Leoher four

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Flooded start made near impassable - need wellies in wet weather. Impressive hill fort after Brierley Wood. Descent from fort gives great views. Fields pleasant as far as Yoke Wood. Slippy climb to West Hope Hill but well worth it. Followed telegraph poles from Cotts past Brickyard Cottages into Wellington Wood and down into village. Slightly disappointed no pub but stopped off for refreshments at PO/community shop. Began re-route across A49 but soon impassable due to flooding, Back-tracked to Wellington and followed footpaths and lanes into Hereford from there.

We tackled this long route in two parts; the first on a rainy day towards the end of an unusually rainy March. The route out of Leominster along the B4361 was straightforward enough but we encountered problems almost as soon as the path left the main road at the River Arrow through a plantation of poplar trees. The river had overflowed and the ground under our feet became boggy and frankly would have been impassable for me if one of our group, wisely in wellies, hadn’t kindly piggy-backed us across the swamp. This took quite a while as she had to plonk me down on a log every few seconds for a rest - I tried not to take offence. We managed to reconnect with the route in the next field as it passed along the side of poly tunnels of strawberries, and then rose up behind Brickhouse farm to Brierley Wood. Great views here which gave us a full sense of the extent of the flooding in the valley below. The next section through the wood and along the ridge culminates at the remains of an ancient fort then swoops down through fields with views towards the west. From Chapel Farm the path rises again through trees on a path that the rain had turned into a red slick of mud - hard going that day, but it leads onto the great expanse of Westhope Hill and stunning 360 degree views. The route stays high, following a line of telegraph poles before descending into the magical Wellington Wood and down into Wellington itself. The pub here has been closed for years, but the friendly Post Office and Community Shop has a good range of drinks and snacks, tables outside and a toilet. We toasted the end of the walk here with a bottle of red while waiting for the last bus to take us back to Leominster.

This is an excellent route but I would recommend not attempting it (at least the first part) after prolonged rainfall unless you have wellies and long legs, or know someone who does!

We began the final leg of the route in beautiful Easter sunshine from outside the post office in Wellington. (last four photos)Perhaps it was the brilliance of the weather that prevented us from noticing the nature of the land we were about to walk through on the other side of the A49 - so much blue around the sand and gravel works, so many coils in the river Lugg and not an inkling of what we were in for? Looking at it now I find it hard to believe that after a month in which it had rained almost incessantly and particularly after our experience on the first leg of this route, we didn’t expect the floods - flooded footpaths, flooded roads, fields of red water everywhere. We tried, we really tried with a kind of blind desperation to get to Hereford, only to find ourselves stranded and soggy by the railway line. We were rescued by a kind woman in a 4x4 who said she expected the water to stay high for at least 10 days. She also told us, as she deposited us back at the side of the A49, that floods such as these were becoming increasingly common; her family had gated the road to prevent cars from attempting to pass through, so fed up were they of rescuing the occupants. We almost went home but the day was so beautiful and this was the last leg of a long trek, so we plotted an alternative route from Wellington which stayed on the west side of the A49 following lanes and footpaths through Burghill to enter Hereford via the Moor Park area. This was a beautiful route right to the outskirts of the city. We will attempt to submit it as a rainy/flood day alternative to this one.

This route was done in 2 sections. I've given 5 stars for scenery and interest but much of the route is impassable. It's a seasonal route. The turn-off at Broadward Bridge just past Broadward Hall leads down a small incline to a wood/plantation through which a tributary of the River Arrow flows. On March 28th 2024 it was very flooded, the wood boggy and knee high in water. I was wearing wellies and still had to do a Crystal Maze on tussocks and fallen trunks. The steps to footbridges were submerged. I heroically gave piggybacks to my party - which was entertaining but, unless you're wearing wellies, forget the bit between Broadward Bridge and S&A Farms polytunnels just before Brierley in months of heavy rain. Alternatively, you could walk down the Hereford Rd (B4361) for a bit further, but there is no pavement and the verge is narrow, so not ideal.
The walk through Brierley wood to the fort is fine. Some lovely old and well-kept farms and fields on the way to Upper Hill. Then, my oh my, a rise up on a wooded track at Chapel Farm into fantabulous Yoke Wood. It was a river of orange clay yesterday, squelch squelch. Had no traction on the wellies and a bit of a work-out (though previous piggybacking had perhaps worn me out - guilt-tripping my party here!). Emerging out of Yoke Wood into the open common ground past the spring on Westhope Hill was an unexpected delight with great views west. Elemental. The path through fields to Cotts Farm were obscured even with a low-lying crop, so we took the farm track which brings you out at the same point anyway. The final amazeballs was Wellington Wood. Deciduous, ancient, peaceful, secluded - very special. A lovely holloway - which is now a private road to Stone House Scotland - which you don't walk down but can see from the path alongside it to Wellington Village. The pub there has closed down but the woman in the very-well equipped P.O there told us the community were trying to buy it.
From Wellington the path crosses the A49 and takes you between a series of ponds at the gravel and sand works. This was completely unpassable on 30th March 2024 due to flooding. We tried every possible track and lane this side of the A49 to reach Moreton-on-Lugg but the water was, at best, knee high. We were very disappointed as this was the last day of a walk from Chester to Hereford. At one point we crossed a stream by climbing across sticks and logs brought downstream by the floods and emerged at Wellington Crossing only to find deeper flood water blocked all ways out from there. Thanks to the woman who lived at the level crossing, who said Moreton-on-Lugg was also impassable on foot due to floods, we got a lift in her 4x4 ("we're self sufficient; this is nothing compared to the water we've seen the last 6 months") back to the A49. From here we took an alternative route from Wellington to Hereford on the west side of the A49 via Auberrow-Portway-Burghill - which was scenic, lovely grand old houses and walled gardens. Recommend this when there's flooding. Photos below include the flooded route and the alternative via Portway (the photos without water in them are the alternative route.).

A great walk that has taken a great deal of negotiation to clear safe passage (see description for more information). Photo one shows Dinmore Manor from an unusual direction (WSW). Photo two shows winter afternoon light through the trees of fine Wellington Wood. Photo three shows snowdrops in Wellington churchyard.

This corrects the safety issues of LeoHer2. I caught the train from Leominster to Hereford in the morning, Beryl biked (Hereford's rent a bike for a trip scheme) to near Holmer and walked back to Leominster. This is a good walk with some great views to the Black Mountains near Hereford. At Westhope Hill there are great views all the way from the Malverns - Bromyard Downs - Titterstone Clee Hill - Brown Clee Hill - good spot for a picnic. There are two sizeable woods en route and a couple of nice villages towards Hereford to look round. Before the hill up to Wellington Wood there is a stile with barbed wire across it so beware (I have reported it). Due to the time of the year when I got near to Cotts Farm I couldn't find the fork north in the footpath through a dense field of "black beans" - so I followed the southern edge of the field following the telegraph poles to get to Cotts Farm. The path continues almost in parallel to the main route and then a clear path goes north to link you back to the main route. Maybe when you go the beans will be gone and you won't have any issue ! Its a fairly easy to route to follow with no major challenges.

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