Doglegs All The

WALK Main First glimpse of the Wye from Upper Castleton Inset Mina takes a break Doglegs all the way Collies Ludo and Mina and their owner Hazel Alexander of the Hereford Group of The Ramblers are back to lead an undulating walk to the Wye and back, beginning at Hardwicke in the parish of Clifford 1. Ludo, Mina and I begin our walk 2. Taking great care, cross over the road worked by the dogs, a reciprocated from the small parking area at and go left. After a short distance a wish, following us as they do to the next Hardwicke. We turn right past the bus green track on the right leads off to a stile (which needs a bit of attention). stop, towards the Hay road, and then stile from which views of the other side The path crosses this field diagonally to take the footpath which crosses the field of the Wye Valley appear, with its the bottom far right hand corner where diagonally to a stile in the hedge. Ahead half hidden by the trees is a bridge over lies a vacant expanse, on this occasion of a stream, in which Mina stops briefly green grazing land, good for canine Half hidden by for a splash bathe. speed-letting. Keep the hedge near you ❝ Clamber over the uphill stile, on the left and proceed across the field the trees is a bridge scramble up through the overgrowth until you spot a stile at the corner. Go over a stream, in which ahead and you are soon rewarded with over this and you see ahead a startling a flat field. On our walk no path was line of hawthorns clinging to the Mina stops briefly for laid in. Turning right we walked the contours. Turn immediately right a splash bathe field’s edge with Ludo bounding ahead heading for the next stile to the left of a ❞ where he awaited us at the turning cottage, where you emerge onto a right into a little wood. There was a substantial track. Turn left and continue diverse patterns and colours of the fields sense that a track had once run across until tracks meet in front of the and woodlands. As the dogs and I climb which, consulting the map, was seen to entrance to Windle Park. Down their the stile and turn right a couple of be the course of the now extinct Golden drive can be seen a fine view looking young ponies kick up their heels and Valley Railway that once snaked its way over to Little Mountain, then carry on thunder down the field. Inquisitive from Pontrilas to Hay. Conquering to the Hay road. sheep amble over; they seem keen to be three stiles we alighted into another www.herefordshire.greatbritishlife.co.uk October 2010 71 WALK This section only when bridge is mended HOW TO GET THERE stile on your right and head down the Start/Parking: Hardwicke, three pasture, bearing slightly left at the gate, miles from Hay-on-Wye on the heading for the mature alders that mark B4348 to Dorstone the course of the West Brook. The dogs, Maps: OS Explorer 201 having gone on ahead, are patient as I Ref. SO 264438 3 climb the bridge-stiles and stand Distance: Six miles looking at me in the right hand field on Grade: Moderate the north bank of the brook. Rounding Stiles: 20 plus. Some being a the trees to the left, as we head across to bridge with stile at both the stile near the bottom right corner, Public transport: Bus 39 (Mon- we are as startled as they are by a mixed Sat) 39a (Sun) from Hereford. flock of sheep. Some have comically For more information see 2 long upright ears, which a shepherdess www.herefordshire.gov.uk/transport 5 friend later identifies as Border /public_transport Leicesters. Traverse the next field Nearest town: Hay-on-Wye obliquely, to the next stile where the Refreshments: Bromyard has a 4 bridge over the brook can be seen on the wide variety of pubs, bars, cafés 1 right. Ascend this pasture to the top left and restaurants corner; go through the gate to the stile, Toilets: Pub only keeping the hedge on your right. MAP COURTESY OF THE ORDNANCE SURVEY To view a larger version of this map visit 5. The embankment you ascend is part the stile ahead. In the lead: Ludo www.herefordshire.greatbritishlife.co.uk of Golden Valley Railway again. I pause Head for or past the and Mina and below an inquisitve face to imagine the sounds and the smells of church, it is up to you. (If along the way the past and admire the view west. you venture into this Victorian Carry straight on over the embankment edifice one of the rewards will be from field, this time turning left to walk the proximity. Stand a while and you may The Ramblers to a stile ahead and up an old track to a the riot of colour from each and every The Herefordshire Trail and field’s edge. As we proceed right at the be delighted, as I was, by the startling The Ramblers is pretty cottage, where you pass right by window.) Then follow the drive to the Wye Valley Walk¹ are both long corner of the field, I catch my first blue of a passing kingfisher. Britain’s biggest the door. Turn left past the building road and turn right down it, being distance paths. glimpse of the Wye, wide here, as it charity working along the drive. Before reaching the gate mindful of traffic, and continue along The Herefordshire Trail is a circular meanders its way west. Heading to the 3. Retrace your tracks and turn left as to promote bear left for a stile at the end of a to a stile beside a gate on your right. walk of about 154 miles, all within the buildings that are named as Lower you reach the path which borders the walking and improve conditions dilapidated fence on your right. Cross Keep the house ahead to your left, as County of Herefordshire. The route Castleton Farm, there were some great beautiful formal gardens of Clock Mills. for all walkers. In Herefordshire this and keep to the edge of the field you ascend slightly to the next stile and was devised by the Hereford Group of beasts in the field beside it, but the Reaching the road turn left, take great there are four groups: Hereford, where the views of the hills are glorious. you are back in the very first field that The Ramblers, using public rights of structure would now appear to be care because of the traffic, but keeping Mortimer, Ross-on-Wye and Again cross a stile, turning left to wend yielded to your footfalls. Ludo and way and, where possible, public converted to superior residences. I an eye out for the post-box. Carry on to Leadon Vale. your way amongst a plantation of young Mina are not deceived; crossing to the transport links. admired a peach tree basking on a sunny just past the way-marked Trail/Walk For more information contact trees in the meadow. Continue through centre of the field, where the paths The Wye Valley Walk was brought southerly wall. sign on the right, until you reach the Tom Fisher, tel: 01886 821544 a gate to a wood, where Ludo startles a intersect, they turn right returning to about by the partnership of three The track now turns into a tarmac Castlefield Inn, where the dogs and I or email: [email protected] pheasant and I am startled by the eerie the start of the walk. authorities Herefordshire, road and includes both the took a welcome break and some good sight of abandoned tyres swinging Monmouthshire, Powys and Herefordshire Trail and Wye Valley refreshment. Then return to the trail silently swinging from trees. I leave NB This is the second Gloucestershire together with the Wye Walk ¹. To your left spreads the Wye, and turn left up it and continue until it www.herefordshireramblers.org.uk ) the wood and a stile is visible in choice of route due to the Valley Area of Outstanding Natural dotted with a picturesque armada of meets a lane. Here we hit a problem in then follow the Herefordshire Trail and a fence before me. Climb forlorn state of a footpath Beauty who formed the Wye Valley canoes and kayaks as its waters are the shape of a dangerous bridge at Wye Valley Way track up towards this stile and pass over that we encountered on my Walk Partnership. This now operates to generally too shallow for other craft. Newton. This is one of a number of Merbach Hill, turning right on reaching the track to the next first route of choice. This publicise the walk and to produce the Keep on this road sampling the various pedestrian bridges in Herefordshire the woods and following the path stile in the hedge, walk too is shortened due official guide and passport. The sightings of the river as you progress. which have been closed by the through to Newton Farm. If not, turn keeping straight on. to an unsafe bridge at maintenance of the walk is undertaken Opposite the drive to a splendid house councilwhich also has a considerable right past Middlewood House, Cross the next two Newton. If it is replaced, by individual Rights of Way officers in on the right at Old Castleton, take the backlog of other footpath problems and continuing along the lane to the left as small fields to a new then follow the each county.

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