River WALKS 20 walks in Wales, the West and The Marches Volume 1 Andrew Francis RiverWALKS Introduction 16 Contents 20 walks in Wales, the West and The Marches. Volume 1 Exercise, good company, bird-watching, 1 River Monnow - Tregate Bridge to by Andrew Francis photography; whatever your reason for Skenfrith Castle - p5 getting out and about in Britain’s glorious 2 River Teme - Stanford Bridge to Ham Bridge - p9 countryside, you need a place to begin. 6 Copyright © 2011 by Andrew Francis 3 River Wye - Pont Rhydgaled to Me, I just love the few counties either side 12 source - p13 Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database of the Wales/England border and have 19 4 River Lugg - Upper Lye to Upper right 2010 determined to explore them to the utmost. 7 Kinsham - p17 13 11 5 River Wye - Monmouth to The And what better way to get around than Biblins - p21 along the banks of the many water courses 3 10 6 River Severn - Ironbridge to Apley All rights reserved. that make their way into the Severn basin? Forge - p25 No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or It’s not that easy to navigate British rivers 7 Ashes Hollow Brook - Little mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without for every mile of their course. Few public 8 Stretton to Pole Cottage - p29 permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may rights of way stick exactly to the riverside. In 8 River Rea - Cleobury Mortimer to Shakenhurst - p33 quote short excerpts in a review. truth, on some of these walks you may only 4 2 9 River Wye - Redbrook to glimpse the water on a few occasions. But I Bigsweir - p37 hope they will give you a sense of the many Book design, artwork and photography by Andrew Francis 10 River Clun - Clun to Clunton - p41 environs throughout the Marches. Be it the 11 River Severn - Llandinam to mighty Severn, the intimate Rea or the Festival Bridge - p45 Andrew Francis beautiful Teme, I hope you come to love 20 12 Cardingmill Brook - Cardingmill to Visit my website at www.francis-emporium.co.uk/ this country as much as I do. Enjoy! Longbatch - p49 14 13 River Severn - Rhyd-y-benwch to source - p53 Published in the United Kingdom by These guides will give you a general idea of 14 River Leadon - Bosbury to Collier's Our Very Own Publishers some brilliant walks. They don't give enough 17 Bridge - p57 7 King Edwards Avenue, Gloucester, UK detailed directions to follow without the use 15 River Wye - Monmouth to of Ordnance Survey maps. Redbrook - p61 You will need to be equipped with decent 16 River Severn - Bicton to Shrewsbury - p65 First published in electronic formats in January 2011 boots and all-weather gear. Always carry a 17 River Wye - Hereford to Breinton mobile phone - and don’t forget to check 1 Common - p69 the weather before you set off. 18 5 18 River Trothy - Llantilio Crossenny 15 to White Castle - p73 9 19 River Severn - Bridgnorth to Apley Our Very Own Forge - p77 P U B L I S H E R S 20 River Wye - Builth Wells - p81 2 3 RiverWALKS Introduction 16 Contents 20 walks in Wales, the West and The Marches. Volume 1 Exercise, good company, bird-watching, 1 River Monnow - Tregate Bridge to by Andrew Francis photography; whatever your reason for Skenfrith Castle - p5 getting out and about in Britain’s glorious 2 River Teme - Stanford Bridge to Ham Bridge - p9 countryside, you need a place to begin. 6 Copyright © 2011 by Andrew Francis 3 River Wye - Pont Rhydgaled to Me, I just love the few counties either side 12 source - p13 Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database of the Wales/England border and have 19 4 River Lugg - Upper Lye to Upper right 2010 determined to explore them to the utmost. 7 Kinsham - p17 13 11 5 River Wye - Monmouth to The And what better way to get around than Biblins - p21 along the banks of the many water courses 3 10 6 River Severn - Ironbridge to Apley All rights reserved. that make their way into the Severn basin? Forge - p25 No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or It’s not that easy to navigate British rivers 7 Ashes Hollow Brook - Little mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without for every mile of their course. Few public 8 Stretton to Pole Cottage - p29 permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may rights of way stick exactly to the riverside. In 8 River Rea - Cleobury Mortimer to Shakenhurst - p33 quote short excerpts in a review. truth, on some of these walks you may only 4 2 9 River Wye - Redbrook to glimpse the water on a few occasions. But I Bigsweir - p37 hope they will give you a sense of the many Book design, artwork and photography by Andrew Francis 10 River Clun - Clun to Clunton - p41 environs throughout the Marches. Be it the 11 River Severn - Llandinam to mighty Severn, the intimate Rea or the Festival Bridge - p45 Andrew Francis beautiful Teme, I hope you come to love 20 12 Cardingmill Brook - Cardingmill to Visit my website at www.francis-emporium.co.uk/ this country as much as I do. Enjoy! Longbatch - p49 14 13 River Severn - Rhyd-y-benwch to source - p53 Published in the United Kingdom by These guides will give you a general idea of 14 River Leadon - Bosbury to Collier's Our Very Own Publishers some brilliant walks. They don't give enough 17 Bridge - p57 7 King Edwards Avenue, Gloucester, UK detailed directions to follow without the use 15 River Wye - Monmouth to of Ordnance Survey maps. Redbrook - p61 You will need to be equipped with decent 16 River Severn - Bicton to Shrewsbury - p65 First published in electronic formats in January 2011 boots and all-weather gear. Always carry a 17 River Wye - Hereford to Breinton mobile phone - and don’t forget to check 1 Common - p69 the weather before you set off. 18 5 18 River Trothy - Llantilio Crossenny 15 to White Castle - p73 9 19 River Severn - Bridgnorth to Apley Our Very Own Forge - p77 P U B L I S H E R S 20 River Wye - Builth Wells - p81 2 3 About the Author Andrew Francis is a self- Key employed artist and 1 writer. He lives in Gloucester with his wife Type There and back: You take the same route back to your start point and teenage son. Circular: You take a different route back to your start point One way: You arrange transport to get you to your start point River Andrew works in a variety of creative and design disciplines. His activities include: writing; Location Which counties cabinet design and making; graphic design; web design; 3D design; painting; Maps Which Ordnance Survey Explorer maps to take playing and composing music; cartooning; letter carving; stained glass How to Road directions design; blogging and walking guides. get there MONNOW Some of his work can be seen at http://www.francis-emporium.co.uk/ Start Latitude and longitude Acknowledgement Length In hours Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Duration In kilometres - assumes an average speed of about 5kph Tregate Bridge to copyright and database right 2010 Severity ***** Expect rough ground and severe climbs **** Some rough ground and climbs Skenfrith Castle Disclaimer *** Occasional rough ground or moderate climbs ** Shouldn't be a problem if you are reasonably fit Every effort has been made to make this * Easy-peasy book as complete and as accurate as possible. This text should be used only as Paths ***** Well marked and maintained throughout a general guide and not as the ultimate **** Well maintained for the most part source of writing and publishing *** Mostly easy to follow information. The author and publisher ** Some confused paths or overgrown country Quiet farmland and woods with have neither liability nor responsibility to * Wilderness any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to Stiles ***** Excellent a pub and a castle halfway have been caused, directly or indirectly, **** Very good by the information contained in this book. *** Mostly well maintained If you do not wish to be bound by the ** Some disrepair above, you may return this book to the * Useless throughout 4 publisher for a full refund. 5 About the Author Andrew Francis is a self- Key employed artist and 1 writer. He lives in Gloucester with his wife Type There and back: You take the same route back to your start point and teenage son. Circular: You take a different route back to your start point One way: You arrange transport to get you to your start point River Andrew works in a variety of creative and design disciplines. His activities include: writing; Location Which counties cabinet design and making; graphic design; web design; 3D design; painting; Maps Which Ordnance Survey Explorer maps to take playing and composing music; cartooning; letter carving; stained glass How to Road directions design; blogging and walking guides. get there MONNOW Some of his work can be seen at http://www.francis-emporium.co.uk/ Start Latitude and longitude Acknowledgement Length In hours Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown Duration In kilometres - assumes an average speed of about 5kph Tregate Bridge to copyright and database right 2010 Severity ***** Expect rough ground and severe climbs **** Some rough ground and climbs Skenfrith Castle Disclaimer *** Occasional rough ground or moderate climbs ** Shouldn't be a problem if you are reasonably fit Every effort has been made to make this * Easy-peasy book as complete and as accurate as possible.