Herefordshire
Herefordshire gets overlooked. Lodged against Wales, merged into the Midlands, with no coast to define its edges, few visitors make it over here. But it’s excellent walking country, especially the Golden Valley, where the Black Mountains loom above a rural borderland, once fought over by the Welsh and English, now peaceful, serene.
Hidden gems in Herefordshire
Herefordshire
Walk the Golden Valley Pilgrim Way
Pilgrimages are booming in popularity, for those with faith and without. While you don’t need to be a Christian to walk Herefordshire’s Golden Valley Pilgrim Way, it does have the church at its heart. On this 60-mile (98km) circuit, you stay in a different one each night. At the end of each green-hilled hiking day, I placed my boots on centuries-old flagstones, dumped my rucksack onto time-smoothed pews, and hung my waterproof off the poppyheads at the end of choir stalls. I’ve been walking in the UK for years as a travel journalist and book author. And I can safely say this is one of the country's quirkiest long-distance walks, complete with a touch of the divine. The route Herefordshire gets overlooked. Lodged against Wales, merged into the Midlands, with no coast to define its edges, few walkers wander here. But it’s excellent hiking country, especially the Golden Valley, where the Black Mountains loom above a rural borderland, once fought over by the Welsh and English, now peaceful, serene. The Golden Valley Pilgrim Way is unusual for a pilgrimage. Most lead you somewhere; on this, you finish back where you started. But the idea, says the priest behind it, is that you return a little changed. Maybe, maybe not. But spending in pubs and farm shops, and paying into church coffers, certainly feels like a positive for the countryside economy. The start and finish is Hereford Cathedral, once a major pilgrimage site itself. Arrive early to look around – it’s home to the Mappa Mundi, the biggest surviving medieval world map. Walkers can stay in the cathedral’s 15th-century cloisters – the first cathedral in Britain to accommodate pilgrims since medieval times. The designated sleeping room is fairly plain. But following the choir into the main nave, and listening to them erupt into evensong, is spine-tingling stuff. From Hereford the route heads west towards Wales, a moderate loop around the Abbeydore Deanery – it isn’t waymarked but you can download GPX files. This is a landscape of apple orchards, woody vales, castle ruins, grazing sheep; of timelessness and stories. There’s the gnarled ancient oaks of Moccas Park, the gurgle of St Peter’s sacred spring, the views from ridge-top Arthur’s Stone, a Neolithic dolmen where King Arthur allegedly slayed a dragon. The route also visits many medieval churches, nine of which offer ‘night sanctuary’ for pilgrims. They are simultaneously basic and atmospheric, all soaring ceilings and tombstones. At Dorstone I slept behind the choir and was woken by sun streaming through the stained glass. The churches are also frequently next to excellent village pubs, like Dorstone’s low-beamed Pandy Inn. Best was Cloddock, where the Cornewall Arms is more like your gran’s front room, where locals gather to drink, eat crisps and play table skittles. Need to know Hereford has a train station, with direct services from cities such as Cardiff (1hr), London (3hrs) and Birmingham (85mins). The trail must be booked via Abbeydore Deanery (abbeydoredeanery.org/gvpw). You’ll be sent a pilgrim passport to stamp en route. A donation of £20pp per night is requested. You have exclusive access to the church; if someone else wants to stay the same night, you’ll be asked if you’re happy to share. It’s OK to say no. At the night sanctuaries you get access to a sink and toilet (which might be outside) but no shower. Kitchen facilities range from full set-up to just a kettle. Simple camp beds are provided – they’re not especially comfy. Bring a warm sleeping bag and pillow; consider a sleeping mat for extra padding. At Kingstone there were pieces of carpet on the pews, which I borrowed, for extra insulation. At Dorstone bigger camp beds came with mattresses, blankets and hot water bottles – luxury indeed! The route is open year-round – visitor books evidenced pilgrims who’d walked over Christmas. Be aware the churches are chilly, even in summer. Also, this is farming country, prone to muddiness. I walked in March, after an especially wet winter – it was a quagmire. The pay-offs were newborn lambs, daffodils and no other tourists.
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Explore the quiet Herefordshire countryside
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