From Pengethly to Harewood End

Description

(D)
Alight from the bus at the Pengethley Manor stop. Facing the stop, go left and through a kissing gate into Pengethly Park, now managed by the National Trust. Head slightly left down to a corner where there’s a pool to the right. Go slightly right down and along a line of trees to a kissing gate with Hentland Church in view beyond. Once through, go on towards the church, keeping to the left of the pool and passing near to several ancient oak trees some of which may well be 800 years old. Go through the kissing gate onto a lane with Hentland Church to your right. Dedicated to St Dubricius the church is reckoned to have originated in the 6th century although what you see today is a mixture of renovations in late medieval and Victorian times.

(1) Follow the lane ahead for half a mile to a junction. Keep ahead on the road to Hentland House. The road bends right but you continue ahead on a track; there’s a superb view over to King’s Caple Church and Marcle Ridge beyond. The track forks and you keep ahead. At the next junction, within about 20 yards, keep slightly left down a sunken lane to a stile by a gate.

(2)  Cross it and keep ahead along a hillside. Cross the next stile by a gate and keep ahead once again. Go slightly left over two more stiles and proceed through a long pasture with views over the Wye Valley and to King’s Caple Church. Cross a stile into woodland and the path joins a track Hoarwithy which is crossed. Continue ahead by Quarry Bank to drop down to the road. Beware of traffic as you walk ahead into the village. The New Harp Inn is on the right.

(3) For those continuing to Harewood End, retrace your steps back along the road to the corner where you entered but now turn right on a tarmac drive to Redbrook Farm. However, within a few steps cut off left through a barred gate and the path climbs, slightly right and fairly steeply, up the hillside to join a hedge. There’s a superb view of the church and Wye Valley from this point. Cross a stile by a holly bush and keep ahead.

(4)  You pass to the right of Llanfrother, and the path veers slightly right next to a fence on the left to reach a gate into woodland. Make your way through to the other end and then head slightly right across the dry valley to join a track which climbs up, through a barred gate to Woodlands Farm. Go through a yard where ponies are kept (please shut the gate firmly so they don’t escape!). This leads to a track by the farmhouse where you turn left.

(5)  The track runs in a straight line, climbing gently between fields, as you make your way towards Harewood End. It then turns sharp right but you continue ahead on a leafy green lane to the edge of the village where it joins a drive by a tall hedge. This leads to the busy A49 road and the Harewood End Inn stands just to the right. The bus stop for Ross-on-Wye is to the left and the stop for Hereford is across the road (cross with care).(A)