WALK Ben takes owners Jenny and David Collin on a favourite walk near Church

Ben takes the lead Black Labrador Ben assisted by his owners Jenny and David Collin of Ross Ramblers has compiled a booklet of eight dog-friendly walks with no stiles to support the Ross Walkers are Welcome project. Here is one of them

he walk starts by the lovely This is a dog-friendly walk with two Everyone knows how unpleasant and passes the easily negotiable stiles and one dog mess is and how it can cause ancient ruined Wilton less-friendly stile, two of which are infections, so always clean up after on its way to the attractive planned to be replaced with gates your dog and get rid of the mess Tvillage church in Bridstow. The usual during 2010. Always remember the responsibly. walk is a leisurely ‘there and back’ of Countryside Code when taking your around four miles but it is possible to dog on a walk. One of the paths followed by this walk extend the route to Broome Farm or to is a permissive path so please respect the shorten it by catching a bus back to In particular: farmer’s fields when following the Ross. Most of the route follows the marked route. Trail, a circular walk of By law, you must control your about 154 miles, all within the County dog so that it does not disturb or scare 1 Leave the Wilton Road car park, of Herefordshire, devised by the farm animals or wildlife. cross the road and walk towards the Group of the Ramblers. riverbank. At the river turn left and Copies of the Trail book can be As a general rule, keep your dog continue downstream along the bank to purchased locally in Tourist on a lead if you cannot rely on its Wilton Bridge. Climb a short flight of Information Centres, bookshops or obedience and always when in a field steps and cross the bridge. The ring 01432 264374. containing livestock. six-arched red sandstone bridge

www.herefordshire.greatbritishlife.co.uk March 2010 93 WALK

Broome Farm 5 Bridstow 4 Church 6 A49 Pool Mill

A49 3

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Wilton RIVER WYE Bridstow Walk A40 Bridge ROSS-ON-WYE Start/parking: Wilton Road Car Park, Ross-on-Wye. Grid Ref; SO593239 1 Wilton Road Map: OS map; Outdoor Car Park Leisure 14 Below: Bridstow Church Distance: 4-5 miles. Grade: Leisurely Nearest town: Ross-on-Wye Refreshments: Numerous cafes and pubs in Ross. Cream teas at Broome Farm, tel: 01989 567232 Above: Leaving Bridstow Church. Below (top to bottom): Wilton Bridge; Ben; Wilton Castle Public toilets: In Wye Street adjacent to Bandstand, opposite The Riverside Inn Public Transport: No.37 bus runs between Ross and Hereford via Pool Mill, No.38 bus runs between Ross and Hereford along the A49 Full details at www.herefordbus.info or tel: 01432 260211

the east window and two arches built are available during the summer months. into the north wall of the chancel were Cider tours and tastings are also available The Ramblers recycled from the earlier building. during longer periods of the year. After was completed in 1600 and was a toll Wilton Castle was probably built in the up the slope parallel to the road and visiting Broome Farm one can again The Ramblers is bridge linking Wilton to Ross-on-Wye. 11th century on a site that commanded regain the public footpath at the top. 4 After visiting the church, exit the retrace one’s steps to Ross (around five Britain’s biggest The sun dial was installed in 1712, views of two roads and the river and was Turn right at the top of the slope and, churchyard, cross the road, pass through miles in total) or walk further along the charity working originally on the opposite side of the one of many that served to police the keeping the fences and hedges on the left two kissing gates and continue along the lane to the A49 6 and catch the 38 bus to promote walking and to bridge. It was moved in 1939 when the Anglo-Welsh border. The castle was set go over a stile, through the gate of field edge to Pool Mill. Retracing your service from Peterstow. ■ improve conditions for all bridge was widened and strengthened to on fire in 1642 during the Civil War, Greenoak Lodge and onto a farm drive. steps from here back to Ross makes a walkers. In Herefordshire there cope with increased wartime traffic. the current owners and English heritage After 30 yards go over a stile into the walk of around 4 miles. To return to This walk is adapted from one of are four local groups, Hereford, Local residents still await its restoration have spent several years in tidying the field on the left and cross the field to Ross by bus either catch the 37 which Ben’s Favourite Walks contained in the Mortimer, Ross-on-Wye and to its pre-war state. site and restoring parts of the ruins. It is another stile (the less-friendly one). stops close to the end of the footpath at booklet A Guide to Dog-friendly Leadon Vale. open to the public on a limited basis Continue to the far side of the field and Pool Mill or walk back to Bridstow Walks in and around Ross-on-Wye Ross Ramblers, and indeed most 2 Take the public footpath on the right during summer months. Leave the castle enter Bridstow churchyard through a Church turning right on reaching the published by the Ross-on-Wye Walkers ramblers' groups, welcome dogs onto the riverbank, keep left and pass boundary and follow the permissive kissing gate. A church has existed on this road and walking up to the A49 past the are Welcome Group and available from on walks, but you must check through a metal gate and over a footpath to the right. Keep the brook site since before the arrival of the school and catching the 38. the Ross Tourist Information Centre. with the walk leader first. footbridge to the right. At the end of on your right and go through the tunnel Normans. The tower dates from the late For more information contact the footbridge go through a kissing gate under the A40. 14th century and is the only part which 5 For a longer walk continue along the FOR MORE WALKS Tom Fisher, tel: 01886 821544 and turn sharp left past the ruined castle is original, the rest of the church having lane to the right and follow the signs for HEREFORDSHIRE.GREAT or email: [email protected] walls then left over another footbridge. 3 On exiting the tunnel turn sharp left been rebuilt in 1862. The chancel arch, Broome Farm where delicious cream teas BRITISHLIFE .CO.UK

94 March 2010 www.herefordshire.greatbritishlife.co.uk www.herefordshire.greatbritishlife.co.uk March 2010 95