straight across this field, heading for a gap in a hedge that is in the far corner
of the field. Continue in the same direction, crossing the end of a farm track
and into {F11}, where you keep to the hedge on your L. Continue on to the
corner of the field and go thru the gap in the hedge into {F12}, where you head
to the R of two big oak trees, and to the L hand corner of the wood in front of
you where you cross a stile into {F13}. Continue south, keeping to the hedge on
your R, and just past the woods you TR over a stile into {F14}. Bear L and
cross over this field, cutting off the corner, and head towards the gap in the
hedge to cross over a stile and a footbridge onto a partly tarmac track. Cross
the track and go thru a metal gate into {F15} to continue in the same direction,
keeping hedge to your L.
1
4. Two Fields. Continue on thru two fields
{F16}{F17} keeping to the L edge. The second field bends R as you pass by a
wooded area on your L, and when you reach the corner of the field, by a wooden
gate and stile, go L over the stile. Go straight across a newly planted
orchard, pass a house on your R and continue on towards five very tall trees. Cross
a stile on the R of the five very tall trees and continue along the hedge on
your R, cross over another stile and then go thru a tall wooden garden gate
onto a drive. Go along the drive to reach the main road. TR and continue along
the road for about ¾ km and thru Staunton-on-Wye where you TL onto the road you
have parked your car.
Book 2
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 2018.
*
The
measurements for all walks are a rough measurement of what is stated.
*
Index
|
Name |
Distance |
Description |
|
Walk 1
Frome Valley |
8½ km (5.3
mile) |
Fairly
strenuous at times walking up hills and along fields. A couple of interesting churches to see. |
|
Walk
2 Eaton Bishop and Ruckhall |
8 km (5
mile) |
Fairly
strenuous walk through trees, along a brook, the River Wye and along field
paths. |
|
Walk
3 Longtown |
5 km (3.1
mile) |
Moderate
walk, with an initial gradual climb over grassy fields and along a road to
the end. See a very old castle, a old
church and an old pub. |
|
Walk
4 Preston Wynne |
8 km (5
mile) |
Walk
across flat fields and roads. This
walk has 17 stiles. This is an edited
version of the Hereford Times December 2011 walk. |
|
Walk
5 Brampton Abbotts and
Hole-in-the-Wall |
8 km (5
mile) |
Moderate
walk along fields, roads, river and railway.
This walk has 12 stiles. This
is an edited version of the Hereford Times January 2012 walk |
|
Walk
6 The Golden Valley |
8 km (4.9
miles) |
The Golden
Valley is one of the most tranquil places in the county, a wide vale laced by
lanes and tracks, dotted with hamlets and villages and bounded by the first upwelling’s
of the Black Mountains. |
|
Walk
7 Edvin and Edwyn |
8 km (5
miles) |
Three
remote churches secreted amongst the rolling countryside to the north of
Bromyard Downs are the target of this walk.
|
|
Walk
8 The Skirrid |
5 km (3.1
mile) |
A moderate
walk. Ysgyryd Fawr is the most
easterly of the Black Mountains in Wales, part of the Brecon Beacons National
Park. The name is often anglicised to The Skirrid or Skirrid Fawr, and the
mountain is also known as Holy Mountain or Sacred Hill. |
|
Walk
9 Fromes Hill |
8 km (5
mile) |
Moderate
walk, but it does have a very steep hill at the end that is strenuous to
climb. Lovely views as you walk down
hill towards Cheyney Court Farm, and a pleasant walk along the bank of the
river Frome. |
Walk
10 Wyevale Nursery |
8km (5
miles) |
Easy walk
along well defined tracks and roads. |
|
Walk 11
Knill and Offa’s Dyke |
8km (4.9
miles) |
Moderate
walk with a very steep strenuous early climb through woods to reach Offer’s
Dyke. Along open ground and a
brook. Well maintained trails with
great views. Taken from Hereford Times
Feb 2012. |
|
Walk 12 Stoke
Prior and the Lugg |
5 km (3.1
miles) |
Edited version of Hereford
Times walk by Garth Lawson. A walk
along country lanes and the river Lugg, with easily attained views and
wildlife. |
|
Walk
13 In the Wake of Wellington |
8 km (5
miles) |
Moderate
walk. Good paths, but one uneven
sunken lane. Eight stiles. Country lanes, field paths, two villages
and good views. [Hereford Times walk
April 2012]. |
|
Walk
14 Ruckhall |
5 km (3.1
mile) |
An easy walk
across fields, along narrow roads and touching the River Wye. Above the river is a very good view. |
|
Walk
15 A Marksman’s Mauseoleum |
10 km (6.2
miles) |
Over 22
stiles, with modest climbs as you walk through woods and low-lying
fields. Go past monument and an old
Hereford to Gloucester Canal. |
|
Walk
16 Pencombe |
8 km (5
mile) |
A
strenuous walk on minor roads and tracks and across farmers fields. |
|
Walk
17 Black Hill and Olchon Valley |
8 km (5
mile) |
With
spectacular views from an exhilarating ridge and a marvellous valley descent. |
|
Walk
18 Risbury Cross 2 |
8 km (5
mile) |
A moderate
ramble investigating country lanes, brooks and field paths. None of the gradients, which also visit the
Humber and Holly brooks are too demanding. |
|
Walk
19 North Titley |
5 km (3.1
mile) |
A moderate
walk up and down a hill. |
|
Walk
20 Marcle Ridge |
6 km (3.7
mile) |
A moderate walk up and down the Ridge. Fine views
across south and east Herefordshire. Along a ridge, thru fields and country
lanes. |
|
Walk
21 Garway Hill |
6.4 km (4
mile) |
A strenuous
climb, beautiful scenery. |
|
Walk
22 Gladestry and Hergest Ridge |
8 km (5
mile) |
Strenuous
walk. One stiff climb, walking along
bridle paths, country lanes, fields and open springy-turfed moorland. Spectacular views. Taken from Hereford Times July 2012. |
|
Walk
23 Golden Valley |
9 km (5.5
mile) |
Moderate
walk in The Golden Valley meadow, pasture and brookside. |
|
Walk
24 Burghill and Tillington |
9 km (5.6
mile) |
Mostly
bridle paths and country lanes. Three
stiles. Sites ancient and modern. Can be joined in Tow Tree Lane from Roman
Road, Hereford. Hereford Times
September 2012 |
|
Walk
25 Eardisley and Woods Eaves |
7 km (4.3
mile) |
A
leisurely walk. No stiles. Quiet country lanes and bridle path, mostly
surfaced. Hamlet, historic tree and
village on the Black and White Trail.
Hereford Times walk of October 2012. |
|
Walk
26 Skenfrith Castle Walk |
8 km (5
mile) |
A pleasant
moderate walk, with excellent views of the hilly countryside. |
|
Walk
27 Kings Caple and Fawley |
9 km (5.6
mile) |
A moderate
walk along quite country lanes, fine bridleway, two crop fields and over four
stiles. Quite long stretches of road
walking. Taken from Hereford Times Nov
2012. |
|
Walk
28 Clehonger |
9 km (5.6
mile) |
Walk
across flat landscape, crossing over a number of cropped fields, so it can be
arduous if done when it’s sodden wet, or when fields have just been ploughed. |
|
Walk
29 Malvern Hills |
9 km (5.6
mile) |
Walking
along good tracks and minor roads through woodland and across part of the Malvern
Hills. |
|
Walk
30 Lyonshall |
8 km (5
mile) |
[Need your
speakie as the route may have changed] Walk across farmland, a short stroll through woods and
along minor roads. Pleasant and
interesting surrounding to look at. |
|
Walk
31 Woolhope |
9½ km (6
miles) |
Moderate
ramble over good terrain. Some
interesting views. Edited a walk taken
from December 2012 Hereford Times. |
|
Walk
32 Kimbolton and Bache Camp |
6 km (3.7
miles) |
Kimbolton
and Bache Camp, Dovecote, hill-fort, pasture and country lane. Mostly avoiding crops. |
|
Walk
33 The Lower Olchon Valley |
8 km (4.9
miles) |
A
strenuous walk up and down a mountain.
Beautiful scenic views but there are a number of stiles to cross as
you walk across farmland and along patches of road. |
|
Walk
34 Coddington |
5 km (3.1
miles) |
Coddington,
with its thirteenth-century church is a small village nestling in typical
Herefordshire countryside just outside the market town of Ledbury and to the
west of The Malvern Hills in an area of outstanding natural beauty. |
|
Walk 35 Ewyas
Harold |
6 km (3.7
miles) |
A gradual
climb up and gentle walk downhill, across farmland and along minor roads. |
|
Walk
36 Ullingswick |
9 km (5.6
miles) |
A summer or winter walk along narrow roads, thru
woodland and along well defined tracks.
Good scenery. One stiff road
climb. No stiles. (Edited copy from Hereford Times May 2013). |
|
Walk
37 Badnage Wood |
6 km (3.7 mile)
|
This walk goes up a very steep hill thats covered in
trees, and down the other side, then back over this very steep hill. A short but strenuous walk |
|
Walk
38 Stoke Prior |
8 km (4.9
miles) |
Walk along a small amount of narrow roads and across
good looking farmland. |
|
Walk
39 Kington and Hergest Ridge |
9 km (5.6
miles) |
A moderate/energetic ramble thru town, woods and
across hilly countryside, with Spectacular views (Hergest Ridge). |
|
Walk
40 Dymock and Ryton |
10 km (6.2
miles) |
A walk along The Poets’ Paths, with crop, pasture,
woodland edges, nature reserves, and daffodils. (Hereford Times 2015). |
|
Walk
41 Donnington, Broom’s Green and the
parish of Dymock |
8 km (4.9
miles) |
A Serene and generally level country lanes and field
paths. Taken from Hereford Times July
2013. Long trousers recommended. |
|
Walk
42 Herefordshire Trail |
7 km (4.3
miles) |
Taking a compass might be useful. A pleasant walk along tracks, minor roads
and farmers fields |
|
Walk 43 Joyce’s Walk |
6.4 km (4
mile) |
A
circular walk in the Forest of Dean.
It passes through woods and fields to Hope Mansell, then the walk
follows a hilly route to the lane near Horn Hill Farm then skirts Harechurch
Wood before returning to the start. |
|
Walk
44 Beside The Wye |
8 km (5
mile) |
An easy walk starting in Ross-on-Wye. The route is mostly flat, with one gentle
climb and one short sharp climb. |
|
Walk
45 Walks around Luston Group Parishes
1 |
6 km (3.7
mile) |
This walk
takes us out of Luston Village into the beautiful surrounding country- side. It is mainly through fields, a short stretch
along the edge of Oaker Wood and a short section takes us along Croft Lane. |
|
Walk
46 Walks around Luston Group Parishes
2 |
6 km (3.7 miles).
|
This walk
takes us out of the village and into the beautiful surrounding countryside.
It is mainly through fields, crossing several streams and the railway line,
with a short stretch along Eye Lane. |
|
Walk
47 Walks around Luston Group Parishes
3 |
8 km (5
miles) |
This walk
takes us out of Luston village into the beautiful surrounding countryside. It
is mainly through fields, but with several stretches along quiet, minor lanes
edged with wild flowers. It also takes us to the charming church of All
Saints at Eyton (left). |
|
Walk
48 Walk along the Border |
7 km (4.3
mile) |
A moderate ramble crossing 15 stiles and 4
footbridges. |
|
Walk
49 Old Radnor and Hanter Hill |
7 km (4.3 miles) |
A fairly strenuous hilly walk along country lanes,
across pasture and open hillside |
|
Walk
50 Kyrle-on-Wye |
5.3 km
(3.3 miles) |
An easy walk through
suburban streets, woodland and along riverside paths. No stiles |
Starting Points
Hereford
Whitecross
Roundabout.
Fire Station.
Asda.
Belmont Road.
Tesco’s Roundabout
Walk 1 Frome Valley
Last walked in February 2017
Description. An 8½ km (5.3 mile), fairly strenuous at times walking up hills and
along fields. A couple of interesting churches to see.
Start. Park at the roadside just before the grassy lane to Acton Beauchamp’s
church. Explorer Map 202 Grid 680502.
Direction 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). At 13.2 miles,
(at the bottom of Fromes Hill) TL onto the B4214 for Bromyard. At 15.2 miles TR for Paunton and travel along
a narrow road.  Take the first turning L, after 16.6 miles. After a short
distance you park at the roadside near to the grassy lane that goes to Acton Beauchamp’s church, total distance is
17 miles, tuck tightly into the side. Don’t go thru the large metal gates
ahead, that’s the entrance to ‘Church House Only’.
1. Acton Beauchamp’s Church. Set alone on a
knoll above a valley, St. Giles is a beautiful country church. The west tower is medieval, the rest of the
building being rebuilt in 1819 – it is the last Georgian church in
Herefordshire. Above the south doorway
of the tower is set a section of an Anglo-Saxon cross-shaft, dating from about
the 9th century. The font is dated to
about the fifteenth century. Walk up the grassy lane and go thru wooden gates into
the churchyard. Walk up to the top L hand corner and leave the churchyard by a
metal gate and a stile into F1. TR and walk round the field keeping to the
fence on your R, on reaching a line of tall trees you cross over a stile into F2. TL,
walk up the field edge keeping the trees on you’re L, to cross over a stile
into F3.
Go straight across this field to cross a stile into F4. Go slightly L, and 50m to the R
of a small lone tree and 30m R of a gate, you cross over a hidden stile into F5. Immediately
TR and go thru a metal gate into F6 and continue up the R edge of this field, to go
thru a gate gap into F7. Continue along the R edge of this field until
you reach the corner of a wood (Halletshill Coppice) and a small metal gate with
a blue waymarker. Ignoring this gate
you turn sharp L and drop straight down across the field to go across a wooden
footbridge and thru a wooden gate into F8.
2. Wooden Footbridge. Go straight up and across 2 fields
(F1/F2),
keeping the hedge on your R. Go under power lines and thru a small wooden gate;
after about 20m TL then R to continue in the same direction along the R field
edge of F3
to reach a road. TR, walk along the road.
The road bends L, you can TR if you want to go and see the
church of St James, a bit further on it bends R at the entrance
to ‘The Hawkins, and you go straight on, thru a kissing gate into a F4. Follow
along the L field edge to go thru a gate gap, then across a makeshift gate into
F5. Keep
to the hedge on the L to go thru a gate into F6. Continue down and over stile
into F7. Continue in
the same direction, down the next field and along a tree line (R), to
cross over a wooden footbridge over Linton Brook into F8.
3. Linton Brook. TL, walk beside the Linton Brook for 1 km,
crossing four fields to reach a road. TL, walk for 150m and TR over a cattle
grid and walk along a driveway for 800m, crossing a bridge and another cattle
grid to reach Upper Venn Farm.
3
4. Upper Venn Farm. In 1952 Upper Venn’s Farmhouse became a grade 2 listed building.
Just before the first farm shed you TL over a stile into F1, walk
50m along the R field edge to TR thru a gate into F2. Slightly L across this field to
go thru a gate into F3. Straight across and up this field, passing 4 mature
oak trees on your L, to cross over a stile (that’s beyond an electricity pole)
and into a wooded area. Keep to a rough track, (fence is on your L), thru
wooded area to cross over another stile into F4. Continue along the track,
keeping trees/fence on your L to go thru a gate and onto a drive to ‘The Venn Farm,
passing alongside its long black barn. Follow the drive down to reach the minor
road, which is just under a kilometre away.
4 2
5. Paunton Court. TL. When the road bends sharp L you pass Paunton
Court (home to the Frome Valley Vineyard).
Wine has been produced in Herefordshire since Medieval
times and Frome Valley
Vineyards have planted 4000 vines. The vines are grown on a gentle south facing
slope in idyllic English countryside. The
vineyards were established in 1992. Continue
along the road to reach cross roads where you go straight across, heading for
Acton Beauchamp. Climb up this narrow
road to take the first turning on your L, and head along this lane to reach
your car.
5 1
Walk 2 Eaton Bishop and Ruckhall
Last walked in February 2017
Description. An 8 km (5 mile) fairly strenuous walk that cannot be
completed if the river Wye is in flood. You walk thru trees and along field
paths. Walk along a brook and along the river Wye, passing an area of a hill
fort.
Start. Park the car by the side of the road opposite the cemetery in Eaton
Bishop. Explorer Map 189 Grid 444391.
Direction from Tesco’s roundabout (Turn
milometer to zero). Take the A465 Abergavenny road. At the second turning on
the R, after point eight of a mile, TR towards Madley. After 3.7 miles TR for
Eaton Bishop and St Michael’s Church. After 4.4 miles, (across the road from
the church cemetery), park in the small lay-by on your R.
1. St Michael and All Angels’ Church. The church of St
Michael and All Angels dates from the 11th Century with a tower containing six
bells added in the 12th Century. The Victorians tiled the floor of the chancel,
when the original tombstones were moved into the vestry. The East window has
one of the oldest complete examples of a medieval stained glass window in the
country installed circa 1320. With
you’re back to the cemetery TR and go back along the road you came from. Go out
of the village and down the road to where the road bends R, you go straight
ahead and across a stile/metal gate into a huge crop field F1. Continue in the same directions
and cross the field, under electric cables and head to the L of a farm building
in front. 100m to the L of the buildings you cross over a stile.  Cross straight ahead into
hedge-lined lane (|Unsuitable for Long or Wide Vehicles). Follow the lane for
about half a kilometre, passing a house on your R, and just before the lane
bends to the R, by a large building and a detached garage, TL and go over a
footbridge that’s over the Cage Brook and follow a fenced footpath.
2. Cage
Brook.  TL and walk along the road, and just past
the bridge you TR to walk down nine concrete steps into woods, the brook is now
on your R. Follow track going along the river, past an old Mill, then cross a
sloping footbridge. Move down to the R and follow the brook that is on your R.
Just underneath power lines you cross over a stile, TL, cross over another
stile into F2
and TR, follow the stream on your R. Go over a stile underneath another set of
power lines into F3, continue in the same direction. Go over a small gate into F4, and
continue on. Cross over a stile into F5, which is situated below New Barns Farm (L). As
the stream goes off R, you go straight across the field and over a stile/metal
gate onto a road.
3. Eaton
Bishop to Ruckhall road. TR, a short distance along the road you TL at
the junction for Ruckhall.  As the
drive bends L towards the house you go straight on along a green lane. A little further on your L, you
can climb up the 11 new steps to view the highest part of the 18-acre hill-fort
of Eaton Camp at Ruckhall. Go thru metal gate and along and
down below the eastern rampart across a stile onto a gravel drive. TL, walk
5
along the drive, when the drive bends R into the
house, you carry straight on and go thru a wooden kissing gate/metal gate into
a field. Continue on for 60m. TL in front of enclosure, then fork R down along
the riverbank and cross a stile into trees. After 50m TL and go up 11 steps, TR
and after 150m go up 33 more steps, TR to go back down 22 more steps. TL to
reach the junction below old Ancient Camp Inn that is on your L and was once a
pub/restaurant.
4
3 1
4. Below
Ancient Camp Inn. TR and go down about steep stepped path (60 to 70
steps) heading towards the river and Bogwell Pool. TL, go over a stile into F6 and
follow the riverbank for 250m. Cross a stile that’s under trees, then over a
concrete footbridge, keep R and continue across three-plank bridge, possibly
awkward terrain, and reach Sugwas Island on your R. Emerge into a field (F7)
that was at the site of the old ferry.
5. Lower Eaton House area.  After 60m TL and go thru a kissing
gate into F8.
Turn diagonally R and walk across the corner of the field to cross over a stile
into F9.
Continue in the same direction to cross over another stile into F10.
Continue up hill to pass thru a kissing gate and over a surfaced cross track at
the crest and into F11. Continue in the same direction to descend the
field and go over a stile and footbridge over a ditch. Go up crop field (F12)
and thru a gateway on to a road. TL for Eaton Bishop and after a short distance
you arrive at the car.
2
Walk 3 Longtown
Last walked in February 2017
Description. A 5 km (3.1 mile) moderate walk, with an initial
gradual climb over grassy fields and along a road to the end. See a very old
castle, n old church and an old pub.
Start. Longtown Parish Hall. Explorer Map OL13 Grid 324287.
Direction from Tesco’s roundabout (Turn
milometer to zero). Take the A465 to Abergavenny. At 9.7 miles you TR for
Longtown 6. At 10.5 miles TL for Longtown 5. At 15.1 miles you TL for Longtown.
At 15.3 miles TR at the ‘The Crown Inn’, (Established in
1751), and head for Longtown Village. A little further on,
passed the pub on your L and at a T Junction, you TR for Longtown Castle. Two
tenths of a mile along the road you park by Longtown Parish Hall, which is on
the L. [15.5 miles]
1. Longtown Castle. TL from the
car park and walk up the road to look at the remains of the Longtown Castle.  The castles were the property of Norman lords
who built the strongholds in an effort to maintain control over the unruly
Welsh. Longtown Castle was built in the 1180's by the Norman lord, Walter de
Lacy, inside a rectangular earthen enclosure that may date to the Roman
occupation of Britain. Return to
the road and TR to go back downhill for 200m, passing the ‘Outdoor Education
Centre’ (L), to TR and go down a narrow ‘No Thru Road’. Go down to the bottom
of this lane to reach a ford, (where water from Olchon Brook pours over the
road), don’t cross the ford, TL and cross over a stile/metal gate into F1. With
the brook on your R you walk along the R side of the field for 80m and TR, to
cross over the brook using a concrete footbridge, and into F2. Turn half L, go across the field
and then over a waymarked stile, which is below the oak tree halfway along the
distant hedge line, and into F3. Go straight across this field to cross over a
waymarked stiled footbridge near the field corner and into F4. Turn half R and cross the field
to go thru a waymarked metal gate into F5.  Turn half L, cross this field and go thru a small wooden
gate into F7,
a barn is about 100m to the L. Walk half R across this field to go thru a small
wooden gate onto a concrete drive, (a cattle grid is on your R), TL and walk down
the drive to reach a narrow road.
2. Waymarked Gate. Cross the road and go thru
a metal gate into F8. Turn half R and walk across the field to cross
over a stile in a hedgerow and into F9. Turn half L and go down and across the arable
field to the bottom corner to cross over a stile that’s guarded by a stone slab
and into F10.
TL, keep to the L hand side of the field and go down thru a metal gate into F11. Go
half R across this field, down to the bottom R hand corner, to cross over a wooden
styled sloping footbridge and into F12. Keep to the L of the field to cross over
another wooden styled footbridge into another F13, then TL. 30m to the R of the
bottom corner you cross over a stile, you then cross over a big ditch (dingle)
into F14.
Turn half R, cross the field and a stile onto a road.
1 1 2
3. Clodock Church. TL, walk along the road to
reach Clodock church. This
amazing old building has some medieval wall paintings, lovely old pews and a spectacular
pulpit, behind which is a memorial stone dating from about AD830. In
a dark corner of Clodock church under the gallery
are two large stone tablets, mounted on the wall from floor level up to some
seven feet, on which a lengthy text sets out the amount of tithes payable to
the vicar. The tablets commemorate an episode in the life of the church which
has long been forgotten in the local community; a dispute about tithe payments
between parishioners and the vicar which led to a court case in 1805.
The
text on the tablets shows that the medieval system of tithes ‘in kind’ were
replaced by cash payments in Clodock parish by 1805 and gives the amount of
money to be paid in lieu of produce. Next to the church is the completely
unspoilt Cornewall Arms, well worth a visit. Go across the churchyard and down to the river. TL,
and at the north east corner of the churchyard you go across a slab-stile
that’s been made from an old gravestone and join a wooden fenced enclosed path
beyond, the river Monnow is on your R, go thru a gate into F15. Cross this field and over a
stile into F16.
Cross this field and go thru a gate into F17. Cross this field a across a stile into F18.

TL and walk along the side of this field to cross over stone stab stiles onto
the road. TR, walk along the road for 3/4 km to
return to the car, keep L at the junction. As you get to the
south side of Longtown village, you pass "Old
Ebenezer
Chapel". This chapel has four windows along its side,
by each window there is a date stone laid by different people on the 13th June
1889.
3
Walk 4 Preston Wynne
Last walked in February 2017
Description. An 8 km (5 mile) walk across flat fields and roads. This
walk has 17 stiles. This is an edited version of the Hereford Times December
2011 walk. This walk is best completed when the ground is dry.
Start. Preston Wynne. Explorer Map 202 Grid 544484.
Direction 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). At the second
roundabout, after 3.2 miles, TL towards Bodenham. At 7.5 miles the road bends
sharp L, go straight on and park on the No Thru Road to Holbatch. Tuck into the
verge as soon as you can.
1. Verge. Walk along the narrow
No Thru Road for about 1¼ km to reach Upper Holbatch, (a farm on your R hand
side), where the surfaced road ends. The land at Upper
Holbatch Farm is the jewel in the crown and comprises a fine block of mostly
arable land all with good accessibility. Continue in the same direction, along an enclosed
bridle track ahead. After just over ½
km, (passing the gated drive on the L that goes up to Camp Cottage), you get to
the end of a line of trees on your R, you TR across a stile and into F1. Walk
down the field, keeping to the hedge on your R, and when the hedge ends and the
tall trees start, TR, go onto the concrete drive and TL. Walk along the drive that
is heading towards the buildings in front of you, which is a spirit distillery
called CHASE. On reaching the buildings walk on thru the yard.
2. CHASE Office. Just past the ‘Distillery’ car park and a brick
building on your R, (just around the corner of the building are way markers),
you bear R and proceed up a narrow road. Continue along the road to go past
some houses on your R, when you pass the last house you TR and go thru a metal
gate into F2,
then keep to the R hand edge. Continue up the field to reach the top R hand
corner and cross over two hidden stiles into F3. TL, keep to L edge/hedge and in
the corner of the field you cross a stile into F4. Cross over a small field and
over another stile and onto an enclosed track. Walk along the track and go over
a stile/wooden gate and onto the road in Preston Wynne.
3. Preston Wynne. Preston Wynne is a small village and civil parish
located 11 km north east of Hereford. It is the site of a
medieval chapel and several ancient ring ditches. TR, walk along the road for about 300m to reach farm
buildings on your L, (buildings are opposite a white house).  Cross the field and over a stile into F6. Cross this field and cross over
a stile that’s to the R of Preston Wynne Church ahead, into F7. Holy Trinity has commemorative plaque just inside.
 TR, continue along the road to pass a lake on your R, the road then bends
L and just past an orchard on your L the road bends R, it then bends R for the
second time and a little further on you TL and go over a stile into F8. Cross
this field and over a stile into a newly planted orchard F9. Bear R across this field to go thru
a gap in the hedge into another orchard F10.
2 1
4. Gap in
Hedge. Walk along the avenue of trees and at the end of the field
you skip a few paces to the R and go thru a gap in the hedge line ahead thats
by a large lone tree into F11. Cross over this field and over a styled
footbridge into F12.
Go straight across this field and cross over another styled footbridge into F13. Cross
this field, heading for the far R hand corner and go thru a small wooden gate
onto a tarmac drive. Walk along the drive and over a cattle grid, 40m further
on you bear R to go over a stiled footbridge that’s to the R of Ivy Cottage.
5 4 3
5. Tumpy
Lakes. Go ahead seven paces and TL over a high stile into F14. Cross
the field and over a stile in top L corner into a copse. Follow along the L
edge of this copse. Cross two plank bridges and a stile to emerge from the
copse. TL, walk a few paces and TR into F15 and continue along the R field edge, up to the
far end and out thru gap, onto a surfaced drive. TR and walk towards the
buildings of Amberley Court. Just passed the house on the L you TL, to go up a
wide footpath. Go thru a small metal gate into a F16 and continue up the R field edge
to go thru a metal gate onto Holbach lane and the start point.
Walk 5 Brampton Abbotts and
Hole-in-the-Wall
Last walked in March 2017
Description. An 8 km (5 mile) Moderate walk along fields, roads,
river and railway. This walk has 12 stiles. This is an edited version of the
Hereford Times January 2012 walk.
Start. Brampton Abbotts. Explorer Map 189 Grid 601265.
Direction from Belmont roundabout (Turn
milometer to zero). Follow the A49 to Ross-on-Wye and at 12.9 miles, at the
roundabout you TL towards the M50.  At the next roundabout, 14.8 miles you TL
towards Ledbury on the A449. At 15.2 miles you TL towards Brampton Abbotts. At
a T-junction, after 16 miles, you TL towards Ross-on-Wye. A little further on you TR towards Brampton
Church and at 16.2 miles you arrive at the church. Park beside the churchyard
stone wall.
1. Brampton Abbotts Church. The church closed
in 2008, it says it is waiting for a health and safety check. With
the wall and lynch gate on your R, walk down the road, passing a sign
‘Wellmead’ on the house wall on your L. At the next road on your L, just before
the village Hall, TL and walk along to the end of this tarmac road, then
continue on for a few more paces to reach the dirt track and the last cottage
on the R called ‘Townsend’. Just passed the last cottage you TR across a stile
and into F1.
Bear L and cross the field to cross another stile into F2. Go across a large cropped field
towards a hedge elbow, (a lone tree is on the L). Continue in the same
direction with the hedge on your R, into F3. Carry on up passed trees on your R. From the
tree corner you continue in the same direction across a cropped field towards a
large corrugated farm building, to go thru a metal gate onto a road. TR,
continue along the road, passing the Hill of Eaton Courtyard on your L, and
then an old farmhouse on your R, which is just before the road bends to the R,
and when it does you TL over a stile into F4.
2. Hill of Eaton.  Cross a stile into
F5.
Keep on upwards, along the R edge (with great views
opening out west and north) and over the crest. Go thru wooden
gate into F6.
Start to descend, bearing very slightly R thru a wooden gate and down a wide
tree-lined track. In front of next gate, TR and go upward for about 50 paces,
and then bear L to cross over a stile/metal gate into F7. Follow the L edge to the L
corner and TL to go thru a small metal gate and go along a narrow enclosed path
to reach the road at the Hole-in-the-Wall, (a red post box is on your R).
3. Hole-in-the-Wall. TL and go along the quite road, passing the Foy Bridge
on your R that goes over the river Wye. 275m beyond the bridge, and opposite
Orchard Cottage, you TR and go thru trees along the Wye Valley path. Go thru a
gate into F8,
(Foy Church is on the opposite bank to the R). Go straight ahead near bottom R
edge of the long pasture to cross a stile into F9. Keep ahead near to the R edge,
(ignore a metal gates on your R hand side) to reach the far end. Go thru a
metal kissing gate, then in and out of the bottom edge of trees and into F10
where you TL. Continue on to the end of the trees on your L, (Monks Grove).
Then continue in the same direction across a clear patch of land, to continue
along the field edge, with a line of trees on your R. Go ahead to marker post
at path junction. TR and continue
along the track.
4. Marker Post. If you want to you can continue along the riverbank for 150m
to see the memorial to H E. Who ever he was? Go on past
another marker post (if its still there) and a little further on, (opposite a
wooden bench that’s on the river bank) you TL and go along the L edge of a flat
field F11.
In the L corner of the field you go thru a small metal gate and up nine steps
to an old railway line where you TL. Go along to a marker post at cross tracks
and TL. Go up wide gravel track, passing a green gas hut on your R. Views R to Ross, Chase Wood and Penyard Park.
After about a further half a kilometre the track bends slightly L, slightly to
the R is a gap in the hedge, which you go thru into F12. Continue in roughly the same
direction, heading diagonally up to the top R corner of the huge field. Head
towards a sandy coloured house, when seen. Skirt R of a hedge elbow and over 2
stiles ahead. Emerge at drive of Clouds Harrow and follow road R around old
school House to lych-gate.
Walk 6 The Golden Valley
Last walked in March 2017
Description. An 8 km (4.9 miles) walk along the Golden Valley,
which is one of the most tranquil places in the county, a wide vale laced by
lanes and tracks, dotted with hamlets and villages and bounded by the first
upwelling’s of the Black Mountains. This walk requires a lot of effort as its
up and down a number of steep hills.
Start. Peterchurch. Explorer Map OL13 Grid 345386.
Direction from Tesco’s roundabout (Turn
milometer to zero). Take the A465 to Abergavenny. At 0.8 mile you TR onto B4348
to Clehonger 2. At 2.8 miles TL to Peterchurch. At 5.4 miles at a T-junction TR
for Peterchurch. In Peterchurch, at 10.3 miles, TL down the lane beside the
Boughton Arms pub and by the church. TR into car park.
1. Peterchurch. The Golden Valley
is one of the most tranquil places in the county, a wide vale laced by lanes
and tracks, dotted with hamlets and villages and bounded by the first
upwellings of the Black Mountains and low, wooded ridges and commons. This walk
starts from the capital of the valley, rising easily to the site of one of the
many defensive sites in the area and offering tremendous views across rolling
acres of sheep pasture and golden cornfields to distant hills and mountains.
Despite its name, the Golden Valley takes its name from the Welsh ‘dwr’ –
water, referring to the River Dore that has carved this delightful unspoilt
vale east of the Black Mountains. From the car park TR and join
the Herefordshire Trail. The church is on your L. Cross the river bridge and
bear L then swing R ro walk along a track that traces a course past a farm to
reach a minor road. TR and walk along this road, passing Hinton Hall on your R
to reach the crossroads. TL, walk for about ¾ km, gradually climbing up ‘Long
Lane’, passing a string of cottages and houses. You’ll pass by a house called
Temple Bar (L), ‘Nurse’s Cottage’ (L), and about 150m after this and opposite a
lone white house called ‘Rose Cottage’, take the finger posted stile on the L,
going up steps and into F1. Walk straight across the pasture, heading
towards an overhead power line pole to go over two wooden planks and across a
couple of stiles either side of a track here at Hostley’s Farm.
2. Hostley’s Farm. Go ahead between the breeze block buildings and a
metal gate, immediately beyond these, cross over a way marked ladder-stile on
the L. Walk a few paces and TR to cross a stile into F2. TL, at the end of the field you
cross a stile and three planks into F3. TR and walk along the L field edge. At the top
L hand corner you cross a stile into F4 and take time to admire the fine views across
to Hatterrall Ridge, the edge of the Black Mountains. Go Half R down this field
and cross a stile/gate in the bottom R hand corner, (by the corner of the
woods, into F5.
Go half L and near to the far R corner of this field you cross a wooden
footbridge that goes across Trenant Brook into F6. As you climb the L side of this
field, look for a small metal gate on your L. Go thru this gate, across a
footbridge and into F7. TR, continue to walk up to the top R corner of
this field and to Oatley Farm ahead. TR thru a metal gate and walk thru the
farmyard to join the rough access loose stone track that continues on to cross
over a cattle grid onto a road that’s over ½ km away.
3. Road. TL, then L again at the nearby
junction and continue down this lane for 1.6 km. On the R
you pass the gated entrance to Urishay Castle Farm (private, no access). Urishay
Castle was one of the countless fortified sites built to defend against the
marauding Welsh in Norman times. Just as the road starts to rise
beyond a bridge that goes over Trenant Brook, take the way marked path, L, and
go thru the L set of gates into F8. Walk up the R field edge and at the top R
corner you cross over a slab stile into F9. Go across a stile in the fence ahead into F10.
Straight across this field and over a stile into F11. Walk on down the pasture, just
R of the centre of two pylons, to a stile beneath trees in an offset corner.
Cross this stile into F12. TR, continue down the R side and thru a gate
into F13.
 TR, walk along the road and fork L at the ‘No Thru Road’ to return to the
church.
Walk 7 Edvin and Edwyn
Last walked in March 2017
Description. A 8 km (5 miles). Three remote churches secreted
amongst the rolling countryside to the north of Bromyard Downs are the targets
of this walk. Ranging from early Norman to Victorian in age, each has a story
to tell, a heady mix of heroism, piety and larceny. The route offers
far-reaching views across this corner of Herefordshire, rich farmland at the
headwaters of the River Frome, an unsung waterway that flows all the way from
this northern corner of the county to the River Wye near Hereford.
Start. Edvin Loach car park. Explorer Map 202 Grid 663585.
Direction 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). Go thru two
roundabouts and at 3.7 miles TL onto the A465 to Bromyard. Near Bromyard, at
14.6 miles, TL onto the B4214 to Tenbury. At the T-junction, (15 miles) go
straight across and continue onto Tenbury. At 15.5 miles TL to Tenbury. At 19 miles TR and continue along a narrow
road to Edvin Loach 1. At 19.8 miles TR to Edvin Loach. At 20.3 miles TR to
Edvin Loach church and at 20.4 miles you park at the church.
Edvin Loach has two churches; the small Victorian
replacement and the ancient original. This latter was built shortly after the
Norman Conquest in a style that recalled the church architecture of the Saxons
and is thus often known as the Saxon Church. Of particular note is the
herringbone pattern of many of the earliest walls still standing. The
replacement St Mary’s Church was built by a local businessman, William Barneby.
1. Edvin Loach. Walk back along
the rough approach road and at the T-junction TR - Off to
your R, the Malverns draw the eye south beyond the heights of the nearby
Bromyard Downs; to the north is Titterstone Clee Hill, capped by a radar dome.
Walk down the lane for about ½ km to reach THE STEEPLES, a farm on the L that
supplies quality milk. TR and walk up the lane opposite the postbox. After
about 400m the lane bends R, ignore the lane to the L, and walk on round for a
few paces to TL thru a gateway into F1. Stick to the L edge of the field, passing R of
an isolated cottage. Continue in the same direction across a short stretch of
open farmland to go thru a small wooden gate into a wood. Drop straight down to
go over a wooden footbridge into F2. Go half L to go over a stile/metal gate that’s
near a house(L), and walk on up the tarred driveway to reach the road.
2. T-junction. At the T-junction TR, follow this quiet road for about
¾ km thru to the Brickhouse Farm. When the road bends L, look R for a
fingerpost that’s at the end of a small stone structured barn, TR and go thru a
gate into F3.
Walk across this field and between ponds, to go thru a gate into F4. Keep
to the R field edge (a brook is on your R), and go thru a metal gate in the
corner, into F5.
TL and walk up the L edge of the field, (heading for the church spire), to go
thru a metal kissing gate into F6. Continue along and around the L field edge
(this field may be split in two). At the field end you TL thru a small metal
gate, then TR to go thru a metal gate onto a narrow road. TL and walk on to reach
St Michael’s Edvin Ralph church. St Michael’s Church
dates from the late 12th century. Inside is one of the finest
collections of effigy tombs in the county, including knights and rare ‘Pardon
Monuments’ – offering a prayer to this was said to grant the supplicant up to
60 days’ pardon of sins. (Use the R hand light switch by the door.) In the
trees to the west of the churchyard is a motte-and-bailey castle, all that
remains of a village that succumbed to the Black Death plague in 1349AD.
3. St Michael’s Church. Continue along the road and turn
the corner at Townsend Farm (prominently displayed), and about 100m further on
you reach two fingerposts on your R. Choose the first of these, climb the stile
and stick to the L edge of four fields (F7, F8, F9, F10) keeping above a brook that’s on your L.  Walk
beside the brook/stream that’s on your R. Just before the next corner TR, then TL
before the bridge and go thru a metal gate and along a wide concessionary
bridle path. Continue along this bridle path, keeping the brook/stream on your
R, for just over ½ km to reach a bridgeway on your R that crosses the
brook/stream.
4. Bridge. TR here, cross the bridge and thru the
waymarked metal gate into F12. Climb the field to pass L of the ruined cottage.
Go thru a metal gate into F13 and join a rocky farmers track that goes on
thru a hedge gap into F14. Continue on to go thru a metal gate and walk
along the R hand edge of F15 to go thru another gate and onto a minor road
near New House Farm. TL to walk back to the signposted church access road,
passing THE STEEPLES, which is on your R. There were two young
noblemen one from each parish who fought a duel for the hand of a certain lady,
this lady hearing of the fight rushed between the duist but died when her body
was pieced by both swords. The two men, grief maddened fought on until they
both died. The three bodies are said to be buried in Edvin Ralph Church.
Walk 8 The Skirrid
Last walked in March 2017
Description. A 5 km (3.1
miles) moderate walk. Ysgyryd
Fawr is the most easterly of the Black Mountains in Wales, part of the Brecon
Beacons National Park. The name is often anglicised to The Skirrid or Skirrid
Fawr, and the mountain is also known as Holy Mountain or Sacred Hill.
Start. Explorer Map OL13 Grid 328165.
Direction from Tesco’s roundabout (Turn
milometer to zero). Take the A465
towards Abergavenny. After 20 miles and
on a short duel carriageway you TL onto the B4521 towards Skenfrith. A little further on, at a T-junction, (20.2
miles) you TL towards Skenfrith. At 21.4
miles you reach the parking area on your L.
1. Car Park. Face the
road. TR and walk to the end of the car
park. TR and walk up the enclosed National Trust Ysgyryd Fawr footpath. Go thru
the double wooden gates/stile and follow the well defined, waymarked National
Trust track uphill and thru the woods, initially and after a few paces going up
some wooden steps and ignoring the track that bends off L. As you venture up the track you pass a wooden
seat on your R, and further on the track goes thru a small/large wooden gate
where you TR and continue on uphill. As
you come out of the wooded area the track bends slightly to the R and continues
uphill. You should now have some
beautiful scenery around as you continue walking uphill and along the ridge to
finally reach the summit.
There is a rich mythology
attached to the mountain, including a distinctive stone known as the Devil's
Table. According to legend, part of the
mountain is said to have been broken off at the moment of the crucifixion of
Jesus. There was a local tradition that
earth from the Skirrid was holy and especially fertile, and it was taken away
to be scattered on fields elsewhere, on coffins, and in the foundations of
churches. Pilgrimages were made,
especially on Michaelmas Eve (September 28th), to the summit. The ruins of an iron–age hill fort and a
medieval Roman Catholic church, dedicated to St. Michael, lie at the summit. Rudolf Hess used to
walk here when he was held prisoner at nearby Maindiff Court during the early
1940s. Pete “Snapper” Winner, Soldier
‘I’, mentions this mountain site in his book, which is the Story of an SAS Hero
and the part this hill played during Sickener, (Sickener being part of SAS
selection).
2.
Summit. Return back down to the car the same way as you came
up to the summit.
Walk 9 Fromes Hill
Last walked in April 2017
Description. An 8 km (5 miles) moderate walk, but it does have a
very steep hill at the end that is strenuous to climb. Lovely views as you walk
down hill towards Cheyney Court Farm, and a pleasant walk along the bank of the
river Frome
Start. Explorer Map 202 Grid 682466.
Direction 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 towards Worcester for 14.4 miles, and then
turn L into Fromes Service Stations car park, (Wheatsheaf Inn on opposite side
of road).
1. Fromes Hill Service Station.
Fromes Hill is a small hamlet in Herefordshire, England. The population is
around 350, with most of the residences along the main A road or to the sides
of it. The hamlet has a pub, a restaurant, an ex army store and a church. Walk to the
main road and TR. Pass the Wheatsheaf Inn on the opposite side of the road and continue
on to reach St Matthews church and TR towards Halmonds Frome. (St Matthews Church was founded in 1877 and is Grade II
Listed). Continue along this road for about ¾ km to TL at a
bridleway sign, (look for the mobile phone mast on your L). Pass thru the small
wooden gate/large metal gate into F1, and walk on past the R hand side of the mobile
phone mast, Staying close to the R field boundary you go thru a gate into F2, and
continue on to go thru a metal gate into F3 (an old small orchard), and on thru another
gate into F4.
After a short distance you go thru a way marked small wooden gate, that’s in
front of you but on the R hand side, and into F5, a hedge is now on your L.
Continue in the same direction along the L field edge and at the end of the
field you go thru a large metal gate into F6 and TR. Stay close to the hedge/fence on your R;
descend slightly to the end of the field but don’t go thru the metal gate in
front, cross over the stile that is in the R hand corner of the field, by the
fence. Walk a few paces further on and TR, to walk along the top edge of F7, (the
tree line/fence is on your R). Reach the R hand field corner and cross a stile
into F8
(a large stone slab is to the R). Continue on, but now the fence is on your L,
to reach another stile in the L hand corner. Cross the stile, TL and descend
down a track that keeps to the L hand side of the wood. At the end of the wood
cross a stile into F9 and walk down the L field edge, (ignoring any
way makers or gates on your L), follow the L edge all the way round to Cheyney
Court, which may not be seen until you are nearly on it.
2. Cheyney Court. On reaching the outskirts of Cheyney Court you bear L
and cross over a very trendy stile with two rungs that lift up to enable small
people to cross with ease. Walk on down the drive that’s to the L of the
recently modernised Cheyney Court to reach a narrow road, TR. Walk along the
narrow road to reach a T-junction and TL onto a wider road. Walk on down this road
to pass the old mill on your R, also recently modernised. About 100m past the mill you cross over the
river bridge, a few paces further on you TL over a stile into F10. Keeping
the river on your L continue to the end of the field and go thru gaps in the
hedge onto a road and TL. Walk a short distance and TR by a Public Footpath
sign to go thru a metal gate into F11 (ignoring the fist set of metal gates on your
R). TL and continue to follow the river on your L, thru two fields (F11/F12)
to cross a stile/metal gate onto a road. Cross the road and a stile into a huge
field F13,
follow the river Frome, which is on your L, for a good 1¾ km. On reaching the L field corner you continue on
along an enclosed grassy track for a short distance to reach a Public Footpath
signpost where you TL and cross over a river bridge. The
River Frome flows thru Bromyard and Bishops Frome, and at Covender its
tributary, the River Lodon, joins it. It then flows west, past Yarkhill,
Prior's Frome, before its confluence with the River Lugg at Hampton Bishop. The
river also gives its name to several hamlets on the higher ground to the east:
Halmond's Frome, Fromes Hill and Castle Frome. Walk along the
wide enclosed farm track to a road where you TL.
3. Road and
track junction. Walk along the road to reach a
T-junction. TL and immediately TR up a No Thru Road to St Michael and All
Angels Church. The little church of St Michael and All
Angels near Castle Frome is to be found at the end of a farm track well away
from the village. Originally it would have been in the village centre, but it
is probable that this earlier village was evacuated at the time of the Black
Death in 1348. Go thru the metal gates into the churchyard and follow
the tarmac path as it goes to the R of the church and up to a wooden kissing
gate. Go thru the gate and over a stile that’s ahead, into open country. Bear slightly
L and head on uphill to walk along the gully that runs between the two woods. When
you get near the top you head for the R hand side of a house, to cross over a
stile. TR and walk a few paces to go thru a small wooden gate onto a road,
where you TL. Continue along this road and just past a house on your R, TR thru
a metal gate and into F14. Keep to the hedge on you R, and when it turns
sharp R, you bear half L, to cross the field, going down the hill towards
another way marked post that’s near the gully. Go across the gully via some
steps, and then go over a stile into F15. Bear slightly L as you continue up hill to
reach a garden hedge. Continue along the garden hedge that is on your L to go
over a stile onto a road where you TL. Continue along this road to the
T-junction and the car park is across the Hereford to Worcester road and off to
the R.
Walk 10 Wyevale Nursery
Last walked in April 2017
Description. A 8 km (5 miles) easy walk along well defined tracks
and roads.
Start. Explorer Map 202 Grid 490413
Direction from Whitecross roundabout (Turn
milometer to zero). Take the A4110 Canon Pyon (Three Elms road). After ½ mile and
just past the pedestrian lights TR to park in the RANGE store car park.
1. Homebase. Go back to the pedestrian lights and cross the main
road. TL, 40m TR to go thru a kissing gate and onto a public footpath. In front of you and to the L is Whitecross Hereford High
School. The form and design of the school is heavily
determined by a strong sustainability agenda with natural lighting, green
roofs, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery systems and the use of thermal
mass to stabilize temperatures. After a short distance you go thru a small
wooden gate into a field F1.  Walk around the L hand edge of this field and
go thru a metal gate onto a road, (Huntington Lane). TL, after a dozen paces
you TR and cross the lane to go thru a small wooden gate into F3. Turn
slightly R and head towards an electronic pylon. Half way across the field the
track bears off slightly R and you go under more power lines to reach the edge
of the field, where you go down five wooden steps and onto an enclosed track.
TR and continue along the track to go thru a small wooden gate and onto the
Roman Road.
2. Roman
Road. Cross
the Roman Road and go along Tow Tree Lane ahead. When the road bends R, you
carry straight on along a gated road and bridleway, and after 100m you TL and
go thru a small metal gate into a small field F4. Cross F4 to cross over a wooden bridge
into F5.
Cross this field to go thru a small wooden gate and onto a main road (Roman
Road). Go straight across the Roman Road to carry on up the road opposite, to
go past the Livestock Market (L). At the end of the road, by tall metal gates
and to the R of a ‘No Entry’ sign that’s painted on the road, you continue in
the same direction along a tarmac path, and then along an enclosed grassy
track. The enclosed track continues on, to go past Wyevale Nursery crops that
are on your R, you then go thru a kissing gate/metal gate and continue on for a
short distance to reach the main Hereford to Brecon road. Cross the road and
TR, walk along the footpath, and not far past the entrance to Wyevale Nursery,
and opposite a bus shelter on your R, you TL to go up an enclosed public
Bridleway.
3. Wyevale
Nursery and Wyevale Wood. Continue up to the T-junction at the top of the enclosed
bridleway. On your L is Wyevale wood where you can sit
down inside a bird watching wooden hut. TL and continue along a
bridleway that initially runs just inside Wyevale wood, this bridleway was
formerly called Green Lane. Wyevale Wood,
formerly called Green Lane Wood, is secondary woodland on an ancient woodland
site. Green Lane itself
was originally part of a drover's road from the Welsh hills to Hereford and on
to London. The drovers
had an overnight stopping place at the "King's Acre", an area just
east of the wood where there was a drinking pond for the animals. The
bridleway widens out to become a stone track/road. Further on, just past a pond
on your R, the road bends R, you go straight
ahead and thru a hedge gap into F6 and continue in the same direction, keeping to
the hedge on your R, (ignore any way mark signs to your L, that go into
‘Drovers Wood). Continue on to the end of this field, thru a gap in the hedge
and onto the end of the next field F7 where you TL down a bridleway.
4. Bridleway. Proceed down hill, keeping to the
hedge on your R. At the bottom you continue in the same direction along a
tarmac drive to reach the main Brecon/Hereford road. Go straight across the
road and along Huntington Lane. After a kilometre the road bends R, L and R
again, and a little further on we get to the pathway to St Mary’s church on
your R. The church isn't easy to see from the road,
this is the very pleasant path leading down to it. Just passed
the churchyard and opposite Newcourt Farm drive, you TR thru a metal gate and
into F2.
Follow the R hand field edge around to cross over a wooden footbridge, thru a
small metal gate and into F1. Go straight across this field, and thru the
kissing gate that’s near to Whitecross
Hereford High School. Continue on thru another kissing gate and on to the road
where you TL and then TR to cross over by the pedestrian lights. TL and carry
on to the car park.
Walk 11 Knill and Offa’s Dyke
Last walked in April 2017
Description. An 8 km (4.9 miles) Moderate walk with a very steep
strenuous early climb through woods to reach Offer’s Dyke. Along open ground
and a brook. Well maintained trails with great views. Taken from Hereford Times
Feb 2012.
Start. Explorer Map 201 Grid 291604. Knill church.
Direction from Whitecross roundabout (Turn
milometer to zero). Take the A438 towards Brecon. At 12.1 miles go straight on,
heading towards Rhayader on the A44. At 12.6 miles carry straight on through
Eardisley, heading towards Rhayader.   At 22.3 miles TR and take the B4362 towards Presteigne. At
24.7 miles TR to Knill. After a short distance you go through the hamlet of
Knill and the road bends L (24.9 miles), you continue straight on and up an
unmarked tarmac drive to the church (25 miles).
1. Knill Church of St Michael. Knill is one of
those rarest of British locations, a ‘thankful village’. The term ‘thankful
village’ was coined in the 1930s to describe the handful of communities that
suffered no military fatalities in the First World War. Between 1914 and 1918,
there were no settlements in Scotland or Ireland that did not lose a member of
the community, and only 52 parishes in England and Wales. Walk
back down the church approach drive, on reaching the road you TR and walk along
the road to cross over Hindwell brook ahead, via a concrete footbridge. Bend to
the R and walk along the river bank for a short distance to TL and walk up a
wide forest path that’s between the two houses. 80m beyond a green corrugated
iron shed that is on your L, TL, and go up a public footpath quite steeply
through the trees of KnillGarraway. Continue up a well marked track and along a
line of trees to bend R when you get near to the top, to reach a marker post, Mortimer
Trail path junction. TR for 35m to reach another marker post, and TL to
continue up to cross over a stile/metal gate into a large field {F1}.
2. Stile on upper, south edge of
wood. Keep to the L field edge to continue up hill to cross over
another stile/metal gate into F2. Keep in the same direction and bearing away
from the woods on your L, follow way marker posts to reach the Offer’s Dyke
path on the brow of the hill and TR and follow Offa’s Dyke path. Go thru a
metal gate into F3 and continue on to reach the corner of a wood (R). The path
bends to the L and continues on, it starts to descend slightly to go thru a
metal kissing gate into F4.
3. Stile. Continue to follow Offa’s Dyke path as it gradually
descends, going to the L of woods. Go thru a small metal gate into open
countryside. Continue in the same direction and after about twenty metres you
bear L and follow the path down for 100m to reach the information board at the
cross track junction.  TR, walk up, along and down
Offa’s Dyke path, following way marker signs to contour the east side of
Herrock Hill. Descend through a small/large metal gate and continue on down.
The path reaches a junction, you continue in the same direction, along an
enclosed track.  Continue on down to go through another small/large
metal gate and 50m further on you go onto a driveway (house is L). Continue on
down the driveway and at 150m you TR through a small wooden gate into F5.
Cross over the field towards the far L hand corner to go through a small wooden
gate and onto a wide farm track. Bear L and continue along the farm track to
reach the main road.
4. Riddings Brook. Just before the main road
you TR across a stile/metal gate into F6. Keep to the L field edge of this very large
field, following the small brook that eventually joins a bigger brook called
the Hindwell Brook. Cross a stile into the F7 and keep to the L edge. Further on you TL and
cross over a wooden footbridge across Hindwell Brook. Bear R and keep to the
hedge on your R to go through a gap in the metal fence ahead and into F8. Bear
slightly R and cross the field, keeping R of pond to go through a metal gate
ahead, into F9.
Bear slightly L to cross this field, to go through gate onto the road. TR,
along road to where it bends L, go straight on and up to the church/car.
Walk 12 Stoke Prior and the Lugg
Last walked in May 2017
Description. A 5 km (3.1
miles) edited version of Hereford Times walk by Garth Lawson. A walk along country lanes and the river
Lugg, with easily attained views and wildlife.
Start. Explorer Map 202. Grid. 523565.
Direction 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). Turn L at the first roundabout (2
mile), onto the A49 to Leominster. At
9.5 miles you go straight across the 2nd roundabout towards
Shrewbury on the A49. At 10.5 miles TR
on a minor road to Stoke Prior/Golf Course.
At 11.8 miles, near to Stoke Prior church, park on the side of the road.
Or a bit further on at the road junction.
1.
Stoke Prior. Taking the start point to be the road
junction island in the centre of the village, head up the road as if for
Leominster.
After 75m you go thru a stile/gate and along the L edge of an orchard,
to cross a stile into a field F1. Go
along the L edge which bends L after about 20m.
2.
Copse. A little further on the field edge bends R
but you go straight on along a narrow path and into the copse. Keep ahead at the path junction, going under
telegraph lines and on thru a gate into F2. Keep
ahead and go thru a small field that has ant-hills. Go thru waymarked gap in a line of trees
ahead (with great views of the Black Mountains and Radnor Forest). Keep ahead to cross a stile into F3, then
you pass a way marker post on your L and veer L, to join a hedge on your L hand
side. Continue down the path to the
bottom of the field, cross over a farm track and go down the bank into a ditch
called Hollow Way. TL to go over a stile
and walk down an enclosed gully to pass to the L of Eaton House, over a stile
and on to a country lane.
3.
Eaton. TR, walk along the country lane for 195m to TL at a
tarmac drive. Continue along the drive
and thru the gates to reach the end of the farmyard, where you continue in the
same direction, going in-between buildings (Stables are on the L), to reach the
river Lugg beneath the Scots Pines.
Going a little to your L you cross the River Lugg and weir via Eaton
Hall Bridge and the Millennium Gate.
4. Eaton Hall’s 17th Century Stone
Bridge. The next
¾ mile (1.2km) along the Lugg are a favoured place to spot a kingfisher. TL along the river bank, soon using two
stiles to keep to the edge. Skirt past
an extravagant loop in the Lugg, cross a stile that by the water’s edge and
cross a stile in L corner next to the bridge.
Favoured area for otters and hares.
5. Volca
Bridge. TL thru the gate and across Volca Bridge to then TR and cross over a
three-plank foot bridge into a field. TL
and follow the L edge. Go thru a gate in
the L corner and across a loose stone driveway that goes to horse stables on
the R, go thru another gate and into a field.
Continue along the L field edge to cross over a stile in the corner to
go down three steps onto the road. TR and return along road to Stoke Prior
village.
Walk 13 In the Wake of Wellington
Last walked in June 2017
Description. An 8 km (5 mile), moderate walk. Good paths, but one
uneven sunken overgrown lane (may need long trousers). Eight stiles. Country
lanes, field paths, two villages and good views. [An edited Hereford Times walk
April 2012].
Start. Park in church car park. Explorer Map 189 Grid 530212, continue on
Explorer Map OL14.
Direction from Belmont roundabout (Turn
milometer to zero). Take the A49 to Ross-on-Wye. At 9.4 miles TR onto the A4137
to Monmouth. At 11.4 miles TR onto a single lane road to Llangarron,
(unsuitable for long vehicles). At 13 miles you reach Llangarron church car
park.
1. St Deinst Church. St
Deinst was a Celtic saint who died in c584 and tradition suggests he founded a
church in Llangarron under his name, one that does not appear elsewhere in
England. Records of a church being in Llangarron go back as far as Edward the
Confessor, when a wooden church was consecrated, it was re-consecrated under
William 1 as "lan garan" church.  Near
the top of Herbert’s Hill, turn sharp L up three steps and cross a stile into F1. TR
and keep to the hedge on your R. After 100m you cross thru a small metal gate
on your R hand side into F2 and continue in the same direction, the hedge
is now on your L. At the end of the field continue along a channel to go thru a
metal gate onto a road. (Ignore the main road on your L) TR and follow the road
that’s going to Broad Oak, walk up to the top of the hill, reaching a farm on
the L called Tredunnock.
2. Tredunnock. TL in front of barn conversion and walk along an
enclosed concrete lane (‘Private Road’) for about ¾ km to reach Trecorras Farm.
En route to Trecorras farm, (ignore the Private road going off to the R) the
concrete changes into stony chippings. The lane/farm track has hedges on your L
and fences on your R. Very near to the farm and just past the gated, cattle
gridded drive that goes off to the R to Trecorras Cottage, bear off to the R,
go thru double wooden gates and continue along the enclosed farmers dirt track.
A little further on past a cream/stone house on your R, the track continues
into F3 (ignore
the track going down to the R) and continue in the same direction, keeping to
the hedge on your R. The track continues along F4 going underneath power lines to
reach a marker post at the end of the field.
3. Path Junction. TL, walk along the field edge, keeping to the hedge on
your R. Cross a stile into F5, (there is a pond in another field to your R)
and continue in the same direction with the hedge on your R. Cross a
stile/metal gate into F6 and continue in the same direction, a fence is
on your R. Go thru metal gate onto the road at Treduchan Farm. Keep straight ahead
along the road into Llangrove, passing the Royal Arms pub (R) and on down to reach
the church, (ignore roads off to the R).
4. Llangrove, Christ Church. Christ Church,
completed in 1856, was the first church designed by George Frederick Bodley
(1827-1907) who went on to become one of our major Gothic Revival architects. Continue on
past the church and War Memorial, and at the end of the village, just past
Llangrove Nurseries (R), take the next road L for Bryn Elm (small sign is on
wall). At the cross roads, (just past The Elms), go straight across and
down the road for about ½ km. When you
reach the last house on the R (new buildings) the road/drive bends R, but you
carry straight on, with a hedge on your L, to go thru a metal gate/stile into F7.
2 1
5. The Grove. Go straight across this field to
cross a stile into F8. You now have to cross a stile into F9, the
stile is situated in the far L hand corner of this field, (to get to the stile
you can bear L and walk across the field to reach a hedge corner, then turn
half R and walk across a narrow strip of field and along the L field edge,
following the hedge on your L). TR and go down the R field edge, with a hedge
on your R, and at the field end you cross over a stile into F10. Continue
on down and around to the R, parallel with overhead line. Cross a stile and go
straight on down an enclosed, uneven sunken and overgrown track, to reach a
surfaced country lane.
6 3
6. Trereece. TL and ross the pretty bridge over
the Garron Brook and up the lane past Trereece Mill. At Treceece House you stay
on the lane, which winds around the the R. Now follow the lane to the junction.
TL, continue on over the stone bridge re-crossing the Garron to reach the church
up to your R.
4
Walk 14 Ruckhall
Last walked in July 2017
Description. A 5 km (3.1 mile) walk across fields, along narrow
roads and touching the Wye River where a small climb is involved. Very good
views.
Start. Clehonger. Explorer Map 189 Grid 452377.
Direction from Tesco’s roundabout (Turn
milometer to zero). Take the A465 to Abergavenny and at the second turning on
the R you TR for ‘Clehonger 2’. In Clehonger, after 2.7 miles you TL, signed
‘Village Hall’, and park along Birch Hill Road. Entrance to the village hall is
a few hundred yards on the L.
1. Clehonger Primary School. Walk down the
tarmac drive to reach the village hall/school and TL, the hall is now on your R
as you walk on across the grass to go thru a small wooden gate onto the main
road to Hereford. Cross the main road and TL, after about 30m you TR and walk
down a public footpath and thru a kissing gate into F1. Walk down the middle of the
field, bearing off to the R, and go thru a small metal gate in the far R
corner, into F2.
With the hedge and woods on your L you walk along the edge of this field, when
you get near to the end of the field, about 80m away, you TL and go thru a
small metal gate in the hedge. Go down a muddy track and thru 2 metal gates and
some wooden steps to reach the bottom and cross over a wooden footbridge. About
20m further on you TL(ignore gates on your R), and walk across F3 that
maybe quite marshy, to go thru some brambles and cross over another wooden
footbridge in the far L corner into F4. Walk up the field a few paces then TR, and
keeping the brook on your R you walk across a large field (field might be split
in two) to cross over a stile, (there are farm buildings on your L, at the top
of the hill) into F5.
2. Ruckhall Mill. TR, walk along the road and TL at the first junction,
heading for Ruckhall. The road goes up
hill then levels off, and when it bends to the L you TR and go along a road
that’s opposite a red telephone and red postbox (ignore the first turning R).
After about 40m you bear off to the R and go along an enclosed narrow hedged
lane. The lane bends to the R, further on it reaches a set of wooden gates into
the Ancient Camp. TL just before the gates and go along a bridleway for about
10m to a track junction where you TR. Walk along a narrow ledged track, looking
at the view across the River Wye as you cross a flight of steps and keep on
ahead into the woods, (ignore the steps going down to the river, and the few
stone steps going up to an old inn).  Carry on along the track
and further on you go down another flight of steps to the riverbank. TR,
continue along the riverbank and cross over a stile, just ahead is an old
pumping station. Pass R of the old pumping station and along the gated
boardwalk then TR, go along for 80m to pass thru a swinging gate/metal gate
onto a driveway. TL and go along the driveway, crossing a bridge, and then
going passed Tuck Mill cottage and house that is on your R, to reach a metal
gate. Go thru the gate and up a woodland path to go thru another metal gate
into F6.
TR and skirt around the woods to go thru another metal gate into F7. Bear
slightly L and go across the field and down towards the road. Pass thru a metal
gate onto the road and TL.
2
3. Vallets
Farm. Continue along the road. 100m
passed Vallets Farm, (which is on your L), TR and go thru a metal gate into F8. With
the hedge on your R, climb up the field edge to TR thru a kissing gate in the
top R hand corner into F9. Walk along the field edge for 40m and TL thru
another kissing gate that is directly under power lines, into F10.
Head across a vast field, and in the far corner you go thru a kissing gate into
a sloping field F11.
The Black Mountains can be seen in the distance, and closer
to hand you can see the three big satellite dishes at Madley Earth
Station. Continue on in
the same direction, keeping to the field edge, and walk down to the field
corner. There are two gaps in front of you going into two different fields, you
take the way marked gap
3
on the R and continue in the
same direction keeping to the L field edge, the hedge is on your L. At the
bottom of the field is an old wooden barn. Go to the R past a wooden barn and
on thru a metal gate. Head up the field to pass thru another metal gate in the
top L hand corner, into an orchard. Continue on in the same direction, with the
hedge on your L, to pass thru a kissing gate into a field. Walk on to the far
corner where you TL and go thru a kissing gate, then onto the road. Cross the
road and TL, walk a short distance and TR thru a small wooden gate. The village
hall and your transport is just ahead.
1
Walk 15
A Marksman’s Mauseoleum
Last walked in July 2017
Description. A 10 km (61/4
miles) over 22 stiles, with modest climbs as you walk thru woods and low-lying
fields. Go past monument and an old
Hereford to Gloucester Canal. This walk
is taken from the Hereford Times newspaper in May 2012.
Start. Ashperton Village Green. Explorer Map 202 Grid 644418.
Direction 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). After 9.7 miles
you TR at the traffic lights onto the A417 to Gloucester. At 12.3 miles you park on Ashperton’s Village
Green, which is on the L by the Village Hall and contains a big concrete cross
in the middle.
1. Ashperton Village Green. Standing by the cross and with your back to
the A417, head to the R hand corner of the green and go thru a wooden gate and into
F1,
(there is a small pond on your R). Bear
L and walk down the field, going to the R of three imposing trees, to go thru a
small wooden gate to the L of the bottom R corner, into F2. Walk to the far R corner, going
underneath power lines and heading towards the wooden buildings of Canon Frome
cricket ground. Pass thru a gate, then TL and walk in front of the pavilion.
Leave the cricket grounds via a wooden gate and go into F3. Cross the field and go over the
stile ahead (and three wooded planks), into F4. Go along the L hand edge of the
field (ignore any metal gates or breaks in the hedge row(L)) to reach the top L
hand corner and cross over a stile near by, into a newly grown orchard. TR and
walk up the R hand edge of the orchard. At the top of the orchard you continue
in the same direction and climb three wooden steps into F5. Bear L and cross the field to go
thru a metal gate into F6, follow the L edge fence up the bank (Hansnett
Wood is on your R). Near to the field end, TL across a stile into F7. Go
straight across 2 fields (F7/F8), going over 2 stiles. Bear diagonally R and head to the R of a
telegraph pole, to cross a farm drive and a planked footbridge and stile into F9. Go
straight across the field to cross over a stile into F10. keep to the L of a stone
building and go thru a gate to continue on L along a drive to reach the road.
2. Meephill House. Go straight across the road and
thru a metal gate into F11. Bear R and head up to the top R hand corner
of the field, to go thru a rusty way marked gate. Continue in the same direction along a
woodland track for a couple hundred meters to go over a stile/rusty gate into a
F12. TR,
walk along the field edge (Childer Wood is on your R) to reach the bottom R hand
corner of the field.
3. Path Junction. TL 40m, TR over a plank bridge and
stile into F13.
Go straight across the field and newly planted orchard to reach a hedge on the
other side where you TR. Walk to the hedge corner and TL to go over a stile
into F14.
Follow the L field edge up the bank to reach the far L corner. TR, walk 40m to a
gate and TL onto a road. TL and walk along road for about 1/2 km. Just past Clissett Wood (L) you
TR at a Public Footpath sign to go thru a metal gate into F15. Walk down a farm track for
about 20m and then bear L and cut straight across the field heading towards a
power line pole and a small clump of trees. Continue on, to reach the corner of
a wooden fence where you TR. Cross a stile (L) that’s near the bottom L hand
corner of the field, and cross over a small field and another stile by a
corrugated iron barn on your R.
4 3
4. Gold Hill
Farm barn. Just past the
corrugated barn you TR across a stile into F16. Go straight across, heading to the bottom R
hand corner where you cross a stile/metal gate into F17 and TR to cross a brook and go
thru double metal gates into F18. Go diagonally L across the large field to reach
the far R hand corner. Go thru metal gates
into F19
and continue along the R field edge to reach the far R hand corner. Cross a
stile into F20
and continue around the R field edge. As the field edge bends L, 50m further on
you TR to cross a stile, then a drive going to Upleadon Farm, then another
stile and into F21.
Bear slightly L across the field to cross a footbridge into F22. Bear L and cross the field to cross over a stile
into F23. Bear R over crest of crop field and cross
stile into F24. Bear L across this field to go over stile onto
a road.
2
5 1
5. Haywood Lane.
TR and follow the road for just over 2 km. In so doing, cross the Hereford and
Gloucester canal, bend R with its still waters below, past the old Munsley
Tunnel House, beyond cricket ground and Haywood Thatches up to a Public footpath
sign on the L and a house and an enclosed path on the R. TR and walk along an enclosed path, which is
at the end of back gardens, to cross over a stile into a field. Walk along the R field edge to reach the R
hand corner and cross over another stile.
TL and go straight across the field, back to the car at Ashperton Green.
Walk 16 Pencombe
Last walked in July 2017
Description. An 8 km (5 mile) strenuous walk on minor roads and
tracks and across farmers fields.
Start. Explorer Map 202 Grid 600528. Pencombe church.
Direction 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). At the second
roundabout, after 3.2 miles, TL towards Bodenham. At 9.5 miles at the
T-junction TR onto the A417 to Gloucester. At 10.5 miles TL and go along a
minor road to Pencombe. At 13.7 miles park in Pencombe Parish Hall car park on
the L, just passed Pencombe church.
1. Pencombe Church. St Johns church is a very ancient and
remarkable building in the Norman style. The tower (of stone) was rebuilt in
1840, and contains 3 bells. It has nave, a chancel, apse, porch, an ancient
font, and three modern tablets. The church was rebuilt in 1865. With your
back to the Parish Hall. TR and walk back along the road and past the church,
which is on your R. Just past the church you bear R onto the road to Risbury,
and go passed the village green on your L hand side that contains a monument.
The road bends to the R and continues up a gradual hill. When the road bends to
the R again, (on the L is a house called Hillside and on the R is a white house
called ‘Old Crosses’) you TL and go through a rusty metal gate into F1. Bear
diagonally R and cross the field, aiming to the R of a water tank on top of a
tower that can be seen on the distant horizon. Cross over an stile (that may no
longer exist), into F2, the stile should be near to a large pond and a
corrugated iron roofed building. TR, walk a short distance and then bear off to
the L, to pass to the R of the corrugated iron roofed building, and to cross
over a stile into F3. Go straight across this field and over another
stile into F4.
Turn diagonally R and head up hill to reach the field corner and go through a
gated gap in the hedge onto a road.
2. Road. TR and walk
along the road. At the fork in the road you bear L towards Risbury. You pass by
Great Hegdon Farm on your R and continue along the road to TR at a
communication pylon, and continue along the enclosed bridleway to Little Hegdon.
When you reach Little Hegdon you continue in the same direction along an
enclosed grassy track that’s to the L of the farm, and at the end of the track
you TL through a gate into F5. Keep to the hedge on your R, and after a short
distance your route continues along an enclosed farm track. Just as the track
starts to bend to the R, TL and go through a small wooden gate into F6, then
bear slightly R to cross the narrow field to go through a waymarked metal gate
in the field corner and into F7.
3
3. Metal
Gate. Walk up the middle of the field and aim for the top R hand
corner to go through a metal gate onto a farm track. Continue in the same
direction along an enclosed farm track and onto Grendon Court Farm. Go through
the farms courtyard, keeping in the same direction, to meet up with a tarmac
drive/road. The tarmac drive continues down to the bottom of the hill, when you
get to the T-junction (end of the
tarmac) you TR and cross over a cattle grid to continue along a wide farm
track.  Durstone
Farm. Go through the farmyard and follow the track as it bears to
the L. Cross over a cattle grid to leave the farm and continue down a wide farm
track. Keep to the track for about 11/2 km to reach the
road at Pencombe. TR and walk to the car.
2 1
Walk 17 Black Hill and Olchon Valley
Last walked in August 2017
Description. An 8 km (5 mile) with spectacular views from
an exhilarating ridge and a marvelous valley descent. An energetic ramble. No
stiles. Challenging stepped, terrain ion places. Hereford Times Feb 2016.
Start. Picnic Area that is 3½ miles from
Longtown heading towards Llanveynoe. Explorer Map OL13. Grid 288327.
Direction from Tesco’s roundabout (Turn
milometer to zero). Take the A465 to
Abergavenny. At 9.7 miles you TR for
Longtown 6. At 10.5 miles TL for
Longtown 5. At 15.1 miles you TL for
Longtown. At 15.3 miles TR at the ‘The
Crown Inn’, (Established
in 1751), and head for Longtown Village, a little further on, at
the T-Junction you TR for Longtown Castle. Go past the castle heading towards
Llanveynoe, and follow Picnic Area signs. At 16.4 miles TL and head for the
Picnic area 3m. Go past Llanveynoe church and at 18.3 miles keep R and follow
Picnic Area signs ¾m. At 19.1 miles TR and at 19.3 miles you reach the Picnic
Area car park.
1. Black Hill Picnic Area and car park. You
are already at 410m above sea level. Leave the park area away from the approach
road via the stile or gate. Go L straight up the obvious ridge along the grassy
path between gorse bushes. It’s quite a baptism: the steepest and toughest part
of the walk is R here at the start. Take your time and you’ll reach a prow (the
pointed front part of a ship) at the bottom/southern end of the very narrow
spine. Now keep ahead, with the route becoming more level along a series of
craggy stepping stones and recesses. (Spectacular views open out R across
Herefordshire and L to Hatterall Ridge). After reaching the king of rocks, the
obvious way ahead, along a well worn track, broadens out gently to the summit
amid the heather and bilberry.
2. Black Hill Trig
Point. Trig point is
640m high.  It’s a level walk across the plateau and you need
to keep going in this direction for 1.2 km. You will reach a junction with a
bridle path – and be careful not to miss your turn here!
3. Cairn. The junction marker really is just a
small pile of stones. Turn very sharp L here for the return leg down thru the
Olchon Valley. Follow the faint, narrow grassy path downwards. It soon drops
into an obvious depression.
Keep L of the brook. The terrain becomes a rocky track. Eventually it levels
out to become more of a grassy track thru Bilberry. Cross a couple of fords and
go thru a gate in the corner. Now follow a sunken green lane, which can be
muddy to join the narrow country lane.
4. Olchon Lane. Follow the lane for 2 km ahead until
a L turn takes you quite steeply up to the car park.
Walk 18 Risbury Cross 2
Last walked in August 2017
Description. An 8 km (5 mile). A moderate
ramble investigating country lanes, brooks and field paths,
some quite testing. None of the gradients, which also visit the Humber and
Holly brooks are too demanding.
Start. Explorer Map 202 Grid 571553.
Direction 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). At the second
roundabout, after 3.2 miles, TL towards Bodenham. At 9.5 miles at the
T-junction TL towards Leominster. At 9.7 miles TR down Bowley Lane for Risbury.
At 11.4 miles TR for Risbury. At the cross roads, [12 miles] TR towards
Pencombe and after about 100m you can park on the L hand side, opposite ‘The
Old Post Office’, and a red Post Box.
1. Risbury Cross. Walk back down the road and over the crossroads,
westwards towards Stoke Prior and Leominster. Continue on past the derestricted
speed limit sign and drop down the tree-canopied road. Continue along the road
that bends to the R and goes up the hill to reach a T-junction. TR and descend
to a pond that’s on your R, just beyond an old mill house.
2. Risbury Bridge. About 30m past the road bridge you TR and go thru a
wooden gate into an orchard and walk along the brook that is on your R. TR and
cross over a wooden bridge over the brook and into a small field. TL (the brook
is on your L) and walk along the narrow field, thru some trees, along the
narrow field to cross over a stile. Continue on thru (possibly nettled) copse,
and out via a metal footbridge on your L, into F1. Bear R and walk across to the L
field edge. Continue on up the L field edge to pass between the fence/wood and
the ruined building called Gob’s Castle.
3. Gob’s Castle. 100m beyond the building you TL thru a waymarked
metal gate into F2.
Now go half R and over the crest of large field and down to cross a wooden
stiled footbridge (in trees) and into F3. TL, go down to the field corner and continue
on for about 20m to TR thru a metal gate and into a wooded area. Follow narrow
path thru trees and bear L to exit trees via a gated concrete footbridge. TR,
the track follows the stream for a couple of hundred metres then goes off to
the L and up the bank to reach F4. Continue on around the cropped field, keeping
to the R edge.  Go half L and across the field to cross a
stile onto a road. Keep on the same line across the junction and go along the
road towards Stoke Prior. At the cross roads by the Stoke Prior and the 30mph
signs you TR and continue on towards the Stoke Prior School.
4. Blackwardine Crossroads. The road bears to the R and
reaches a cross roads that you cross over and go straight ahead and down all
the way to Humber Church. Opposite
the church lych-gate you TL and go along a Public Bridleway to Humber Court
Farm. The lane bends R and further on it bends L (metal gates and a stile are
on the L), at this point you TR, and walk along a short (30m) farm track that
bends L to reach a metal gate just beyond a barn on the L. Go thru the gate
into F6
and bear R, to walk up the long pasture to reach the far L corner and go thru a
waymarked metal gate into F7. Follow the L edge/hedge to cross over a wooden
gated footbridge in the bottom L hand corner of this field into F8,
(ignore any gates on your L).
5. Bridle Path. TL and walk along the L edge of a large field, Go
thru a small wooden gate in the L hand corner into F9. Continue along the L edge of
this field and go thru metal gate at the end, which is 30m in from the L corner
into F10.
Go straight ahead and across this field, and thru a metal gate into F11. Continue
along the L edge of the next two fields (F11 & F12) and thru a metal gate onto a farmer track. Go
up a bank and on thru another metal gate and along an enclosed farm lane, into
Buckland farm buildings forecourt.
7 6 5 4 3
6. Buckland. 40 metres beyond a weather vane
that’s on a roof to your R, TR (unsigned) and go down a farm track between
barns and trees to go thru metal gate into F13. Bear R and pass just to the R of a hedge
corner sticking out at you. Continue down the L field edge/hedge, and on thru a
gate in the L corner and into F14. Descend quite sharply and head for the bottom
R field corner, going just to the R of a lone tree. Cross Holly brook via a low
bridge, and go thru two metal gates into F15. Climb the L edge of huge crop field and after
about 350 metres cross a stile on your L, (the stile is opposite a lone tree).
2 1
7. “High”
Stile. TR and continue on your original line up along old drovers’
lane. Just beyond a stile on your R (ignore) go thru farm gate, bear R by a
grid (L) down a track past Gilhorn Cottage, up beyond “Rail Meadow” and
Poplands to join surfaced track to Risbury Cross and start.
Walk 19 North Titley
Last walked in September 2017
Description. A 5 km (3.1 mile) moderate walk up
and down a hill.
Start. Explorer Map 201 Grid 335604.
Direction from Whitecross roundabout (Turn milometer to zero). Take the A4111 to Kington. At 18.2 miles go straight across first roundabout, heading towards Rhayader on the A44. At the second roundabout (18.6 miles) TR onto the B4355 to Presteigne. At 21.6 miles, park in the layby that’s across the road and just before reaching the church in Titley.
1. St Peter’s Church. The Parish church of St Peter dates from 1865 and is built on the site of a former priory for a branch of the Benedictine Order. Titley lies at the junction of two drover's roads and was used for the weighing of wool. Walk along the road and just past the church on your L, TL up a public footpath signed Circular Walk, (the Circular Walk route is what we are following).   Keep to the R field edge and near to the top of the hill, when the hedge on your R turns R, you go straight on ahead, to cross the field and go thru double kissing gates into F3. Cross this field, bearing slightly R of the L hand edge, to go thru another gate into F4. Start to descend as you cross this field to go thru another gate into F5, (Green Lane Wood is over on your R hand side). Continue in the same direction, under electric cable, and cross over a stile that’s to the R of a gate and into F6. Keep to the L edge of the field and pass the farm buildings that are on your L, to cross over a stile.
2. Green Lane Farm. TL and after a few paces you TR and walk along a tarmac/dirt lane, (green Lane). Go thru metal gates and continue on towards Wychmoor Farm. Further on you pass a farm cottage on your R and go thru a gate onto an enclosed overgrown grassy lane, then on thru another gate and continue along an enclosed dirt track lane for almost a kilometre, going thru another two gates on your way along the lane. Just past an old stone, corrugated iron roofed farm building that’s on your L, and at a wooden signpost, you turn sharp L and head towards Titley 1½ miles, along an enclosed track.
3. Burnt House. Follow the Circular Walk way markers downhill and
along an indistinct track. Go thru a small metal gate and into F7 on
your R, then continue along the L field edge. Beautiful
scenic views as you walk along. Go thru a gate into F8 and
keep to the L edge for 80m, and at the hedge corner by a way marker post you
turn diagonally R and continue on down to go thru a kissing gate into F9, (the
gate isn’t far from the bottom of the field).  At
the end of F10,
in the bottom R hand corner, you TR into F11, and then TL to walk along a farm track, a
hedge is on
your L. Continue along farm track and go thru a metal
gate and along an enclosed track to reach a road by a farm house at Turning
Ways. Cross over the road, and then cross over a stile into the field ahead. Don’t
loose or gain height while you cross this field and go thru a gate into another
field. Head to the L of the church and surrounding buildings and
cross over a stile, then go thru a metal gate and TR,
to head down to the main road where you TR for the car.
Walk 20 Marcle Ridge
Last walked in October 2017
Description. A 6km (3.7mile) moderate walk up and
down the Ridge. Fine
views across south and east Herefordshire. Along a ridge, thru fields and
country lanes.
Start. 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. After 6.8
miles, (in Woolhope) TL at a T-junction and continue on main road signed for
Ledbury. Keep R thru the next village and at a road junction, after 7.7 miles,
TR signed Much Marcle. Go up the hill and along the ridge and at 8.8 miles TR
at the next junction on the R and park on the L. (2 blue sign posts at this
site: Unsuitable for HGV’s and Unsuitable for LGV’s).
1. Marcle Ridge Car Park. From the car park 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 field edge and along the inside edge of
the woods on your R for the whole length of the ridge, heading towards the TV
and Radio Mast). Go thru a gate gap
into F2.
Just over half way up this field you will TR and go thru a small way marked
metal gate and into the woods. TL and walk along the inside edge of the woods
(fields are on your L). A little further along you pass a Trig Point. Walk in
the same direction as you leave the inside edge of the wood and continue along
an enclosed grassy track (fields L, shrub R). Go past the major TV and Radio
transmitter ,which is in the field on your L, and continue along to the end of
the enclosed grassy path to reach a metal gate. Don’t go thru the gate but TL
and go thru a small broken metal gate into F3, then TR and continue along the R hand edge of
the field and down to some wooden steps to go thru a wooden kissing gate and
onto an enclosed track. TL and walk up the wide aggregated track. Keep ahead at
the crossroads, now surfaced, and go past the Primitive 1858 Methodist Chapel
on your R. Continue on past ‘Upper Nuttal’ on your R, then underneath power
lines to reach ‘Nuttal Cottage’ that is also on your R.
2. Nuttal Cottage. Directly opposite, TL across a double
stile and into F4.
Go across the field, following the power lines, and go thru three gates to the
R of Nuttal Farm and into a small orchard. Continue in the same direction and
go thru two more gates and into F5. Keep to the R edge (the TV/Radio mast is up
the hill off to your L) and go thru a gate into F6. Continue in the same direction
going thu more fields and gates and then you cross over a stile. At the end of
this field you cross over a low fence where there once was a stile that’s in a
dip and into F7. Bear L
and go across the field, thru a swathe of crops, heading for a lone oak tree.
Go past the oak tree and thru a gate in the field corner and onto a road. Walk
in the same direction along the road, passing the farm house called Noggin (R).
Just beyond a corrugated iron roofed barn at the far end of farm, TR across a
stile onto a track. After 40m you TL across a stile and into a field, then you
turn immediately R over another stile and into another field (F8).
Keep in the same direction as you walk along the top R edge of the bank in the
sloping field for about a km, following the power lines all the way. Go thru a
makeshift gate into F9. The bank descends and when you get near to the
path/brook on the L side, follow the power lines and TR to cross over a stile
that’s above and to the R, into F10. TL, follow power lines down to the L hand
corner of the field where you TL and go down a set of wooden steps with hand
rail. TL along farm track to the road just beyond Pear Tree Cottage.
3
3.
Rushall. TL and walk up to the crossroads (a walled red post
box is in front). TL and walk uphill towards Woolhope. When you get to the
T-junction you TR, heading towards Woolhope. The car park is further on the L,
near the bend in the road.
1 2
Walk 21 Garway Hill
Last walked in October 2017
Description. A 6.4 km (4 mile) strenuous climb up and down
hilly country. The 4 mile feels more
like 5.
Start. Explorer Map 189 Grid 445269.
Directions from Tesco’s roundabout. (Turn milometer to zero). Follow the A465 to Abergavenny for a 7.1 miles and
TL onto a minor road signed Garway Hill.
At 8.1 miles TR at the T-Junction.
At 9.2 miles TL at the next T-junction.
At 10.3 miles at the hamlet of Bagwyllydiart, ignore the turning to the L
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 11.7 miles.
1. Telephone Box. Continue along the road and TL towards St Weonards. After 100m TL, at a Public Footpath sign, to
go across a stile and down an enclosed track that’s on the R side of F1. Cross over a wooden fence that’s in the R
hand corner and go into F2.
Continue down this very rough fallow field; keep to the R of a stone
building that’s in ruins and on into F3, (field fencing is not that prominent). Carry on down, as far as possible to the R
side of this field to TR when you reach the concrete driveway, and then TL when
you reach the road. Proceed along the
road, passing Stoggle Oak that’s on your R, to TR at the first road
junction. Go down to the bottom of this
steep road to reach the drive at Lower Moors and TL to go thru the gate, then
10m on you TR and cross over a double stile into a field where you turn
immediately L and continue up the L edge of F4.
2. Lower Moors.
Cross a stile in the top L hand corner and along an enclosed track for
15m, then cross another stile into the next field F5.
Keep to the L edge as you cross another stile in the top L hand corner
and go into F6. Cross a stile at the end of F6 and
continue up a track just inside a wooded area, to cross another stile onto a
road and TL. Walk along this road to
take the first road on your L, (at Bagwyllydiart), sign posted to Garway
Hill. Continue up this road for almost a
kilometre.
3. Dirt Track.
80m up this
track you TL and continue up hill along an enclosed track. The track gets narrower and more enclosed as
you proceed up hill, (ignore the metal gate on your R). At the end of the enclosed track you go thru
a metal gate out onto the open hillside, a radio mast is just off to your
L. Continue in the same direction, going
up hill to reach the brick enclosure by the trig point at the top of Garway
Hill. Garway
Hill is a prominent local landmark rising to over 1200 feet. From the top of the Hill there is a view of
seven counties in a 360-degree panorama.
White mountain horses graze there most of the year and raise their foals
amongst the bracken. Sheep roam
freely. A pond near the summit provides
a water supply for the animals which lasts all the year round, despite there
being no visible source to keep it topped up.
The pond is also home to a protected species of newt.
4. Garway Hill Trig Point. TL and go down a wide grassy path, along a ridge, keeping to
the R of a pond to reach a fence. Follow
the fence around to the R and reach a metal gate by Garway Hill notice
board. TL and go thru the gate and down
an enclosed stony track/drive to reach a road and TL to the car.
4 3 1 2
Walk 22 Gladestry and Hergest Ridge
Last walked in October 2017
Description. (Take compass) An 8 km (5 mile)
strenuous walk. One stiff climb, walking along bridle paths, country lanes,
fields and open springy-turfed moorland. Spectacular views. Taken from Hereford
Times July 2012.
Start. Explorer Map 201 Grid 230551.
Direction from Whitecross roundabout (Turn milometer to zero). Take the
(A4111) road to Kington. After 18.2 miles you cross over the first roundabout
at Kington, (the town centre is off to the L), and head for Rhayader on the
A44. A little further on, at 18.5 miles, you cross over the second roundabout
and head for Rhayader on the A44. At 21.2 miles turn L onto the B4594 to
Gladestry. Arrive in Gladestry and at 24.6 turn R and R again to go thru gates
into the Community Centre, which is opposite the church.
1. Gladestry Church. This church, (of St Mary the Virgin at Gladestry), and parish
almost certainly owes its foundation to Harold, King of England after his
conquests of this part of Wales in the 11th century. Walk back the way you came, going
around the outside of the churchyard, to reach the main B4594 road, (by a park
bench that’s on an island), and TR. Walk across Gladestry Brook and turn
immediately L, (opposite the red telephone box) to walk along a surfaced
lane/road, (Offa’s Dyke Trail). Walk for ¾ km to the point where the lane
starts to turn R beyond an imposing Stone House (on the R), Once owned by James Watt, the inventor of the Steam Train in
1769. Just beyond the Stone House you TL and follow the
public footpath sign thru the first metal gate into F1, the gate is under a telegraph
pole. Bear L and follow the rutted farm track ahead, going thru a gate into F2. Continue
along this field, keeping to the hedge on your L, to reach the far L corner of
the field and TL thru a rusty metal gate.  Go ahead across paved forecourt and bear L up a grassy track to
cross a stile onto a country lane. TR, walk on for 150m to farm.
2. Llan-y-felin Farm. TL between the first farm buildings
and go thru a metal gate. Continue on thru two more metal gates and into F3. Continue
in the same direction, going up an obvious track. At the end of the field the
track veers L and you continue on in the same direction, following a wye marker
and passing two metal gates on your R, to go thru a gate gap beneath trees. Continue
up an enclosed track and 50m further on you go thru a metal gate into F4, (This track gets overgrown and it might be
easier to walk further into the field, keeping the R hand field edge in view).
Continue in the same direction and stay by the R edge, to go thru a small metal
gate that’s in the R corner into F5. Keep to the R field edge to go thru a metal
gate in the far R corner and along an enclosed grassy avenue. There are wonderful views opening up on your R side.
Continue along the avenue going thru 3 or 4 more metal gates to reach a
surfaced drive.
3. Upper
Rabber. TL and go up thru a metal gate that’s to the L of a
cottage, into F6.
Continue steeply up and thru the next gate and out into common pasture. TR and
walk near the fence that’s along the R edge. At the fence corner you leave the
fence and continue in the same direction, taking the lowest track down Rabber
Dingle and back up to meet trees and fence again. Continue in the same
direction and where the fence on the R ends (goes sharply R), go straight ahead
to walk along the lower flank of Hergest Ridge. Go past a way marker post and
continue on for about 1/3 km where you reach a bridle way
direction post. TL. Climb steeply up ahead to the trig point of Hergest Ridge.
Might need a compass bearing at this point.
Hergest Ridge
is a large elongated hill which traverses the border between England and Wales
between the town of Kington in Herefordshire and the village of Gladestry in
Powys. Its highest point, which is in England, is 1397 feet high.
4
4. Hergest
Ridge Trig Point. At the trig point TL, head south west
along Hergest Ridge for two km. The ridge dips and at a marker post you take
the L fork, continuing along Offers Dyke path. Pass to the L of a small pool/puddle
and descend, south-west, to pass four more concrete Offa’s Dyke posts to reach a
dip. A little further on, at a point where the track is rutted and by a fifth
3 2 1
Offa’s Dyke post, bear L and go down the stony
path which turns into an enclosed track. Pass thru wooden gates to reach the
road, TR and continue down to reach the main road. TL along the road to pass
the Royal Oak on your L, and on to TR to the church. Opposite
the Royal Oak is the old Post Office and the Zion Baptist Chapel, which
was built in 1842, it was here that the famous Welsh preacher known as
"Jones the Rock" (Rev James Jones, 1820-1907) began his ministry.
Walk 23 Golden Valley
Last walked in October 2017
Description. An 9 km (5½ mile) moderate walk in The Golden Valley
meadow, pasture and brookside.
Start. Explorer Map OL13 Grid 363365.
Direction from Tesco’s Roundabout (Turn milometer to zero). Take the A465 Abergavenny road. At
0–8 of a mile you TR and take the
B4348/9 to ‘Hay on Wye’. At 2–8 miles, in Clehonger, TL onto the
B4349 to ‘Hay on Wye’. At 5–2 miles, at the T Junction, you TR
onto the B4348 to Vowchurch. At 8–6 miles, and in a hidden dip, you TL
for St Bartholomew’s Church and Vowchurch. 200 yards further on park opposite
the church.
1. St Bartholomew’s
Church. Face the
church. TR, cross the bridge and continue along the road to Turnastone. Pass the
first building on your R, Turnastone Court (renovated), then the church, then the
old shop on your L, (‘I vow I will build my
church before you turn a stone of yours’ declared two pious women who each
decided to build a church in their parishes and the churches of Vowchurch and
Turnastone stand on either side of the River Dore’. The road bends R and 50m further on
you cross a stile/metal gate on your L, into F1.
2. Long Meadow. Keep to the L of this long field to
reach the far L corner. Do not cross the stile that’s in the corner but TR, walk
10m up the field and TL to cross over a different stile into F2.
Continue along the L edge, (by Slough Brook) for about 90m then bear R, to
cross the field and head for the far R hand corner.  TL and walk along the
road for about ½ km.  Cross over a
stile in the top L corner and TR under trees, to go past a marker post and on
up thru ferns into pasture. Bear L and continue on up, heading for a stone
building (Cothill Farm). Go under power lines, then cross over a tarmac drive, and
continue further up to reach the drive to Cothill Farm where you TL.
3. Cothill Farm. Walk along the drive towards the house and cross the cattle grid, then
continue on, heading between a barn conversation on your L (called The Stable),
and the farm house on your R, to leave the farmyard via a couple of metal gates
into F3.
Follow the R field edge and go thru the gate in the far R corner into F4. TR
and walk along the R field edge and go thru a metal gate into F5. TL, the
fence is now on your L. Continue across the field to cross a stile/metal gate
into F6.
Bear slightly L as you cross this field, to go thru a metal gate that’s L of
trees, into F7.
Turn half R to go across this pasture to the far corner, and continue along a
little enclosed track and thru a metal gate. TL and walk along the L edge (L of
the barns) and on thru a metal gate into F8, and just 10m on you go thru another gate on
your R and into F9.
5
4. Shegear Farm. Bear L and go diagonally down sloping
pasture, underneath power lines and towards the bottom R edge of the wood that’s
on your L. Go thru a metal gate at the tree edge and into F10. Walk down the pasture, (Peterchurch
church spire can be seen on L), and across a stile that’s to the L of a metal
gate into F11.
Keep descending along the L edge to cross over a stile into F12.
Turn half R and head for the corner of the trees, after 50m you turn half L and
continue on down the L field edge, to reach a wooden gate in the bottom L
corner.
4
3 2 1
5. Trenant Brook. When you reach the footbridge and
ford, do not cross but TR on
yourself to follow the bank of the brook, which is on your L, downstream. Continue
along the brook, going thru three gates and past Poston Court Farm that is on
the other side of the stream. Go thru the fourth gate, and 25m beyond the
footbridge that is on your L, TL across a stile and immediately go thru a gate
ahead, (ignore the gate on your R). Go along aqn avenue, a fence is on your R
and Trenant Brook is on your L. Reach the footbridge into Poston Mill. Do not cross, TR thru gate into meadow.
Follow Dore, towards Turnastone church. Go thru gate by river elbow, orchard
and gate to road. TL back to Vowchurch Bridge and car.
Walk 24 Burghill and Tillington
Last walked in October 2017
Description. A 9 km (5.6 mile) walk, mostly bridle paths and country
lanes. Three stiles. Sites ancient and modern. Hereford Times September 2012.
Start. Explorer Map 202 Grid 479445.
Direction from Whitecross (Turn milometer to zero). Take the
A4110 Canon Pyon (Three Elms road) for 1 mile and TL at the lights. Point 2 of
a mile further on you TR and go along Tillington Road for Burghill 1½. At 2.2
miles you branch R for Burghill. At 2.8 miles TL for the church car park.
1. St Mary’s Church,
Burghill. (Among the antiquities in the church are a curious font of metal, placed
on a stone figuratively carved of the Twelve Apostles; and a very richly carved
oak screen, one of the finest in England). With the
church behind you and to the R, TL and proceed up the enclosed wide bridle path/drive heading
towards the mast that’s in front, at the top of the hill. Go past a house on
your L and continue on up the enclosed grass/dirt track. When you get near the
top you will pass the radio mast that’s in a field on your R hand side, then
you pass a bungalow on your L and start to descend. At the slight R bend (the
road can be seen below), TL thru a gate gap and by a signed bridle path into F1.
2. Go thru bridle gate.
Continue up the L
edge of the field to go thru a small wooden gate into F2. Ignore the way marker and go diagonally
R, across and down the field to the bottom far corner, to go thru a way marked
small wooden gate into F3, (if the field is heavily cropped then TR and
follow R edge of the field down and around). Cut straight across this field,
(if field is heavily cropped you go up and around the L edge), to go thru a
small wooden gate that’s about 80m down from the top of the field, into an
enclosure. Continue across the top edge of the enclosure and pass some Mountain
board Slopes that are on your L. Go out thru a gateway onto a wide enclosed drive
and TL, towards Farm Shop and PYO. Ignore the Farm Shop as you go ahead thru
Tillington Court buildings to follow a more surfaced drive at CourtCottage.
Continue along the surfaced drive to reach a narrow country road T-junction and
TL. Continue along this road to reach cross-roads that are by a pond on your L,
and opposite Tillington Business Park.
3. Tillington pool. Go (carefully) straight across the cross-road
and continue along the narrow country road opposite. Continue along the road
for almost a km, going past Tillington Fruit Farm, to reach a T-junction, a gap
into a golf course is ahead. TL, and continue to the end of the narrow country
road (Crowmoor Lane), to reach a cross roads. Go straight across and up the
lane/drive ahead that goes to Stretton Nursing Home. At the gated driveway, (gate
no longer there) keep to the L hand side and go up the grassy ride between
trees and hedge, keeping to the L hand side of the home. When you reach the upper
end of the Home you go straight on ahead, thru a metal gate and into F4,
ignore the small wooden kissing gate on the L. Continue on down the L edge,
down a wide, grassy path. Go thru a metal gate and along an enclosed grassy path to
reach the end, (about 130m), to go thru a small wooden gate on your L, into F5 and
continue in the same direction. After a
2 3
short
distance (20 paces), the field edge turns R and you continue straight ahead,
walking along a wide grassy track, initially you go between a crop
(on the
L) and tree plantation (on the R), to reach a metal gate. Go thru the gate and
along an enclosed farm track. The track turns into a tarmac lane, to go thru a
metal gate and onto a T-junction at a bend in a minor country road
1
4. Tow Tree Lane. TL. The country road goes slightly
upwards for about ¾ of a km. Pass Tow Tree House (R) and reach the Hereford to
Burghill road. (Cross to the pavement that’s by 27 Willow
House and TR, walk on for 115m. TL into St Mary’s Lane 175m to Chestnut Lane. TR
to memorial tablet unveiled on August 18, 2011, the 67th anniversary
of the crash in which 10 United States servicemen and flying crew lost their
lives. Return to crossroads at 27 Willow House and TR.) Cross
over the main road and continue on down the road opposite, to reach a pool (L).
TL, and walk along a pebble path at Little Burlton, to cross a stile into a
field. Go straight ahead and at the end of this field, in the far R corner, you
cross over a stile into another field. Keep to the R edge of the cropped field
as it bends R, then bends L. Continue on to go thru a kissing gate that’s in the
R corner. Go ahead along surfaced lane to Lower Orchards T junction. TL and
walk up to the next T-junction. TL and 100m along this road you TR and go up to
the car park. (“Twelve Apostles”. Go up churchyard between
Yew trees. Plaque to airmen is by Memorial Cross. TR to exit just above
“Wordsworth’s” ancient yew. Plaque to St Mary’s dead is in northern
churchyard.)
4
Walk 25
Eardisley and Woods Eaves
Last walked in November 2017
Description. A 7 km (4.3 mile) leisurely walk. No stiles.
Quiet country lanes and bridle path, mostly surfaced. Hamlet, historic tree and village on the
Black and White Trail. Hereford Times
walk of October 2012.
Start. Explorer Map 201 Grid 313492.
Direction from Whitecross roundabout (Turn
milometer to zero). Take the (A4111) road towards Kington
and at 13.1 miles, at the church in Eardisley, TL. Follow the road and the public bridleway as
it bends L around the church, to park in the small car park by Eardisley
Millennium Castle Green.
1. Eardisley Parish Church. The
church of St Mary Magdalene
is famed for its extraordinary carved Norman font, which must be accounted one
of the finest fonts in England, if not one of the finest bits of Norman
Romanesque architecture of any kind. The
font is built like a truncated hour-glass, or a goblet, with a short circular
base supporting a wide circular bowl. The
carvings are designed to tell a cautionary tale; a sinner saved from the
clutches of evil. In the carvings the figure of a man is pursued by a lion
(evil), and is saved by Christ from the lion. Christ is accompanied the Holy
Spirit in the form of a dove above his shoulder. This scene is also interpreted as a depiction
of the Harrowing of Hell. In another part of the design two knights engage in
combat. The two figures are thought to
represent Lord Drogo of Clifford and his son-in-law, Ralph de Baskerville of
Eardisley, who engaged in a real-life combat in a dispute over ownership of
land sometime before 1127. The elder
knight was killed, but Ralph repented of his actions and became a monk at
Gloucester Abbey. It may be Ralph who was responsible for hiring the
Herefordshire School of carvers to create the font for Eardisley church.
Out of Eardisley Millennium Castle Green car park and TL, walk along the
surfaced bridleway, an enclosed lane. You
are going to follow this wide and straight bridleway, that continues in the
same direction for the next three kilometres, starting by crossing a small
bridge before going into open countryside.
As you continue on you will see buildings back
to your L which are on the site of the old Eardisley wharf and the Hereford,
Hay and Brecon Railway ran parallel with our route, 300 metres over to the L. After about 1½ km you go
past a mansion on the L, between farm buildings and then a couple of cottages
before the path changes into an enclosed aggregated wide grassy track. Continue on to the end of the enclosed track,
to go thru a metal gate and into a field.
Continue in the same direction, along the L field edge. Go thru a metal gate and along an enclosed
farm track to go thru another metal gate onto the road. You are now by the Red Gate Cattery and
Boarding Kennels.
2. Red Gate. TR and walk along the country lane for about
1½ km, passing thru the hamlet of Woods Eaves, to reach a road junction at
Woods Eaves Farm. Follow the road around
to the R, ignore the road on the L as you walk on ahead, with views opening up
to the R (south) to Bredwardine and Merbach Hills. Walk on for about ¾ km to go past the next
road junction on your L, by an old chapel and a cottage called Great Oak
Cottage. (Just up to the L of the chapel is The Great
Oak. Find the hollow in the trunk, which
once accommodated 28 schoolchildren having a tea party to celebrate its rescue
from a fire that they started).
3. Great Oak.
Continue along the road to go past the next road junction on your L
that’s by a place called Hurstway, and a little further on a cottage called The
Laurels. The road continues on to cross
a small bridge over a stream and then reaches a T-junction by The Tram Inn in
Eardisley. TR and walk along either
pavement and go past Eardisley Village Hall to reach the church.
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Walk 26
Skenfrith Castle Walk
Last walked in November 2017
Description. An 8 km (5 mile) pleasant moderate walk, with
excellent views of the hilly countryside.
Start.
Explorer Map 189. Grid 458202.
Direction from Belmont roundabout (Turn
milometer to zero). Take the A49 towards
Ross-on-Wye. At 4.5 miles TR and take
the 466 to Monmouth. Carry on the 466
thru Wormelow, then thru St Weonards, and at 11.2 miles TR towards
Abergavenny. Go thru the hamlet of
Broad Oak and at 14.1 miles TR and park at Skenfrith Castle.
1. Skinfrith Castle. Skenfrith Castle is the only low-lying fortress of the
three castles of Skenfrith, Grosmont and White Castle, now known as the castles
of the Trilateral. We have no early
reference as to the foundation of the fortress, though a castle certainly
existed here by 1160 when it came into the king’s hands. In 1187 the engineer Ralph Grosmont was
instructed by King Henry II to rebuild the castle in stone. However this work proved abortive and Henry
II cancelled the building work in 1188 as unnecessary. In 1193, Sheriff William Braose pushed the
unfinished castle into rapid service and a prison was later built within the
stockade. With your back to the castle TR and walk along the
minor road that bends L then R, going past ‘St Bridget’s church, a ‘National
School AD1843, ‘The Old Vicarage and the ‘Malthouse before the road crossing
over a stream where you TR for Grosmont Castle and walk up a No Thru Road.
Continue along this road for a good kilometre as it changes into a stony
enclosed track when you go over a cattle grid.
At the bottom of the hill near the river at Birch Hill, just before
another cattle grid, cross over a stile on your R side and continue in the same
direction along an enclosed footpath.
2. Wooden Stile.
Continue along the footpath passing
a farmhouse on your L to cross a stile and continue along a dirt track going
down towards the river. Cross a stile
that’s on the R side of a metal gate and go into a field. TL, walk along the L field edge and after 30
paces bare R, a little further on you go along a way marked wooden
walkway. Cross a stile, down some steps
and along another wooden walkway. At the
end of the walkway TR and go across a small concrete bridge over a brook and
into F1, continue along the R field
edge. Cross a stile/metal gate into F2 and along the R edge. Go over stile/metal gate into F3 and bear slightly away from the field edge to
go over stile/metal gate and continue along the R edge of F4, passing Trevonny farm on your R. Cross a stile and two wooden planks into F5, the hedge is on your L. After short distance you hit a farm track,
TL, go thru metal gate and continue up the enclosed stony track towards Box
Farm.
3. Box Farm. Go thru the farmyard and at the
end TR, pass the farm house that is on your L and cross over a cattle grid,
continue along the farm track/drive to eventually cross another cattle grid and
onto the main road. In front of you are
two metal gates, go thru the L gate/stile into F6. Bear slightly L and follow the hedge on your
R, near the far end of the field and just before
3 2 1
reaching two big trees
you TR thru a metal gate into F7. Bear L to the far corner and go over a
stile. TR, cross a gated wooden
footbridge and up some wooden steps.
Continue on for a short distance and hit a tarmac drive where you
TR. Continue up
the drive to cross over
a cattle grid, TL and go thru a wooden gate into F8. Go straight across this field, thru a small
wooden gate/metal gate, across a brook and up the track that bends to the
R.  TL and proceed down the drive. The drive bends to the R and goes over a
cattle grid, it then continues on and goes over
another cattle grid
before reaching the main road.
4
4. Main Road. TL, walk along the main road and
after about 140m you pass Norton Baptist Church(L), after another 200m you TL
over a stile by a footpath sign and into a small field. Keep to the brook that’s on your R to cross a
gated wooden footbridge over a stream and into F10. Cross the field then a stile/metal gate onto
a main road. TR, 30m on you TL and
proceed along a narrow single lane road for 1½ km to Skinfrith Castle and the
car.
Walk 27 Kings Caple and Fawley
Last walked in November 2017
Description. A
9 km (5½ mile) moderate walk along quite country lanes, fine bridleway, two
crop fields and over four stiles. Quite long stretches of road walking.
Hereford Times Nov 2012, edited version.
Start. Map
189 Grid 55828. King Caple church.
Direction from Belmont roundabout (Turn
milometer to zero). Take the A49 to Ross-on-Wye and after .3 of a mile, at traffic lights, you
TL and head towards Holme Lacy on the
B4399. At the first mini roundabout (.5 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. Kings Caple Church. The churchyard
stands on the bailey of a Norman castle, whose motte, known as Caple Tump,
stands across the road. With you’re back to the church gate, cross the road and TL,
walk a short distance and TR to walk along a drive. Walk a short distance and
TL to cross over a stile/gate and into F1. Follow the R
edge and at the end you go thru a kissing gate and onto the road, (the field
may be separated by an electrified fence). TR, walk down the road, (Sellack
Church can be seen in the distance), after just over ½ km you pass by
Shieldbrook, a cottage on your L that was once an inn called The Old Boar,
serving barge workers.
2. L turn at bottom of lane. At the bottom of the hill the road bends sharply to the L. At this point you can take a quick detour and go straight on
along the enclosed public footpath to look at Sellack Boat suspension bridge.
The bridge was built in
1895 and brought to an end the centuries old ferry between the parishes. Stay on the road and after almost a kilometer you
reach an islanded T-junction, TR, the cattle grid entrance to Poulstone Court
is on your R. Continue along this road until it bends sharply to the L.
3. Bridlepath to Fawley. Go straight ahead and along a wide grassy bridleway
at (what is) Ingsbury Cottage, where you go thru a metal gate into F2.
Follow the fine L edge of the field (with Strangford’s old Wye bridge coming
into view over to the R). At the end of the field you drop under the old
railway line and go thru a metal gate into F3. Bear R and go across the field, (there is a
pond on the L hand side), and go thru a bridle gate that’s near to two large
oak trees and into F4. Bear L up a bank and go along the L edge of
the field. Further along this field you walk along a dirt track and then thru a
metal gate into F5.
 Follow the L edge to the end of
the field and go thru a metal gate, then along a drive and thru more gates that
are L of barns, to reach a road.
4. Fawley Chapel Area. TL, (TR for Fawley
Chapel), walk along the road for ¾ km to reach as T-junction at
Fawley Cross. TL and walk along the road for ¾ km to reach Fawley Court. The
road bends to the R and after a short distance you TL for King’s Caple and
Hoarwithy. Cross over a cattle grid and along an unfenced road. Continue along
this road for about 1½ km, crossing over another cattle grid and over an old
railway line, (Fawley Halt was down to the L, and Fawley
Tunnel is a couple of hundred yards on the R, shrouded by trees,)
to reach a “boulder” island T-junction at Penalt.
5 4 3 2 1
5. T-Junction. Go very slightly L and over
stile/metal gate to cross an enclosure and over another stile into F7. Go
slightly R as you cross this field and thru a gap in the hedgerow into F8.
Continue in the same direction across this next field, to go thru a very narrow
gap in the hedge that’s just R of a wooden power cable pole, and into F9.
Follow the overhead power cables and on reaching the way marked second pole,
about 100m on, you bear L, (the lines go off to the R) to go straight across
this field to reach a road, (directly opposite is Caple Avenue). TR, continue
along the road to pass King Caple Primary School that’s on your R. Continue
along the road, going straight across the crossroads and on back to the church
at Caple Tump.
Walk 28 Clehonger
Last walked in November 2017
Description. A 9 km (5½ mile) walk across flat
landscape, crossing over a number of cropped fields, so it can be arduous if
done when it’s sodden wet, or when fields have just been ploughed.
Start. Clehonger. Explorer Map 189 Grid 452377.
Direction from Tesco’s roundabout (Turn
milometer to zero). Take the A465 to Abergavenny and at the second turning on
the R, (after point eight of a mile) you TR for ‘Clehonger 2’. In
Clehonger, after 2.7 miles you TL, signed ‘Village Hall’, and park along Birch
Hill Road, very near to the Village Hall.
1. Clehonger Village
Hall. Walk a little
further along the road and when it bends R onto Gosmore road you go straight on
and continue along Birch Hill Road. The road bends R, and a short distance
further on you TR and go along Pleasant Row. When you get to the first T‑junction
you TL, at the next T-junction you TR and walk along Poplar Road for a couple
hundred meters, passing The Hollies road that’s on the R, you then TL at a
Public Footpath that is across the road from house number 15 (Berllan). Walk
along an enclosed track to cross a stile into F1. Continue along the L field edge
for about 120m, then TL thru a kissing gate and immediately TR and walk along
an enclosed track. Cross a stile and go straight across F2. Go over a stile, over three
planks of wood and across a minor road.
2. Minor Road. Cross a stile/metal gates into F3 and
go half L across this field. Cross a stile and three planks of wood into F4. Go
straight across this field, heading for a gap in the far R corner. Go thru the
gap in the corner into F5; ignore the bigger gap in the hedge that’s on
your L side. TL and walk around the field edge, (hedges on your L), and 30m
around from the L field corner you TL to cross over a styled wooden footbridge.
Keep to the fence on your L, (there is a pond on your R) and after 25m you bend
L and then TL to cross a stile and to walk along a wooded area, keeping to a
fence that’s on your R. Just past a cottage that’s on you R you cross over a
stile, then immediately TL and cross another stile into F6. TR and carry on up the R field
edge. Go past the metal gates in the field corner and continue around the field
edge, to TR over a stile and onto a road. TL and continue along the road.
3. Crossroads. 100m passed the house on your L
(Court Plocks), TR and go thru a wooden gate into F7, and go along the R field edge.
Go thru two small wooden gates, into F8 and continue in same direction. Cross a
stile/metal gate and along a short narrow enclosure to go thru a small wooden
gate into F9.
Continue along the R field edge, to go thru a kissing gate and over three wood
planks into F10,
TR and follow R field edge. Ignore the first gate that leads to a wooden
footbridge and TR thru the second metal gate, to walk along a grassy enclosure,
heading towards buildings. Go thru a gap in the hedge/fence into F11, TL
and follow L field edge to cross a stile/metal gate and onto a driveway. TL, walk along a
bridleway/driveway and pass Goospool house that’s on your L. Go thru metal gate
into F12
and carry on along the R hand field edge, the wood is over on your L side. Go
thru a metal gate that’s in the field corner and into F13. Go across a large field and
thru another gate into F14. Walk across this field to go thru a small
wooden gate and onto a road. TL, 30m TR and walk along Church Road toward
Ruckhall.
4 3 2 1
4. Church Road. Walk along Church Road until you get
to the church and TL up a Public Footpath. The path starts along a grassy
enclosed track that’s at the back of houses, you then go thru a metal gate into
an open field (F15),
and follow the R field edge. Go thru a double metal into F16 and keep to the L edge, heading
for farm buildings. Continue in the same direction along an aggregated farmers