Herefordshire Trail
Encyclopedia
The Herefordshire Trail is a long distance footpath forming a circular walk in the English
county
of Herefordshire
.
of Herefordshire
.
It has been designed to link the five market town
s in Herefordshire: Leominster
, Bromyard
, Ledbury
, Ross-on-Wye
and Kington
, but also taking in many of the smallest villages which are the hidden gems of the area, such as Kilpeck
or Leintwardine
.
The route encompasses historic churches and inns. The terrain varies from panoramic views at Harley's Mountain (376m, the highest point), Garway Hill Common (366m), and Merbach Hill (318m), and the hidden Golden Valley
below the looming bulk of the Black Mountains, Wales
, to the river valleys and Black and white village
s trail passing through cider
orchard
s and many of the lesser-known hidden places in the secret corners of this quiet county. Interest is provided by the ruined Wilton Castle
at Ross-on-Wye
, the wooden toll bridge at Whitney-on-Wye
, the swaying ancient suspension bridge at Sellack Boat, Arthur's Stone
tomb near Dorstone
, the sculpted hedges at Brampton Bryan
, and the short Kingfisher Line
railway near Titley
.
The Trail was the outcome of efforts by Herefordshire Council
, Advantage West Midlands
, the European Union
and The Countryside Agency
to enrich the rural economies of the towns and villages en route. Sadly Herefordshire Council has failed to make any effort to waymark the route or tackle a long series of obstacles. The path is blocked by cereals, oil seed rape, overgrown and broken stiles, and many of the signs are broken.
, Leadon Valley Walks, Marches Way
, Monnow Valley Walk
, Mortimer Trail
, Offa's Dyke Path National Trail, Ross Round, Teme Valley Walk, Teme Valley Way, Upper Lugg Valley Walk, Vaughan's Way and the Wye Valley Walk
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
.
Route & Distance
The Herefordshire Trail runs for 154 miles (248 km) and forms a circular tour of the countyCounty
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
.
It has been designed to link the five market town
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
s in Herefordshire: Leominster
Leominster
Leominster is a market town in Herefordshire, England, located approximately north of the city of Hereford and south of Ludlow, at...
, Bromyard
Bromyard
Bromyard is a town in northeast Herefordshire, England with a population of approximately 4,000. It lies near to the county border with Worcestershire on the A44 between Leominster and Worcester. Bromyard has a number of traditional half-timbered pubs and some buildings dating back to Norman times...
, Ledbury
Ledbury
Ledbury is a town in Herefordshire, England, lying east of Hereford, and south of the Malvern Hills.Today, Ledbury is a thriving market town in rural England. The town has a large number of timber framed buildings, in particular along Church Lane and High Street. One of Ledbury's most outstanding...
, Ross-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye is a small market town with a population of 10,089 in southeastern Herefordshire, England, located on the River Wye, and on the northern edge of the Forest of Dean.-History:...
and Kington
Kington, Herefordshire
Kington is a market town and civil parish in Herefordshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,597.-Location:Kington is near the Wales-England border and, despite being on the western side of Offa's Dyke, has been English for over a thousand years. The town is in the...
, but also taking in many of the smallest villages which are the hidden gems of the area, such as Kilpeck
Kilpeck
Kilpeck is a small village in Herefordshire, England. It is about southwest of Hereford, just south of the A465 road to Abergavenny, and about from the border with Wales....
or Leintwardine
Leintwardine
Leintwardine is a large village and civil parish in north Herefordshire, England, close to the border with Shropshire.- Roman Leintwardine :...
.
The route encompasses historic churches and inns. The terrain varies from panoramic views at Harley's Mountain (376m, the highest point), Garway Hill Common (366m), and Merbach Hill (318m), and the hidden Golden Valley
Golden Valley, Herefordshire
The Golden Valley is the name given to the valley of the River Dore in western Herefordshire, England. The valley is a picturesque area of gently rolling countryside...
below the looming bulk of the Black Mountains, Wales
Black Mountains, Wales
The Black Mountains are a group of hills spread across parts of Powys and Monmouthshire in southeast Wales, and extending across the national border into Herefordshire, England. They are the easternmost of the four ranges of hills that comprise the Brecon Beacons National Park, and are frequently...
, to the river valleys and Black and white village
Black and white village
The term black and white village refers to several old English villages, typically in the county of Herefordshire, West Midlands of England.The term "black and white" derives from presence of many timbered and half-timbered houses in the area, some dating from mediaeval times. The buildings' black...
s trail passing through cider
Cider
Cider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...
orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
s and many of the lesser-known hidden places in the secret corners of this quiet county. Interest is provided by the ruined Wilton Castle
Wilton Castle
Wilton Castle is a 12th-century Norman castle fortification located in southeastern Herefordshire, England on the River Wye adjacent to the town of Ross-on-Wye. The castle is named for the manor associated with it....
at Ross-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye
Ross-on-Wye is a small market town with a population of 10,089 in southeastern Herefordshire, England, located on the River Wye, and on the northern edge of the Forest of Dean.-History:...
, the wooden toll bridge at Whitney-on-Wye
Whitney-on-Wye
Whitney-on-Wye is a village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England, very close to the border with Wales. It is on the A438 road, and on the River Wye. The village is west of Hereford. The church is dedicated to the Saints Peter and Paul.-History:...
, the swaying ancient suspension bridge at Sellack Boat, Arthur's Stone
Arthur's Stone, Herefordshire
Arthur's Stone, Herefordshire is a Neolithic chambered tomb, or Dolmen, dating from 3,700 BC – 2,700 BC and is situated on the ridge line of a hill overlooking both the Golden Valley, Herefordshire and the Wye Valley, Herefordshire.- Location :...
tomb near Dorstone
Dorstone
Dorstone is a village within the Golden Valley, Herefordshire, England. There is a thriving community with a church and public house with restaurant. The Golden Valley area offers excellent hillwalking and horseback riding countryside and is noted for its scenery...
, the sculpted hedges at Brampton Bryan
Brampton Bryan
Brampton Bryan is a small village and civil parish situated in north Herefordshire, England close to the Shropshire and Welsh borders.Brampton Bryan lies mid-way between Leintwardine and Knighton on the A4113 road. The village has had a complex history and its buildings reflect this...
, and the short Kingfisher Line
Leominster and Kington Railway
Leominster and Kington Railway was one of four branches which served the Welsh Marches border town of Kington, Herefordshire.Opened in August 1857, its peak was during World War II, when it served two US Army hospitals...
railway near Titley
Titley
Titley is a village and civil parish in Herefordshire, England. It lies on the B4355 between Kington and Presteigne.In the 2001 census the parish had a population of 167....
.
The Trail was the outcome of efforts by Herefordshire Council
Herefordshire Council
Herefordshire Council is the local government authority for the county of Herefordshire in England. It is a unitary authority.It is a relatively new council, formed on 1 April 1998 following the split of Hereford and Worcester back into two separate counties.It is currently run by Conservatives. It...
, Advantage West Midlands
Advantage West Midlands
-Advantage West Midlands – Regional Development Agency:Advantage West Midlands was established in 1999 as one of nine Regional Development Agencies in England. RDAs were created by the UK Government to drive sustainable economic development and social and physical regeneration through a...
, the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and The Countryside Agency
Countryside Agency
The Countryside Agency in England was a statutory body set up in 1999 with the task of improving the quality of the rural environment and the lives of those living in it. The Agency was formed by merging the Countryside Commission and the Rural Development Commission...
to enrich the rural economies of the towns and villages en route. Sadly Herefordshire Council has failed to make any effort to waymark the route or tackle a long series of obstacles. The path is blocked by cereals, oil seed rape, overgrown and broken stiles, and many of the signs are broken.
Connecting trails
The trails links with the Birmingham and Aberystwyth Walk, Black and White Village Trail, Clun Valley Walk, Elan Valley Way, Geopark WayGeopark Way
The Geopark Way is a waymarked long-distance trail located within the counties of Shropshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire, England...
, Leadon Valley Walks, Marches Way
Marches Way
The Marches Way is a partially waymarked long distance footpath in the United Kingdom. It runs 351 kilometres / 218 miles through the Welsh–English borderlands, traditionally known as the Welsh Marches and links the cities of Chester in the north and Cardiff in the south.-The route:The route...
, Monnow Valley Walk
Monnow Valley Walk
Monnow Valley Walk in north-east Monmouthshire, South Wales is a 40-mile route from Monmouth to Hay-on-Wye, which follows the River Monnow and the foot of the Black Mountains, Wales....
, Mortimer Trail
Mortimer Trail
Mortimer Trail is a waymarked long distance footpath and recreational walk in the counties of Shropshire and Herefordshire in England.- The route :...
, Offa's Dyke Path National Trail, Ross Round, Teme Valley Walk, Teme Valley Way, Upper Lugg Valley Walk, Vaughan's Way and the Wye Valley Walk
Wye Valley Walk
The Wye Valley Walk is a long distance footpath in Wales and England following the course of the River Wye .-Distance:The whole route now that it has been extended runs for 136 miles .-The route:...
.