Distance: 15km (9 miles)
Time: 4 hours
Start/Finish: Goodrich Castle (SO577199).
Paths: Well marked footpaths along a river bank. 2 short sections on a busy road.
Maps: OS Explorer Series (1:25 000) OL14
Tourist Info: www.visitdeanwye.co.uk
This has to be the easiest walk to follow we’ve ever printed on these pages. It’s simply a matter of joining the river to the east of the castle, and following its banks, as it sweeps around a graceful wooded curve, to leave it to the west. It’s also the least Welsh walk we’ve brought you, as it actually starts across the border, before crossing onto the Welsh side of the river for most of its length. Navigation and location aside, it’s a lovely amble alongside a stunning section of river – definitely one that can be savoured at any time of year. Enjoy.
Your route…
Head out of the car park the way you came in and at the junction, keep ahead to walk slightly downhill, past the school and out onto the main road. Turn left and follow this with care, under the bridge and down to the bridge over the River Wye. Immediately before crossing the river, turn right, through a gate, and join the riverside Wye Valley Walk. This will be your companion for a while now.
Continue along the river bank, ducking into woods for a while and then crossing the edge of pastures, all the time with the water to your right. In summer, the banks can be lined with fishermen, and you’ll no doubt see a few canoes too. You’ll eventually enter a campsite and shortly after this, reach St.Margaret’s Church at Welsh Bicknor. Shortly after this, a short, steep ramp leads onto a track that then crosses a disused railway bridge.
Once over, turn left and left again to walk under the bridge, then continue past a house and out into fields. Keep the river on your left now and enjoy easier walking before joining a driveway that leads easily along the foot of a wood.
This ends at a short uphill as you bear left to climb slightly on a broad track. Turn right after a few paces, back onto the Wye Valley Way and drop to the river again. Now climb again and keep your eyes open for a right turn and take this to leave the Wye Valley Walk behind and drop to river again. Now continue with the river still to your right, to emerge into fields again.
Keep ahead, always alongside the river, and you’ll eventually reach Huntsham Bridge, where you leave the footpath and turn right to cross. Now simply follow the main road, again with care, back up into Goodrich, where you fork left to finish.
