go into the
woods and down a narrow path that leads to a stile into {F4}. Cross the stile,
walk a few paces into the field and TR, now aim for the lowest corner of the
wood ahead to cross another stile. Go into Limburies Wood and follow the
footpath, keeping to the edge of the wood on your L until it emerges onto a
main track. TL, cross the brook and walk
along the track for about 30m to cross a stile on your R into {F5}.
4 3 1 1 5
3. Stile. Follow the brook and cross a stile into {F6}. Follow the
brook and cross a stile into {F7}. Follow the brook and go thru a small metal
gate and along an enclosed track, to reach a minor road. TR and walk along the
minor road that bends L, until you reach St Nicholas Checkley Chapel (L). 150m further up the road you TL (The FIRS house is opposite).
Go thru
a gate on the L and follow the enclosed track to go thru a gate and across a
bridge over the brook. Follow a footpath
between hedges into a wood. Once in the
wood ignore all paths and tracks to both R and L and keep on the main track
that converts into a stone chipping drive as it goes gently uphill, to emerge
onto a wider track at a T-junction. TL and walk along the wide enclosed track
for 30m to TR where the track forks before a cottage.
2
4.
Track Fork.  Continue down hill to reach a minor road. TR for 50
m then TL off the road onto a grassy path into a belt of trees and follow this
path back to the quarry.
Walk 22 Brockhampton and The River
Wye
Last walked in April 2016
Description. A 7 km (4.3
mile) walk over varied terrain of woodland, farmland and along a lovely stretch
of the River Wye. The full walk involves
one short steep down and another steep uphill section.
Start. Brockhampton
church 8 miles South East of Hereford. Map 189 Grid 594321.
Direction from the Fire Station.
(Turn milometer to zero)
200 yards passed the Fire Station TR signed 'Fownhope B4224'. Continue on thru Fownhope and at 6.2 miles you
TR at the cross roads immediately before St Mary’s Church, signed 'Capler
and Brockhampton Church’ and go along Capler Lane. Follow for 1.8 miles [8m] to turn L at -the
cross roads and go downhill for 300 yards to park on the road by the church
[8.1m]
1. |Brockhampton Church. Brockhampton
church was built in 1902 and described by the architectural authority,
Nicholaus Pevsner, as ‘One of the most convincing and most impressive of
churches of its date in any country’.
The architect and builder was Lethaby, a disciple of William Morris and
the Arts & Crafts movement. Indeed
there are two tapestries one each side of the altar made in the William Morris
Workshop from designs by Edward Burne-Jones.
The church is lovingly maintained by its parishioners even to the hand
embroidered prayer book covers, each with a different wild flower. It is a must for a visit. With your back to the Lych
Gate, cross the road and TR, walk for 20 metres and TL to go thru a gate into {F1}. Go down the valley to cross two fields {F1}
& {F2} that are separated by a small wire fence, you can cross the fence
going over wooden steps or by going thru a wooden gate. As you descend and near to the end of the
fields Brockhampton Court will be on your L. Brockhampton Court
was rebuilt in 1893 from an 18century rectory, it was the home of Alice Foster
and her husband of the Yorkshire milling family, who had the church built in
memory of her parents. It is now a
Residental Home. At the
end of the fields go over a stile/wooden gate onto a minor road and TR. Follow
uphill to a road junction. Cross the
junction to walk up an enclosed track leading uphill, to enter {F3}. Now follow the track with a hedge on your R thru
two fields {F3} & {F4}. At the end of the second field go thru a wooden
gate and then immediately R over a stile and into {F5}, follow the hedge on
your R to join a grassy green lane. TL
and follow the enclosed grassy green lane until it ends at an arable
field. TR into {F6} and follow the track
with the hedge on your L until you reach a minor road.
2. Minor Road. TL along the road for 700 metres,
going thru a group of cottages, and just past the Welcome to Brockhampton road
sign (L) reach a Picnic Site on your R. TR
and take the track in the R corner of the site, going downhill thru the trees -
mainly Sweet Chestnut. If it is wet be
careful, especially on a short steep section, as the track is metalled and the
stones can be slippery. On reaching the
River Wye TR and walk along the river bank. Continue along the bank for about 1ö km and follow the track as it
swings away from the river, going gently uphill, follow the track up to a minor
road. TR and go uphill for 700 metres, involving
a short steep section of 1 in 6, to a
Viewing Point on your R.
1 2 3
3. Viewing Point. Pause here for the spectacular view down the
Wye Valley. Now with
your back to the Viewing Point cross the road and TR for a few metres to TL
onto a very short length of track into {F7}.
Continue in the same direction keeping the hedge on your R. Uphill on the L hand
side is Capler Camp, an Iron Age Hill
Fort occupied between 500BC and 200/300AD. To the east, (half R)
is Marcle Ridge and the Mast, Mary Hill with its distinctive crown of trees is
to the south east and the Forest of' Dean along the skyline from south to south
west. Continue thru two fields {F7} & {F8} and
over two stiles. A few metres after the
second, TR over another stile/metal gate into {F9}. Turn half R and cross this diagonally,
cutting off the corner, to cross a stile
in the hedge ahead into {F10}. Continue
across {F10} to a gate on the R of a house.
Go thru the gate and down a short lane to a minor road. TR and go 150 metres downhill back to the
start.
Walk 23 Orleton and Bircher
Last walked in Jan 2016
Description. A 6 km (3¾ miles) easy winter walk, four
stiles. 90 per cent country lanes and open common.
Start. Orleton village hall.
Explorer Map 203. Grid 487674.
Directions from
Whitecross Roundabout
(Turn milometer to zero). Take the A4110
Canon Pyon (Three Elms road) for 1 mile and TR at the traffic lights onto the
A4103 to Worcester (Roman road). TL at
the first roundabout (2 miles), onto the A49 to Leominster. Go straight across the next two roundabouts
(9.5 miles then 12.5 miles) on the A49 heading towards Shrewsbury. TL at the next roundabout (13.3 miles) onto
the A44 to Leominster. At 13.8 miles TR
onto the B4361 towards Richards Castle.
Go thru Luston and at 18 miles you TR at the T-junction for Ludlow. At
19 miles you TR for Orleton Village. A little further on (L) is the village
hall.
1. Orleton Village Hall. Leave the hall car park and TR, walk on for
75m to reach the B4361.  Go past some houses and continue on to pass Rose Cottage (L) and then
Broad Green Farm (R) to reach a road junction where you TL, the Caravan Park is
on your R hand side. Gently climb this narrow lane, passing Barn Hall (L). At
the next junction the road bends L, (ignore the No Through Road ahead).
2. “Holly” Lane.
Go past Rise Hill cottage (L) and some intermediate holly trees. Descend
for 500m, go round L bend to reach the next T-junction.  Walk on another 75m and look for a narrow
footpath on your L.
3. Bircher Coppice. TL and climb up thru the trees, swinging
around to the L as you continue quite stiffly up to the stony edge of the
coppice. Emerge and keep ahead on the (now) grassy track thru the bracken, with
a cottage and barn down to the L. The track widens to an aggregate drive (to
the cottage), dropping L and R, passing a small parking area and leveling to a
high marker post.
4. Farm drive. Turn
sharp L down the farm drive to a shorter marker post, which is to the L of
Woodend Farm. From the marker post you continue in the same direction and
descend the dingle, ford trickle of a stream and pass Lower Woodend Cottage (R)
to continue in the same direction and over a stile into a field {F1}. Continue
along the R field edge, over a stile that’s next to a cottage and into {F2},
continue along R field edge. Cross over another stile into {F3} and head
straight for the house (with three windows) and stile in front. Cross over the
stile and TR, walk down a drive. Go past Pennyfarthing Cottage (R) to reach a
lane.
5.
Lane. TR and go down the lane for just over a
kilometer, passing Asley Moor Hall and Temple House, to reach the B4361 cross
roads. Go straight across and up the narrow lane opposite that’s between high
banks, to reach the next T-junction.
6. Kitchen Hill Road.
TL, walk on past Little Furlongs, (L, no through road) to reach Orelton Post
Office. TL down Millbrook Way, to get back to the village hall.
Walk 24 Aconbury Hill
Last walked in Apr 2016
Description. A 6 km (3.7
mile) moderate walk along good woodland paths, roads and across open land. Only a couple of stiles to climb.
Start. Park by Little Birch
Village Hall. Explorer Map 189 Grid
506324.
Directions from Belmont Roundabout (Turn milometer to zero). Take the A49 to Ross-on-Wye and after 4
miles, (at the top of the long hill) TL, sign posted King’s Thorn and Little
Birch. After 4.7 miles, (just past the
30mph speed limits) TL signposted for Little Birch. Continue along the main road, ignore any
turning L or R, to reach the village hall and a red telephone box on your R,
total mileage is 5.4 miles.
1. Village Hall. With your back to Little Birch Village Hall,
TR and walk past the red telephone box (L). TL at the Methodist chapel (L) and
walk up the Public Footpath that behind the chapel. After 120m along a wide
track TR thru a kissing gate/gate and walk straight up another wide track into
Aconbury wood. Carry straight on up,
ignore any turn offs, (you pass two way marker posts on your way up) until you
get very near the top, where there is a L and R way-marker post by cross
tracks. TR and walk about 150m to the
next marker post beneath hill fort ramparts.
Aconbury
Hill Fort was inhabited from about 200BC to after the Romans arrived, though it
seems that it's known locally to be a 'Roman Camp'. The interior of the camp is wooded and a path leads up to its highest
point where there is a triangulation point – rather redundant given the density
of the trees. When Hereford was under siege during the
Civil War, there weren’t many trees on Aconbury Hill and the old Roman fort on
the top was in a commanding position.
The oval-shaped entrenchments enjoyed unimpeded views over the road coming
from Monmouth, across to the Mynde and Much Dewchurch and the approaches to
Hereford Castle. In the autumn of 1642,
the Royalist forces of Lord Herbert had pushed their way from Raglan Castle via
Monmouth on to Aconbury Hill. Thus
ensconced, they could reconnoitre a means of recapturing Hereford from the Earl
of Stamford’s small Parliamentary army.
The roles were reversed in August 1645 when an army of Parliament’s
Scottish allies deployed detachments on both Dinedor and Aconbury Hills. Their disciplinary commander, the Earl of
Leven, orchestrated the operations of his siege from a tent on the very summit
of Aconbury Hill. Immediately
past the way marker post you bear R and head off east, to walk along a well
defined track, (ignore the track going down hill). The track drops gently down and follows
marker posts until you reach the edge of the wood. Near the edge of the wood the track forks L, (on
your R hand side you will see a wooden gate and stile).
2. Lower Woodland Edge. Bear L and walk along a broad woodland path,