WALK From Woolhope to Sollers Hope in stile Isobel Gibson of Leadon Vale Ramblers guides us on a walk to lift the spirits… and the legs Porch at Sollers Hope Church. WALK WOOLHOPE 6 HOW TO GET THERE 1 5 Start/Parking: In Woolhope village. There is some street parking by the wall of The Crown public house. The car The stream near Sollers Hope flows park for patrons of The Crown is behind the pub. through ponds and (GR: 612356) waterfalls. Maps: OS map; Explorer 189, Hereford and Ross-on- 2 Wye Length: 5½miles Grade: Moderate/energetic Stiles: 16 (more if some field gates can’t be opened) plus one footbridge that requires a high step over at 4 either end he walk starts from The Crown Inn in Woolhope. The village is named Nearest town: Hereford T after Wulviva who, together with her Refreshments: The Crown, Woolhope (01432 860468) more famous sister, Lady Godiva, gave the www.crowninnwoolhope.co.uk manor of Wulviva’s Hope (hope is an old Toilets: At The Crown word meaning valley) to the Cathedral at B4242 3 Public transport: 453 and 454 bus service runs between Hereford sometime before the Norman Conquest. The sisters are commemorated in N SOLLERS HOPE Hereford and Woolhope. There is a bus stop at The a 20th century stained glass window in the Crown Inn. Tel: 0871 2002233 for details or visit parish church, situated immediately next to www.herefordshire.gov.uk/transport/public_transport/38 The Crown, and accessed through an 731.asp interesting lych gate. CREDIT: GOOGLE MAPS. ILLUSTRATION BY NICK CLARK 1 With The Crown behind you turn left the stream. Shortly after the stream the lane splits diagonally left in the field corner which leads you and follow the road, signposted Ledbury. into two; go straight on following the sign to onto a broad track through Busland wood. This is Just past the last building on the right, called Greyhill Barn. The lane goes uphill and passes two the last of our 16 stiles on this walk. The Stonebarn, cross the stile on the right View towards limekilns on the left. Lime had many uses from into a field. Keeping the fence on the right, head straight towards the brow of the hill. elder brother of Dick, thrice mayor of Woolhope. medieval times; for sweetening the land, in 5 Leave the wood through a metal gate onto head towards a gap in the hedge. In the next OS maps show the footpath as following a London. It is worth pausing to take a look building and in the leather-making industry for open pasture. Follow the same course towards a field, walk towards the telegraph pole and field boundary but this has been removed. inside. Behind the church is a tump, the THE RAMBLERS removing the hair from hides prior to tanning. short pole which marks a junction of footpaths. the edge of a line of trees. From this point, Its former position is marked by a very slight remains of a single elliptical camp which These particular kilns are believed to have been in The view from this point back towards Woolhope head diagonally left downhill towards a stile elevation of the ground. From the brow of marked the most southerly fortification in The Ramblers is the UK’s use between 1700 and 1845. Herefordshire is spectacular – on a clear day Hay Bluff should be in the corner of the field. Go over this stile the hill head towards a corner of the fence the wars between the Romans and the largest walking charity. It Council has recently started a project to conserve visible. and another immediately on your right to and follow the fence downhill towards the Britons. From the church door, turn left and promotes walking in the a number of limekilns in the county. Just past enter an orchard. Bear diagonally left wood. Cross the stile and find yourself in a follow the path through the gate. Walk past countryside, improves Greyhill Barn, take the footpath on the left. Head 6 Turn left at the pole. The footpath soon through the trees and cross a stream. Then delightful little dell with a bubbling stream Sollers Court, cross the track and go through access to it, and protects towards the line of trees facing you, and follow becomes a broad track. Follow the track down the head uphill across a field, through a stand of on your right. Heading in the same direction a gate into the grassy farmyard. Keeping the the beauty of the the track to the left which takes you through hill, through a gate. Keep on this track until it countryside. In the UK eight or nine trees. The Marcle transmitter is as before, go through a gap in the bank and stream on your right follow the path to a fields, fords a stream and then goes uphill, meets the road. Turn left and proceed uphill The Ramblers has over visible on the ridge straight ahead of you. see the black and white Sollers Court in the stile and into an old orchard. Note the 130,000 members including a sharp right turn, towards the pink (unfortunately!) back to The Crown – where Following the same line, head towards a stile distance. Follow the footpath over a couple amount of mistletoe on the trees. Mistletoe organised in 54 areas and buildings of Sapness House. you can award yourself some welcome in the corner of the field. Cross and turn of stiles. Older OS maps show the footpath may be a rarity in other parts of the country 450 local groups. In the refreshment. ■ right into the lane. heading towards Sollers Court but the path but it grows in abundance in the old Herefordshire area we 4 At the junction with the lane, turn sharp left has been officially diverted along the bank of orchards of Herefordshire. The stream goes have four groups: and go over the hill. Just before a T-junction take 2 After a few yards turn left at the junction the stream. Cross two stiles in close off to the right but the footpath follows the Hereford, Ross, Mortimer the footpath on the right, crossing a cattle grid. STILES of the lanes. Wandering on you might be proximity; there is a pets’ cemetery in the line of a fence (on your right), across and Leadon Vale. We run The path follows a broad track towards Hyde Stiles are not particularly walker-friendly, and tempted to spend time looking over the meadow between them. Still keeping close another stile and towards an old stone barn. a combined walks Farm. At the farm, turn left through the farmyard certainly make life difficult for dog-walkers and programme with about fence gazing at the ducks on a large pond on to the stream go through a metal gate and By the barn, cross a stile into the lane and and just before the barn on the right, turn very anyone with mobility difficulties. Herefordshire four walks every week. the other side of the field. At the end of the then bear left through a wooden gate into turn left. After a few yards, cross the lane, go All are very welcome on sharp right onto the steep path through Hyde Council now has a policy to metal fence on the right, cross a stile and the church yard of St Michael’s Church, through the gate and pick up a broad our walks. Wood. When the path turns sharply to the left, encourage the replacement of head diagonally left across the field towards Woolhope. track running alongside the stream, now For more information carry straight on over a stile into a field. This is a stiles with gates. It will provide a line of trees marking a drainage ditch. flowing through attractive ponds and about Herefordshire large field, originally divided into three as new gates to replace stiles free of With the ditch on your left walk along until 3 The Sollers Hope (valley) belonged to waterfalls. Ramblers ring Tom evidenced by field boundaries shown on the OS charge to landowners but will you reach a little three plank footbridge the Whittington family from 1300 to 1546 Head towards a gap in the hedge and Fisher, tel: 01886 821544 maps. The exit is not visible at this point and if charge for replacement stiles. (easily missed). Cross and head diagonally and the 14th century church is believed to uphill across the field to a stile. Once over or email the footpath is not obvious on the ground it is Tel: 01432 260572 for details. [email protected] right across the field. Cross another stile and have been financed by Robert Whittington, the stile, turn left and follow the lane over best to follow the contour until you see a stile.