A wonderful circular winter walk through woodland and along the river's edge. A moderate 5¾ mile ramble, the walk starts at Goodrich Village Hall and follows the delightful riverbank for more than two miles, around the apex of the river's bend, opposite Yat Rock, and takes in the memorial in Tent Meadow to The Eleven who lost their lives in Halifax Flight V9977 on June 7, 1942.
Setting off from Herefordshire's most iconic viewpoint at Yat Rock, the Wye Valley Trail leads down and along a beautiful stretch of footpath, reaching the old Ross and Monmouth railway embankement close to an old tunnel which burrowed 433 yeards to Symond's Yat from a point where the Wye still has three miles to go to get there.
A three-mile easy walk, but with one short sharp climb towards the end, with fine views and straight tracks on good terrain. The Courtfield Estate, through which the walk passes, has been in the hands of the Vaughan family since 1570, with the present family overseeing the placement of the memorial to The Eleven, sited almost exactly on a ley line, identified by Alfred Watkins in the early 20th century.
"Walking the Pipe from Leintwardine." The Elan Valley Aqueduct.
Starting at Leintwardine village green, is Garth's 4½ mile route which passes Downton Castle on the opposite side of the River Teme. Skirt the river to see the Pipe crossing via Graham’s Cottage Bridge before it vanishes under Tatteridge Hill. As you loop around the hill you can see its course marked by a chamber on the hillside. The pipe is about 100 metres underground at this point and it's believed that two schoolboys lost their lives there in a calamitous exploration. Just before Downton on the Rock and a pretty return to Leintwardine down Church Hill overlooking the sinuous Teme, you'll walk above Downton Bridge where the Pipe has descended about three metres from Graham’s Cottage.
Burrington and Pipe Aston. Is the latter really a Thankful Village, after all?
Two tranquil places. Two sparse communities. Arriving in Pipe Aston, there’s a bit of a mystery to ponder.
It was thought that, along with Knill and Middleton-on-the-Hill, Pipe Aston was one of three Herefordshire parishes that can be called “Thankful Villages”.
This term, first coined by Arthur Mee in the 1930s, means that all its soldiers came back to the village they left for the Great War, but questions have been raised about the fate of one of the four men thought to have been from Pipe Aston.
While there is one long arable field in this lovely walk, it is always very well maintained and suitable for winter. I know for certain that lots of people have done this walk from the Black Swan and enjoyed it....An easy 4½ mile walk with surprises. Manor houses, lake, delightful wood, wonderful views, and, though there is one long arable field, it is always very well maintained and suitable for a winter walk. Mostly there and back with one minor climb
Starting from The Black Swan, where, while his trusted lieutenant was directing affairs from a tent on top of Aconbury Hill, it seems Oliver Cromwell was drinking with his cronies.
One disgruntled Royalist does seem to have reared his head from that direction.In rather cavalier fashion he took a pot-shot at Cromwell through the window of the Black Swan. The shot went wide, the Roundhead survived, the soldier was hanged and his ghost now walks the 14th century inn at night. The walk also passes The Woodlands where the celebrated ghost writer MR James wrote A View from a Hill.
The short but hilly walk to bracken-strewn Hanter Hill from Old Radnor takes you along the Herefordshire border with Radnorshire.There are great views towards the other hills around Kington, and there are fine views across Sir Frankland Lewis's old home, Harpton Court, in Radnor Vale to Radnor Forest. Sir Frankland's son, Sir George Cornewall-Lewis was subjected to the indignity of having a traffic cone planted on his head, just one of the incidents to have befallen the baronet's bronze statue in front of the Shire Hall. An MP for Herefordshire, Chancellor of the Exchequer, Home Secretary and Secretary of State for War, he's also had his head decorated with a potted aspidistra.
Knill -a Thankful Village, untouched by losses in the Great War.
Knill is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Chenille from the Old English meaning “place by the hillock”.
The tranquil village is three miles south west of Presteigne, just inside the Herefordshire side of the border with Wales, and very much in the Marches.
Above the village, Offa’s Dyke marks the ancient boundary between Mercia and the Welsh. The modern border with Radnorshire runs along the valley of the Riddings and Hindwell Brooks.
In a stiff start to a glorious walk from the thankful village, scale Garraway Hill Wood to Rushock Hill and a fine section of Offa’s Dyke to be rewarded by 50-mile views.
Twyn-y-Gaer in the Black Mountains, best approached from Llanfihangel Crucorney.
Twyn Y Gaer is an Iron Age British hill-fort which lies in the Black Mountains at the southern end of the long ridge between the valley of the
GrwyneFawr and the Vale of Ewyas. Several public footpaths and green lanes weave their way around the lower slopes and the upper part of the hill is designated as open country and freely accessible to walkers.
Undertake this excellent moorland-type walk and you can train your sights on the lop-sided church at Cymyoy from Twyn Y Gaer. If you feel the inclination….
Gladestry up on to Hergest Ridge.
A five-mile moderate/energetic walk, starting and ending at The Royal Oak in Gladestry. Bridle paths and no stiles, with one stiff climb.
Country lane, field and open springy-turfed moorland with spectacular views from the bridle paths and Offa's Dyke path.
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