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Turnastone-Whitney
Toll Bridge Taster Walks
Pontrilas to Whitney Bridge
Follow the Dulas Brook into Ewyas Harold and then turn right by the Temple Bar to climb to the top of Ewyas Harold Common. Look back for wonderful views over Garway Hill and over the Black Mountains
Drop down to Abbey Dore to visit the Cistercian Abbey, dating from the 12 th century. Follow the River Dore to Riverdale, the old workhouse for the area, now converted into apartments. Along this section, while taking a quiet rest on the riverbank, kingfishers can be spotted.
Walk up through the wood to reach St. Margaret’s Church with its wonderfully carved rood screen.
Now head down through Chanstone Wood to Turnastone and then follow the Trenant Brook into Peterchurch. The church here Church has a fibreglass spire, which can be spotted for miles around.
En route to Dorstone, take a few moments to look at the remains of Snodhill Castle , one of the few castles in private hands. From Dorstone, with its neat village green and one of the oldest Inns in the county, start the ascent of Merbach Hill, or Marbach, as Kilvert, the well-known local diarist, called it. Pass Arthur's Stone, a Neolithic burial chamber dating back to about 3500BC.
From the top of Merbach Hill, the River Wye can be seen snaking along the valley floor below and there are good views of the northern edge of the Black Mountains . It is possible to see 5 counties from this elevated position. Now follow the Wye Valley Walk until near Locksters Pool Farm where you leave the WVW to cross the fields to Whitney Toll Bridge. The single lane toll bridge spans the River Wye and is one of a very few privately owned toll bridges in the country. There is no toll for foot passengers but animals were charged per hoof.
Circular Walk - Urishay Castle
Circular walk from Peterchurch
to St. Margarets and return via Urishay Castle.
Distance 10 miles.
Map Outdoor Leisure 14.
From the car park in Peterchurch turn left and walk up to the B4348, turn right and walk through the village. As the line of building's end take the footpath off to the right, after crossing the stile bear half left across the field to join the stream. Follow this round to a stile by the road-bridge. Cross the stile, turn right across the bridge and then take the path off to the left, bearing to the right to another stile leading out into the field. Bear left, passing to the right of the fir trees in the middle of the field. In the far corner of the field where the two streams meet and the bridleway joins from the right, go across the bridges and join the bridleway turning left through the gate. Now follow the bridleway through five fields until you join the road at Turnastone.
Continue ahead down the road until it swings hard left, go though the gate and take the footpath going off to the right, not the bridleway which goes straight ahead. Bear half left across this field to the far boundary hedge. Care is needed once you reach this point, as there are two bridges, you require the left hand one which is reached through a gate. Ignore the wooden footbridge, which seems the most obvious one.
Head up the field to the far left-hand corner to enter Chanstone Woods over a stile. Follow the steadily rising path through the woods to reach a forest road, turn right and in a few metres there is a small gate leading out of the woods. Follow the hedge on your left until you enter Blackpool Wood. Follow the way marked path through the edge of the wood to a stile leading out into the field. Bear right and descend into the gully to cross the stream. Climb up the other side and bear left up to the far corner passing through a small copse of trees on the way. At the top of the field cross the stile next to the gate and enter the broad green track. At the end of this walk down the field and towards the bottom turn right and walk past the buildings to a gate onto the lane. Turn left and very shortly you come to St. Margarets Church.
Within the church is a very fine rood screen dating from the 1520. It has survived the reformation when all decoration was removed from the churches.
Leaving the church by the main entrance turn left along the road until you reach the entrance to Shobdon Farm. Walk down the drive to the gateway and cross the stile immediately after the gate. Go right across the small field to the next stile. Now follow the hedge on your left through a series of field until it changes to the right near
Tre-Cadifor. At the drive to Tre-Cadifor go left and at the corner turn right continuing with the hedge on your right. In the open field go ahead and join the hedge and follow this down on your left to join a track. Follow this down to the footbridge over the stream and then climb up the other side to join the lane. Turn left up the hill.
As you climb up the hill watch out for the commemorative horse trough on the left, the open area to your right is Merryhurst Common.
At the top of the hill take the track off to the right passing Castleibo and Cornel Farms. After Cornel Farm follow the hedge on your left until you cross a footbridge, then bear right up the field to pass through a gate. The stile in the next field is a bit to the right from the left-hand corner. Go straight across the next field and cross the stile and then follow the hedge on your right down to the track, which leads to Wern William Farm. Go across the track and cross the stream on the bridge, then turn sharp right to follow the stream down into the corner. Cross the footbridge and then bear right across the corner of the field to join the hedge on your right. Follow this to Lower Llanon Farm, pass the buildings and go through the gate to follow the driveway, turn right after a few metres and cross the footbridge and join the track passing Urishay Hall. Cross the minor road and then follow the path around Urishay Court and out into the next field. Generally follow the fence on your right to cross a stile and small bridge into the last field. Walk out into the middle of the field then look to your right. The remains of Urishay Castle can be seen above the farm buildings. Walk down to the gate, in the bottom left hand corner of the field, and join the road by the castle. Please remember that the castle remains are on private ground and are not normally available for viewing. Turn left and walk up the road to the t-junction to turn right.
After approximately 100 metres take the track off to the right to Oatley Farm. Follow the track through the buildings and then turn sharp left when you enter the field. Follow the hedge on your left down until you reach a footbridge on your left, cross this and then follow the hedge on you right down to cross the stream at the bottom of the field. Bear half right across the corner of the field to a stile, cross this and continue on the same line on up the hill. Cross the stile at the top and follow the hedge on your right down through The Hostleys, across the drive and small field out onto the lane. Turn right and very shortly, opposite the drive to The Hostleys take the footpath off to the left. Follow this down to a small gate with the hedge on your right. Pass through the gate and turn right and follow the hedge on your right until you join the road. Turn right and go straight ahead at the crossroads. Take the track off to the left by Hinton Farm and follow this around to Peterchurch car park.
