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| Arthur's Stone |
I had a free afternoon today as my wife Stace has been a bit under the weather after catching the same virus I’ve only just shaken off. Our daughter Molly was off to stay with her grandparents on their farm near Pontrilas to give us both a bit of a rest, but Stace preferred that I just left her to doss so she could watch some shockingly bad TV shows on Netflix. I decided to make the most of the time to myself and go for a walk somewhere new after I'd droped Molly off at the farm. I fancied something with a bit of a challenge, seeing as I was on my own without having to worry about our kid being warm enough, our dogs trying to kill things or Stace getting fed up with me walking too fast. After a bit of searching, I found a circular route starting in Bredwardine, heading up over Merbach Hill and then down past Arthur’s Stone. About five miles with a fair bit of uphill walking and only half an hour from the farm. Perfect.
On the way up to Bredwardine, took a short diversion to a place called Urishay near Peterchurch to look at a strange local attraction I’d heard about: The James Blunt Museum in an old phone box. It’s exactly as odd as it sounds but brilliant in its own way. Inside are photos of James Blunt and various celebrities, each one with a tongue-in-cheek caption. It’s daft and completely pointless, but pretty funny. A fine example of rural weirdness.
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| James Blunt Museum, Urishay, Herefordshire |
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Inside the James Blunt Museum
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After that brief cultural detour, I drove on to Bredwardine and parked up near the old Norman church. From there, the walk starts with a bang, straight across the road and up a brutally steep lane with a 25% gradient. I’d previously considered doing this walk while carrying Molly in her baby carrier, but within 5 minutes I was delighted she wasn’t on my back. It would have been pretty gruelling walking up that lane carrying her.
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| St Andrew's Church, Bredwardine |
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| A steep start to my walk |
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| Steep lane in Bredwardine |
The lane soon turns into tracks and footpaths that cut through farmland full of cows and sheep. The stiles are mostly broken, the gates a bit wobbly, and some of the paths seem to fade into the hedgerows, but that’s part of the charm. It’s classic Herefordshire countryside. Peaceful, a little rough round the edges, but beautiful all the same.
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| Cattle near Bredwardine |
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| One of the many dodgy gates and stiles on this route |
The route winds into a patch of woodland, with a path covered with golden leaves. From there it’s another climb through open fields to Merbach Common. You can see the Wye winding from Hay-on-Wye towards Hereford. The grass was damp and the air was cool, and by the time I reached the top I was properly out of breath but rewarded with wide open views across to Hatterrall Ridge in the Black Mountains. There’s a trig point at the summit, a proper bit of hilltop solitude with only the wind for company.
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The Wye from Merbach Hill
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| Merbach Common |
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| Me on Merbach Hill |
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| Hatterrall Ridge from Merbach Hill |
From Merbach Hill I followed the footpaths down towards Arthur’s Stone. The site is one of Herefordshire’s most fascinating ancient monuments. A Neolithic burial chamber dating back over 5000 years. Local legend says it marks the spot where King Arthur killed a giant who left the impression of his elbow in the stones when he hit the deck. In truth, it’s a chambered tomb that would once have been covered by an earth mound, but the exposed stones have a certain otherworldly feel. Standing there with the hills rolling away behind, it’s easy to see why mythical stories have grown up around it.
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| Sheep near Merbach Hill |
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| Arthur's Stone Lane |
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| Arthur's Stone, Herefordshire |
The next section of the walk was down what must be the steepest hill I’ve ever set foot on. I was half walking, half sliding, with my arms out for balance. Fortunately it wasn't too wet today. If there’d been even a hint of mud, it would have been properly dodgy. I was very glad I’d tackled the route this way round, as climbing up that slope would have been an absolute killer.
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| Footpath through fields towards Bredwardine |
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| Walking down a very steep hill |
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| Autumn scenery in Herefordshire |
Eventually I dropped back into Bredwardine and made a beeline for the Red Lion, where I treated myself to a pint of Wye Valley 1985 lager and a packet of pork scratchings. A couple of locals at the bar asked where I’d been walking. When I told them I’d been up Merbach Hill they laughed and said they hadn’t done that climb in over 20 years. One of them mentioned they’d once talked about holding a cheese rolling competition on the hill I'd walked down. I will definitely not be entering that if they ever start it up.
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| Refreshments at the Red Lion, Bredwardine |
All in all it was a cracking 5 mile walk. Enough of a challenge to feel you’ve earned your pint, and full of views and history. I’d say it’s best done in late spring or early autumn when it’s neither too hot nor too muddy. It’s not ideal for dogs or small children thanks to all the cows and the broken stiles, and it’s definitely not for anyone with a dodgy heart. But if you fancy a proper Herefordshire adventure with a side of local eccentricity, pop to the James Blunt Museum, then hit the Bredwardine, Merbach Hill and Arthur’s Stone Circular.
Walk Details
Route: Bredwardine, Merbach Hill and Arthur's Stone Circular Walk
Distance: Just over 5 miles starting in Bredwardine, Herefordshire.
Difficulty: Moderate. There are some steep sections up country lanes and farm tracks. A very steep descent through a field on the return to Bredwardine.
Time: Roughly 2 hours.
Terrain: Country lanes, tracks, fields with livestock and a hilltop common
Dog friendly?: Not recommended due to cows and some broken stiles. If you do take a dog, keep them on a lead and be prepared to have to lift them. If they drag on the lead, bear in mind that the walk down the steep bank could potentially end with broken limbs.
Pub stop: The Red Lion, Bredwardine. Nice country pub. It was very quiet when I went there on a Sunday afternoon. They weren't serving food at 2pm so it would be worth checking in advance if you plan to have lunch there.
Found on: AllTrails
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| My route |
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