LeominsterHereford

Leoher three
Not verified

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Leoher here.

By nichowes on 04 Sep 2023


Distance

28km/17mi

Ascent

-

Descent

-

Download this route

Are you sure you want to download this route?

Using a GPX file for the first time?

No, back to route

Give a hike

Pledge to walk this route and help firm up its place in the network - every walk helps.

So far it has been reviewed by four people and surveyed by zero people and there are three issues flagged with this route.

No other people have pledged to review this route.

Your pledged routes will show up in your pledges Waylist.

Every review and survey pledged and then walked will help make the Slow Ways network better, thank you for your help!

Sign up or log in to pledge to walk this route.

Back to route

Save to Waylist

Sign up or log in to save this route so you can find it more easily or plan a longer journey.

More options

Save to my account

Sign up or log in to save this route so you can find it more easily or plan a longer journey.

Print (via Inkatlas)

Survey this route

Review this route

Suggest a better route

Report a problem

Description

This route was developed as a variation on Leoher 2.

Since the route was first trialled trialled in January 2022, two of the PROWs have been closed because of unsafe structures (one footbridge and one long flight of wooden steps).

An issue with inadequate signage and stewarding on a motocross circuit across another PROW has been resolved thanks to the combined efforts of Slow ways reviewers, Herefordshire PROW, Parish Clerk and Parish Councillors.

The accurate, safe route's .gpx track should be downloaded from Leoher four, and reviews of Leoher three are being moved across to Leoher four

This route was developed as a variation on Leoher 2.

Since the route was first trialled trialled in January 2022, two of the PROWs have been closed because of unsafe structures (one footbridge and one long flight of wooden steps).

An issue with inadequate signage and stewarding on a motocross circuit across another PROW has been resolved thanks to the combined efforts of Slow ways reviewers, Herefordshire PROW, Parish Clerk and Parish Councillors.

The accurate, safe route's .gpx track should be downloaded from Leoher four, and reviews of Leoher three are being moved across to Leoher four

Status

This route has been reviewed by 4 people.

This route has been flagged (3 times) for reasons relating to safety.

Photos for Leoher three

Photos of this route will appear when they are added to a review. You can review this route here.


Information

Not verified

Route status - Live

Reviews - 4

Average rating -

Is this route good enough? -  Yes (1) No (3)

Problems reported -  Safety (3)

Downloads - 19

Surveys

We are working to build-up a picture of what routes look like. To do that we are asking volunteers to survey routes so that we can communicate features, obstacles and challenges that may make a route desirable or not.

Slow Ways surveyors are asked to complete some basic online training, but they are not vetted. If you are dependent on the survey information being correct in order to complete a route, we recommend that you think critically about the information provided. You may also wish to wait until more than one survey has been completed.

Help people know more about this route by volunteering to submit a survey.

  1. Complete the survey training.
  2. Submit a survey for this route.

Sign up or log in to get the link to survey this route for Leoher.

Geography information system (GIS) data

Total length

Maximum elevation

Minimum elevation

Start and end points

Leominster
Grid Ref SO4969059026
Lat / Lon 52.22714° / -2.73798°
Easting / Northing 349,690E / 259,026N
What3Words relishing.sports.truth
Hereford
Grid Ref SO5119339982
Lat / Lon 52.05607° / -2.71324°
Easting / Northing 351,193E / 239,982N
What3Words froze.prop.skinny

Sorry Land Cover data is not currently available for this route. Please check back later.

reviews


Neil Summersgill

21 Aug 2023 Summer

Adding photo re OS maps and path going in different directions near the unsafe bridge - if it could go this way perhaps it's ok. Still need to investigate Motocross area more.

  • Neil Summersgill

    Neil Summersgill

    21 Aug 2023

    Checked council PROW and it goes west of bridge

  • nichowes

    Nichowes

    21 Aug 2023

    Great detective work, thanks. OS 1:25000 map now appears to be erroneous at this location. I will check what's on the ground asap, together with motocross area.

  • nichowes

    Nichowes

    21 Aug 2023

    Checked on the ground today.

    As we thought, FP on ground has been closed on hypotenuse and opposite and adjacent now provide the sanctioned alternative route between Brookhouse Bridge and Brierley Court. I will create Leoher four, simply to upload the updated route as a .gpx, and I'll add some photos to confirm the diversion to avoid the collapsed, dangerous footbridge.

    I also have some traction on the motocross problem, having emailed Leominster Town Council Clerk and Herefordshire Council's PROW team and had immediate responses. What date and time did you encounter the unmanned motocross track crossings of the bridleway, please? I assume it was the bridleway down from the NE corner of Brierley Wood into Brierley Village centre.

  • Neil Summersgill

    Neil Summersgill

    21 Aug 2023

    It was Saturday between 2-3pm with the Motocross. It was definitely from the east side of Brierley wood to at least half way along Brierley wood. Well done checking out that route so quickly.

  • Neil Summersgill

    Neil Summersgill

    23 Aug 2023

    Os maps have just confirmed that they will be correcting their mapping as it's a safety issue 10 days

  • nichowes

    Nichowes

    31 Aug 2023

    I have just drawn the following document (Motorsport Events on Public Rights of Way Good Practice in Statutory Authorisation) to the attention of Parish Clerk, local Cllr. and PROW: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/710959/response/1723692/attach/6/Redacted%20Report%20Drafting%20Combined.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1

    The local Cllr. witnessed the event that you walked through, Neil.

  • nichowes

    Nichowes

    31 Aug 2023

    The local Cllr. replied within half an hour: "The PROW Enforcement officer has contacted the event organiser and has given strict guidelines for any future event held within Herefordshire. The land owner assures him that this will not happen again as he was under the impression the organiser had the appropriate authority. He fully understands that as the land owner it is his responsibility to ensure the correct authority is in place.

    This means we have a record of the infringement and the landowners assurance which should help dissuade a recurrence in future."

    Neil - please might you now give Leoher its 4 stars and gain Herefordshire another snail, please?

  • Neil Summersgill

    Neil Summersgill

    31 Aug 2023

    Good work Nick ! Route adjustments look fine - I have 4 starred LeoHer4 now

  • nichowes

    Nichowes

    01 Sep 2023

    Thanks Neil. I created Leoher four just for somewhere to put the revised .gpx for Leoher three. I had the same problem with our trialled route for Leobro; the Slow Ways tech. team told me that there is not yet a way for them to change a .gpx for a Slow Way once that .gpx has been uploaded. For Leoher three to get its snail, please would you update your review for Leoher three? You can do this through the "My Account" tab on the top right of the screen. I have tweaked my review for Leoher three, referring walkers to Leoher four to download the correct .gpx. Hope that makes sense.

  • Neil Summersgill

    Neil Summersgill

    01 Sep 2023

    Is LeoHer3 gpx also fixed on Slowways? I'm guessing not as leoher4 had been created to hold the new route. I'm a bit worried that if people don't read the comments of LeoHer3 to say it's not safe they will just download the gpx and walk it. Isn't it more consistent to use leoher4 as the approved route with the correct gpx and correct reviews ? ? I've already said it's good and if you say so as well we only need to contact the other reviewer to get them to approve as well?

  • nichowes

    Nichowes

    01 Sep 2023

    Okay. I'll give it a try, and copy and edit my Leoher three review over to Leoher four. I'll see if I can get Huw to do the same.

  • Share your thoughts

    Please Sign up or log in to comment.


Neil Summersgill

19 Aug 2023 Summer

I am not sure the correct gpx for Leoher three has been uploaded ?? When I opened the downloaded the GPX for it it said LeoHer2. ?? But perhaps this was just an edited LeoHer2 ? I didn't see the changes mentioned in the LeoHer3 description.

I was quite enjoying the route from Holmer (Hereford) towards Leominster and was hoping to give this its third review but its too dangerous. So I think LeoHer2 should actually not be recommended.

There are two safety concerns which I think make this route unsafe and actually should not be considered as part of the network :

(1) Broken bridge between Broadwood Bridge and Brickhouse Farm. Naturally I'm always up for a challenge and did cross it but it is certainly not safe to do so. See pic.
(2) Between Brierley and Brierley Wood there was a moto cross event. The path out of Brierley Wood cuts right across the moto cross circuit ! There seemed to be no wardens supervising - just a notice from the organisers saying you cross at your own risk ! So I opted to go east out of the wood and try that path but again cuts right across the circuit. Another sign saying do so at your own risk. So naturally I did. I had 3 points where I had to wait for speeding bikers to come past before crossing. I'm stubborn and was exercising the PROW. I'm not sure how often this event is as I could find no mention online but it looks a permanent circuit. Didn't mess around taking pics with so many bikers flying around.

There were also a couple of "fix my street" points with very dodgy stiles. A bridge straight after the dodgy one was totally overgrown with nettles - which I hacked back. Another stile had barbed wire across it and I cut my hand.

Another issue was the field of black beans at The Cotts Farm. The path supposedly forks and I was supposed to take the northern way but I literally could not find it. Perhaps when the field is ploughed or just sown it will be fine. I ended up following the telegraph poles to the farm and through that to join up wit the route again a bit later. The alternate had a nice ridge view - but so many nettles !!

On the plus side the view from Westhope Hill common is amazing !

Summertime so I wore shorts and my shins are still pins and needles now with all the brambles, thistles and nettles.

I'm hoping leoher2 was mistakenly reuploaded for leoher3 - but definitely a better, safer route needs to be found.

  • nichowes

    Nichowes

    20 Aug 2023

    Hi Neil.

    "But perhaps this was just an edited LeoHer2 ?" Yes - that is the case, and the file name for Leoher three's gpx is 9398_ Leoher_Leo...ster_Hereford.gpx. I don't know how it comes to appear as Leoher 2.

    The .gpx above is the correct download for Leoher three, and uses a far less road-based route out Leominster than Leoher two.

    "I didn't see the changes mentioned in the LeoHer3 description". Not sure what you refer to here, sorry. My description (please see Overview) of Leoher three also includes a workaround for the disappeared footpath near The Cotts, to which you refer.

    I intend to investigate a workaround for the dangerous section of Leoher three near Brierley; it looks as though you avoided the long flight of rotten steps down through the trees completely and encountered a motocross course instead, to the east of Brierley Wood.

    I know you've seen my review of (your) Leobro three; have you spotted that a third person has reviewed it recently and gained another snail for Herefordshire?

    Perhaps we should direct message each other on Twitter.

  • Neil Summersgill

    Neil Summersgill

    21 Aug 2023

    Ok if that's the gpx loaded correctly - just thought it was worth checking. At the unsafe bridge its interesting the path flicks to the west if you zoom in and out on os maps - missing the bridge - not sure which is the proper route now?? Need to the check council ROW. When I got to the path down at Brierley wood I could hear and see Motocross bikes right below me so I avoided that (after the review comments about the steps as well). Cotts Farm wasn't a major issue for me I just couldn't find the path fork in the overgrown field. I was thinking of putting a variant up via Ivington. The os map difference I'll add to the route photos. Sorry I don't do Twitter anymore. If the route avoids that bridge (which is dangerous) and there is a way around the Motocross I would give it 4 stars.

  • Share your thoughts

    Please Sign up or log in to comment.


HuwG

05 Aug 2023 Summer

Good walk.


Nichowes

19 Feb 2022 (edited 04 Sep 2023) Winter

Explored as an improvement on Leoher 2, with a better route out of Leominster and a better route in to Hereford. Problems with PROWs on Leoher three escalated during the summers of 2022 and 2023, necessitating downgrading of Leoher three to impassable. Historical Leoher three reviews are being moved to Leoher four, which is the place to find the accurate, safe route's .gpx and up-to-date reviews.

  • HuwG

    HuwG

    05 Aug 2023

    A good route. I would propose a slight variation in leaving Leominster; rather than walking along the B4361 which is busy and has not pavement on the southern section, exit as in Leoher One and when you get opposite Eaton Hall, take the footpath in SW direction, crossing the A49 to join LeoHer Three at Broadward Lodge. Yes, it does mean crossing the A49 but you get to walk along a great section of the river Lugg.

  • nichowes

    Nichowes

    05 Aug 2023

    Thanks very much Huw. A third review could bring Herefordshire its first snail! I agree about the great section of the River Lugg. I just checked on GSV and - as I remembered - there is pavement alongside the B4361 southwards from Leominster centre all the way to Broadward Lodge, followed by about 150 metres south along Leoher3 before the latter thankfully turns right away off the road and up the right bank of the Arrow. How did you find the tilted footbridge approaching S&A and the collapsed steps up into Brierley Wood, please? There is a way to avoid the latter, along a bridleway from Brierley village centre.

  • nichowes

    Nichowes

    04 Sep 2023

    Hi Huw. Neil and I have had to shut down Leoher three as unsafe, due to reasons that are developed in our dialogues, description and reviews of Leoher three and Leoher four. It would be great if you could edit and downgrade your review of Leoher three and copy and paste your positive comments - and alternative route out of Leominster - onto Leoher four, please. That way, we can attain another "snail" (verified route) for Herefordshire.

  • Share your thoughts

    Please Sign up or log in to comment.


Share your views about this route, give it a star rating, indicate whether it should be verified or not.

Include information that will be useful to others considering to walk or wheel it.

You can add up to 15 photos.

Overall ratings

4 reviews


1 reviews

0 reviews

0 reviews

0 reviews

3 reviews

Show all


Other Routes for Leominster—Hereford See all Slow Ways

Leominster—Hereford

Leoher one

Distance

27km/17mi

Ascent

309 m

Descent

329 m

Leominster—Hereford

Leoher two

Distance

28km/17mi

Ascent

320 m

Descent

340 m

Leominster—Hereford

Leoher four

Distance

29km/18mi

Ascent

-

Descent

-

Review this better route and help establish a trusted network of walking routes.

Suggest a better route if it better meets our methodology.

See all routes from Leominster.

See all routes from Hereford.