KINGSWOOD HALL -- Those seeking to spend their well-earned retirement years at Kington's Kingswood Hall, which first opened in 1836 after the passing of the Poor Law Act of 1834, have learned this month (from a local church magazine) that it will remain open "for at least the next three years." Run by successive county councils until recently, and now administered by the Ludlow-based South Shropshire Housing Association, it is still a registered care home for 32 residents, providing 24-hour care and support, along with other facilities. A statement from the establishment adds: "We would like to thank our friends for their continued support and look forward to an increasing involvement with the local community."

MORTIMER TRAIL -- After its closure during the foot and mouth epidemic, the Mortimer Trail linking Kington and Ludlow is now open again, says Herefordshire Council's parks and countryside service. This news, although it comes late in the season, will be warmly greeted by those involved with tourism in the Kington area, for both the town -- which has set itself up as a centre for walking -- and the district look to the ramblers for a sizeable proportion of their income. Although the 30-mile trail has officially been open since the end of July, foot and mouth restrictions prevented the Herefordshire's Council's Countryside Ranger Team from carrying out its normal programme of footpath maintenance and vegetation clearance, so many sections of the route were blocked or difficult to pass. Countryside ranger Trevor Hulme said: "Since re-opening, we have done our best to get the Mortimer Trail up to scratch as quickly as possible. Strimming teams have been working on the route over the past few weeks to get through the backlog of vegetation clearance work which should leave the Mortimer Trail clear and passable, ready for the autumn walking season." Of the five shorter loop walks along the route of the trail, at Yarpole, Lingen, Shobdon, Titley and Wigmore, four are now open. The Wigmore loop walk remains closed owing to foot and mouth restrictions. Those who are planning to walk the Mortimer Trail in the near future may like to know that a new guidebook for the route is planned, and copies will be available soon.