Garway Hill
Garway Hill
The walk started in Kentchurch near a lodge gate and we were going to be following part of the Herefordshire trail, which meanders the Wales/England border. Nearby Kentchurch Court is a stately home which has been in the Scudamore family for over 1000 years. There is a deer park plus extensive gardens and which are open to the public during summer months. Ralph Scudamore (recorded in the area in 1042) is mentioned in the Doomsday Book, a Norman stonemason he was employed by Edward the Confessor to build the castle in Ewyas Harold.
Travelling north we passed through farm land. Two quite isolated glamping huts were on our route, each had a main hut containing sleeping and dining spaces, with a separate bathroom across a stretch of wooden decking. Surrounded by woodland they looked cosy and even had a BBQ area.
We spotted a vineyard, walked through a huge field of oil seed rape (gone to seed), a crop of peas and then the distinctive heaped up rows of a potato field.
Next we found an outdoor gym and one person volunteered to demonstrate his skills – particularly impressive when walking across narrow branches.
We arrived at a road and travelled along it towards Cross Llyde and Bagwyllydiart in an easterly direction cutting off a corner of the Herefordshire trail. Rejoining the trail we passed under Garway hill crossing Garway hill Common in a southerly direction towards White Rock.
At White Rock we turned northwest in the general direction of Kentchurch. We took in a view of the River Monnow where we passed a footbridge – a plaque in the centre of the bridge remembers Marius Gray, a chartered accountant, who served on the boards of the Daily Mail and a number of health charities he was made CVO in 2011.
An avenue of limes lined the road to a pet crematorium at Barton hill with a delightful stream nearby.
This was a relaxing late spring walk through lovely countryside. Views in this area are excellent the Skirrid, Sugar loaf and the Black Mountains are all visible from Garway hill and, even though we didn’t climb to the top, we enjoyed the panorama.
We had achieved 7¾ miles and 1100ft.