I have walked this route multiple times from my home in Mitcheldean to the cinema in Cinderford. There is only one significant road crossing (around Plump Hill). And always the chance of seeing wild boar around Edge Hill bog!...

Chantal Lyons

Nic Howes walked much of this route (as Mitnew two) on Sunday 25.9.22 and then went back to explore the Breakheart Hill area of Mitnew one on Thursday 29.9.22, which turned out to be quite an adventure. I strongly favour alternative Mitnew two over Mitnew one because the latter misses the opportunity to visit the tremendous viewpoint of May Hill, has more road walking and includes the steep ascent and descent of the aptly named Breakheart Hill, near Mitcheldean, where there are also serious access concerns which lead me to not recommend route Mitnew one. Photo six shows the trashed stile at the summit of Breakheart Hill; this is another of the characteristics that I assign to walker-unfriendly land management. In the background is the more welcoming land of May Hill, lying on Mitnew two - and with wider views than Breakheart Hill. The deviation leads to Mitnew one's original planned ascent of Breakheart Hill, up the footpath on which Photo three was taken....

nichowes

At the southern corner of Newent Community School playing fields there is a tricky bit of route finding where the passable PROW deviates from that marked on the OS map; it descend towards the Brook but turns right just before the bridge across it, and follows the path SW with the stream close on the left. The route joins a lane at The Green and follows this south to Woodgate, after which it turns left on the Three Choirs Way for less than 100 metres, past the barns where I saw these magnificent traditional barrels (Photo four) and then branches right along a footpath leading to a fine piece of mixed coppice (Photo five). The access lane meets Barrel Lane, along which the route turns left, descending to pass under the former Ross to Gloucester railway line (Photo eleven). A pavement beside the A40 links Barrel Lane with The Farmers Boy, and halfway along it the route follows the Wysis Way, heading off steeply uphill in a SW direction, towards Bilbut Farm; on this section the route passes some lovely old oak trees (Photo thirteen)....

nichowes

Near Cinderford bus station you will find a mural celebrating the mining heritage of the Forest of Dean (photograph 8). North of Cinderford the route crosses a patch of heathland (photograph 7) on which I fancy I heard a nightjar in broad daylight - probably wishful thinking. Just before starting the steep descent to Mitcheldean, look out for the walled enclosure of "The Wilderness", a residential centre for Gloucestershire schoolchildren for more than 50 years (photograph 2). On the steep descent itself, it is worth pausing to take in the view of Mitcheldean in the foreground, with May Hill in the near distance and the Malvern Hills in the far distance (photograph 1)....

nichowes

I have trialled this route and diverted it to Rosmit2, which stays on PROWS and access land and skips the odd detour south to Drybrook and heads directly to Mitcheldean across Wigpool Common, an attractive promontory of the Forest of Dean, rich in interest to walkers....

nichowes

An interesting route between an ancient Herefordshire market town and an ancient Gloucestershire town in the Forest of Dean, with a long industrial heritage. I devised and trialled this route as an alternative to Rosmit One, which needed revising, having been planned from the map only. I know this area well, having lived and worked in these communities for 40 years and counting....

nichowes