The Great Outdoors – August 2019

Cribyn & N escarpment

from Pen y Fan

102 The Great OutdoorsAugust 2019

famous viewpoints. Greedily
we decided to combine the two,
not knowing that the real treat
was not the history or scenery,
but the wildlife that inhabits it.
We started at Symonds
Yat Rock and the classic view
of the Wye. RSPB volunteers
were on hand to chat to us
about the wildlife and cliffs
with nesting peregrine falcons.
From this sweeping perch
you are conscious of the steep
descent to the river, and so it
proves: a short walk down the
narrow public road leads past a
discreet sign for Welsh Bicknor
and Ross into woods bursting
with life, heady with the aroma
of wild garlic and trilling with
bird song. Keep following
the signs to Ross for the Wye
Valley Way and the going
becomes easy underneath the
Coldwell Rocks where the

peregrines nest.

Sheep rested in the shade

of large trees as we headed for

Welsh Bicknor and a lunch

stop by a pedestrian bridge.

Mayflies hatched from the

water, a kingfisher flashed

past, and as our eyes became

accustomed to the river we

realised it was full of large

chub. Across the bridge in

Welsh Bicknor fallow deer

grazed the forest edge, and

swans and Canada geese

splashed about in the river. A

couple of open canoes glided

past. Now there’s an idea for

finishing a linear river walk...

About 500 metres before

Kerne Bridge a sign pointed

up the path to Goodrich,

which we took rather than

walking alongside the B4229,

and where it came out on a

quiet back road and a sign

for Coppet Hill Common, we

decided to keep going uphill

for a view over the pretty

village of Goodrich and the

fertile quilt of Herefordshire

countryside. This would

have been a fitting finale for

the walk, and for less greedy

walkers it makes sense to start

in Goodrich and stay entirely

on the Herefordshire bank of

the river; but we still had to get

back to Symonds Yat Rock.

The trick is to avoid

the B4229 by heading into

Goodrich, then taking a right

of way that leads directly to

a bridge over the Wye. After

getting a little lost in the village

we were glad to be back on

track, damselflies dancing over

riverside meadows and a last,

nettle-choked path leading up

to the River Wye Way and back

to our starting point.

Further information

Maps: OS 1:25,000

Explorer sheet OL14

(Wye Valley & Forest of Dean)

Transport: Stagecoach bus

No.34 between Ross-on-

Wye and Monmouth stops at

Goodrich seven times a day,

except Sundays

i

Information: Coleford

TIC, 01594 837135.

Also see forestryengland.uk/

symonds-yat-rock

[Captions clockwise from top]

The Wye from Symonds Yat

Rock; Welsh Bicknor;

Goodrich from Coppet Hill