Distance: 7.6 miles

Difficulty of the Terrain: medium

Get the route: via Ordnance Survey Maps or download the GPX. file from Dropbox

Rural walk in the Wye Valley through the southern fringes of Herefordshire to the spectacular Symonds Yat gorge in the Wye Valley, site of the village of Symonds Yat East, below Symonds Yat Rock.

The Story

The Walk

Getting Back

Central England, Middle Europe?

Symonds Yat, split in two by the deep gorge of the River Wye, is amongst Herefordshire’s most southerly settlements, surrounded on multiple sides by slithers of Gloucestershire and Herefordshire. It stands just outside the Forest of Dean and is pretty close to Monmouth, the south Wales town, that along with Chepstow is nearest to England.

There is something of middle Europe about Symonds Yat. It stands at the northern end of the Upper Wye Gorge which runs south towards Monmouth which reminds me of the gorges encountered in eastern Germany, specifically in Harz and Saxon Switzerland, as well as hilly parts of the Czech Republic. 

While not as large, and intensive as in those areas, in no small part due to it being a lot smaller, Symonds Yat also has a tourism industry that is reminiscent of that prevailing in landlocked parts in central Europe. Lots of little restaurants selling food, boats along the River Wye, and wide forestry trails up and along the surrounding sandstone hills.

High above the village of Symonds Yat East (Symonds Yat West is reachable only by the means of a hand cranked rope ferry) stands Symonds Yat Rock. It has commanding views down the Upper Wye Gorge towards Monmouth, into the Forest of Dean and Wales, and north into Herefordshire. 

Up until the latter part of the 19th Century, like adjacent parts of the Forest of Dean, Symonds Yat was an industrial centre. An ironworks which operated into the 19th Century, its machinery powered by the waters of the River Wye, an excavation by Herefordshire Archaeology in 2009 revealed what was left of the works, situated in an area still known as New Weir, after the structure which once channeled the rivers flow towards the waterwheels.

The area’s industry, forestry and mineral workings attracted a railway which ran along the narrow gorge, between Monmouth, Symonds Yat, and Ross-on-Wye. As with other similar routes in beautiful parts of the Midlands including the Shropshire Hills and Peak District, the route ended up primarily transporting tourists, cementing the area’s reputation as something of a honeypot which prevails to this day. The railway closed in 1959, but the old Symonds Yat Station area is now a Forestry Commission car park for people looking to walk down the gorge or ascend the steep slope to the rock high above the River Wye.

The Walk

Get the route: via Ordnance Survey Maps or download the GPX. file from Dropbox

I create the Walk Midlands routes via Ordnance Survey Maps Explorer enabling me to take them on my phone. Subscribe yourself via the banner above.

This walk to Symonds Yat East, at the top of a spectacular River Wye gorge, below Symonds Yat Rock, begins at Ross-on-Wye.

Despite being the largest settlement in southern Herefordshire by quite some distance, Ross-on-Wye is one of those places where the last train departed about 60 years ago. It is, however, served by a pretty good bus service – roughly hourly – between Hereford and Gloucester. Both of which have fairly well served mainline train stations.

Upon reaching the old Market House (now an art gallery) in the centre of Ross-on-Wye, walk straight ahead towards a crossroads keeping right.

When you reach the crossroads turn right following a narrow – albeit busy – road uphill.

Keep on walking this road uphill heading out of the town centre. Continue straight ahead until you enter the residential area around the town centre approaching a white painted pub.

Here there is a junction, take the left hand fork here.

Having turned down the left hand fork, keep walking straight down the road.

Presently on your left, there is a residential cul-de-sac running uphill towards woodland.

On reaching this road turn left and begin walking uphill along it.

At the top of the road on your right there is a footpath. Turn right and walk down the footpath.

Soon the footpath emerges into a field. Here turn left and follow a clear footpath across the field heading for woodland.

The path runs into the woodland. Once inside the trees turn right and follow the footpath out of the woodland once more, into an adjoining field.

Here turn left, following a well worn path uphill towards woodland higher up.

Presently you enter the woodland once more. Once in the trees follow the path as it runs off to the right.

Soon you come to a flight of steps off to the left which takes you up onto a track through the woodland.

Walk down the path a very short distance then turn left up a footpath running uphill to the left. Follow this path uphill for some distance.

Eventually you reach the hilltop.

Here turn right and follow a path which begins to slowly run downhill.

Soon you come to a footpath sign pointing off to your left.

Follow this path for some distance until you reach a track through the woodland.

Upon reaching the track turn right and follow this track as it also runs steadily downhill. This is the point at which you first join the Wye Valley Walk which runs right the length of the River Wye.

Presently you approach a clearing. On the far side there is a footpath, waymarked for the Wye Valley Walk running into a stand of trees.

Head down this path, which soon begins to slope steadily downhill.

Follow the path as it runs steadily downhill through the trees.

At the bottom you emerge next to fields, close to the bottom of the hill.

Here turn left, leaving the Wye Valley Walk, and follow a well worn permissive path around the edge of the woodland and then out through a gate into an open field.

Cross the field heading for a gate on the far side.

Having passed through the gate walk straight ahead walking through a further series of gates until you come to a public road.

Upon reaching the road turn left. Follow the road for a short distance as it begins to head slowly uphill.

Once into the field follow the footpath running off to the left uphill.

Pass through the gate at the top into the woodland on the other side. Keep on walking uphill along the path, passing through another gate, continuing uphill.

Soon off to the left there is a gate leading out onto a track between houses on the hillside.

Here turn right and follow the track as it runs into woodland.

Keep on walking along the track as it runs past a series of houses. They look like former farm houses which are now private residences. Whether primary residences, second homes or holiday lets.

Soon you come to a junction. Here follow the track downhill heading off to the right.

Continue walking straight down the track until you come out on a public road.

On the far side of the road there is a stile leading onto a footpath through woodland, which you clamber over and follow the path through the trees on the other side.

You come to a metal gate which leads into pasture. At the bottom of the hill in the next field you encounter a nascent orchard.

Having passed the orchard you come to a stile leading uphill through a small patch of woodland.

At the top you cross another stile and come out onto a driveway beside a house. Walk straight ahead and then turn right down to a road.

Here cross the road and on the left there is a sturdy municipal green painted footpath sign pointing off to the left.

Follow this path quite some distance.

Keep following the path walking straight ahead through the woodland. Continue always following the path as it runs to the left. Through the trees there is a good view out over the River Wye.

Presently after quite some distance you come to a place where a householder has set-up a bench and some other garden furniture. Just after this you come to a metal gate which you pass through.

There is a junction just after this gate. Here you take the right hand arm heading downhill.

At the bottom of the hill you approach a road just above the river Wye. Here there is a paved track to your left running uphill, turn left and head up this track.

Presently it turns into a well worn footpath.

It is around here that off to your right across the River Wye you get your first sighting of the ruins of Goodrich Castle up on its ridgetop. A sign that you are approaching the end of the walk.

Keep walking straight along the path through the woodland.

Eventually you come out on a residential road near the top of the small village of Kerne Bridge.

Here, turn left and begin walking downhill.

Upon reaching a junction with a larger road turn right. Follow the road downhill through Kerne Bridge until you reach the side of the B4234.

At the junction where you join the B road, turn right and begin walking along the side of the road. Take care as throughout this short section the road is quite busy and vehicles travel fast.

Soon you come to a bridge over the River Wye on your left.

Cross the River Wye using the pavement across the bridge. Goodrich Castle rises up ahead of you on the horizon.

On the far side of the bridge keep on walking along the pavement which leads steadily uphill towards Goodrich village.

Near the top of the hill the road narrows into a culvert with a bridge connecting two parts of the village together running over it.

There is a flight of steps running up a bank straight ahead of you. Head up these steps.

At the top of the steps you emerge onto a lane. Turn right here.

Walk a short distance along the lane into the village.

Presently you approach the village’s post office and primary school. This is also where the village’s two bus stops, one back towards Ross-on-Wye, one towards Monmouth are situated.

From the centre of Goodrich by the bus stops turn left heading towards the village’s primary school.

At the primary school, turn right, and pick up a footpath next to its car park.

Follow the path heading to the left uphill into a wooded area.

Soon you cross a bridge, and follow a path through the trees towards a gate into a meadow.

Cross the meadow and head through a further gate into Goodrich’s churchyard.

Having walked around the church you reach a gate out onto a small meadow surrounded by houses.

Follow a path to the left, and through a gate out onto a lane.

Soon you come to a main road where you turn left and walk a little way downhill.

After a little way on the right there is a green lane, which you turn to and walk along.

At the bottom of the lane you emerge beside open fields. Here there is a pair of stiles and you take the one on the right.

Once over the stile and into the field start following the path downhill following the edge of the field.

You continue straight ahead downhill, an impressive vista across the Wye valley towards distant hills straight ahead in front of you.

Presently you pick up a short stretch of fenced in footpath which leads down towards a main road, which you reach by passing through a metal gate.

Start walking straight along the lane. Take care as it can be very busy with cars heading towards Symonds Yat and the Wye valley and there are some tight corners.

Soon you reach a bridge across one of the meandering bends in the River Wye, which you cross.

On the far side you continue straight along the lane.

You pass some scattered barns and houses, approaching the hill where Symonds Yat Rock perches on the top.

Entering woodland you follow the road around through the trees.

Presently you reach a fork in the road where you turn right and continue heading downhill towards the Wye, to reach the village of Symonds Yat East. Turning left, the road heads uphill towards Symonds Yat Rock.

Upon reaching the side of the river you walk straight, heading for the start of the village. There are spectacular views across the Wye towards Symonds Yat West, and down the river gorge.

Soon you reach Symonds Yat East village.

This is where the walk ends.

Getting Back

Symonds Yat does not have any public transport connections of its own. For this reason it is important to research current information about public transport connections on the day you wish to visit the village prior to setting out. To get back from Symonds Yat, either continue down the River Wye path for 4 or 5 miles to Monmouth, where there are bus connections, including to Ross and Hereford, or return to Goodrich to catch a bus back to Ross or down to Monmouth. There are also buses from Whitchurch, on the far side of Symonds Yat West. However, easy access to Whitchurch is dependent upon the hand ferries across the River Wye being in operation on the day that you visit.