Broadleaf 65 19/9/05 8:46 am Page 32

NO 6 A WALK IN THE WOODS

1 L of farm and follow path past front of 5 3 ⁄2 MILES The house. Climb over fence and, keeping After white houses on R, bear L, derelict building on R, cross Offa’s Dyke passing seat. Follow this ancient footpath to go down R side of field. (For undulating path and go over stile to 1 1 3 ⁄2 OR 6 ⁄2 MILES thin meadow owned and managed shortcut, turn R at waymarker to rejoin leave woodland and follow edge of 2 OR 4 HOURS by the Woodland Trust.The tree-lined main route back along Offa’s Dyke meadow (spot the cowslips in spring). MODERATE (WITH STEEP SECTIONS) avenue continues past Coxbury Grove footpath.) Pass through broken wall by Follow path up through scrub at end and over stile. Continue on, crossing 3 on L, a steep grass field also owned by large pollarded tree, go down to stile more stiles, to enter Woodland Trust the Trust. and continue down through trees.Turn L property at the edge of Cadora 1 START along track at waymarker post. Woods. Leave this recently thinned From the Bell Inn, turn R before zebra 3 1 MILE If it is relatively dry underfoot, bear R woodland via the kissing gate and crossing, past Lavender Cottage on R. In wet weather, follow the track as it at five-bar gate and go through gap cross top edge of field, heading Follow Offa’s Dyke signpost up 67 bends to L (ignoring gate into woodland down into Cadora Grove (Woodland towards farmhouse. At waymarker, to R). Go past driveway to house on R shallow steps to lane at top. Cross Trust). Continue on this steep downhill continue straight on. and follow scenic green lane for a straight over, continuing steeply uphill. track until it levels out and eventually further 400m. Continue on where Offa’s comes to a junction with a footpath to 6 5 MILES 2 1 Dyke footpath crosses lane until there is ⁄4 MILE the L (waymarked). As views of wooded valley open up, Ignoring Offa’s Dyke signpost to L, a footpath to R up a sunken lane, after head for top corner of field (may be follow lane to enter woodland where exposed tree roots.Take care along first 4 2 MILES muddy in wet weather). Continue 10m that may be muddy. After 60m go it begins to level out. After about For a shortcut, turn L up through wood along top field edge and pass through 400m, track bends L and climbs past over stile and follow waymarker post and over stile. After 3 large pollarded kissing gate. Follow path up to L to Highbury Fields on R.This is a long across field. Go through kissing gate to trees, go through broken-down wall on next kissing gate, cross track and go R and up edge of field to waymarker. over stile into English Nature’s Highbury Wood National Nature Turn L to rejoin main route back along Reserve. Follow path through this Offa’s Dyke. The Boat Inn The Bell Inn coppiced woodland, known for its Continue on track gently down into dormice and lime kilns. After about NEWLAND valley. Follow route, bending sharply R, 1.2km path starts to descend steeply and turn L on to track at bottom. to a stile and lane.Turn L and walk Follow this route down and up down lane for approximately 100m HHighburighbury through beautiful broadleaved before turning L to follow Offa’s Dyke Fieldsields Highbury Farm woodland (carpeted with bluebells in footpath, admiring views of the Wye spring).Take unmarked footpath to L Valley stretching out below. Follow the CCoxburyoxburxbury 100m before Woodland Trust car park path steeply downhill to a stile.Turn R GGroverove Glyn Causeaausewayuseway Farm for Bigsweir Wood, go through down lane and cross over at bottom Grroveove HighburyHighburHighbury Wooodod squeeze gap, turn L and through next to take steps back to main road. Cadoraadoradora (English(English Naature)turture)e) Grroveove squeeze gap, following sign for Offa’s You can print this page from Dyke footpath. www.woodland-trust.org.uk/broadleaf 1 kilometrekilometrilometre

1 Cinderford and Hereford to the north. For details, call HighburyHighburHighbury /2 milemile A40 A4136 FieldsFieldsields Monmouth National Rail Enquiries on 0845 748 4950. National Express runs coaches to and from 61/2-mile walk route A466 Coleford Alternative route and Monmouth. For further Offa’s Dyke footpath Redbrook information, call 0870 580 8080. Other footpath REFRESHMENTS Car parking Woodland Trust wood The Bell Inn (grid reference SO537097; Coxbury Other woodland telephone 01600 713612). CCadoraadoradora Farm WoodsWoodsds A466 The Boat Inn, over the river via the footbridge Hael Lydney (grid reference SO536098; telephone 01600 Woods 712615). A466 TERRAIN ACCOMMODATION AND TOURIST Steep ascent out of Redbrook on shallow INFORMATION steps and surfaced lane. Route through R Monmouth Tourist Information Centre iver W woodland on clear wide tracks; rutted stretches (telephone 01600 713899).There are useful ye Wyeseal will be muddy in wet weather. Descent to websites at www.wyevalleytourism.co.uk and Farm village is down steep grassy bank. 8 stiles on www.visitwyevalley.com main route. The Bell Inn offers accommodation and the WYEGATE PARKING nearest youth hostel is BigsweirBigswBigsweireir GREEN Large car park on right as you enter WoodsWoodsds (telephone 0870 770 6040). Redbrook from Monmouth on the A466 (grid reference SO536100).Take footpath between MAPS football pitch and river to enter Redbrook Ordnance Survey Explorer 14, Landranger M Millennium Green. Follow path to main gates 162 (visit www.woodland-trust.org.uk/woods to and cross road by zebra crossing to start. buy on-line). Pilstone PUBLIC TRANSPORT i OTHER WOODS TO VISIT The Fence The number 69 bus operates between See the Our Woods section on the Trust’s Chepstow and Monmouth, stopping at the Bell website at www.woodland-trust.org.uk or the Inn in Redbrook. For timetable enquiries, call Exploring Woodland guide for the Chilterns to National Traveline on 0870 608 2608.The two the Welsh Borders, due to be published next Pen-y-fan nearest rail stations are Chepstow to the south spring.