Four Blokes Who Do Walks

is an area of mixed ancient woodland in Gloucestershire, bordered by the Rivers Wye and Severn and the county of Herefordshire. We stayed at The Fountain, Parkend, which conveniently combined a busy pub and restaurant with comfortable rooms.

We spent four days walking, in mixed weather varying from pleasant sun to heavy rain showers, sleet and lying snow and though our waterproofs gathered mud we made the most of the walks, attractions and local food and drink.

We arrived at The Anchor, Tintern, (actually in Monmouthshire) just yards from Tintern Abbey, on Tuesday, and made a circular walk up to Hudnalls and back parallel to the Wye Valley.

Walk completed, we went on to Parkend to our rooms at The Fountain and a fine evening meal.

Preparing with a grand breakfast we walked from Dymock on part of the poets’ path towards Ryton and Ketford and back to Dymock. The walk was extremely muddy underfoot and featured uncomfortable stiles and poor signposting.

Though using sections of the Offa's Dyke Path and Gloucestershire Way, at Brockweir near Tintern and from Bream to Parkend, many cross routes were left to John's compass and map expertise. Better signposting would be appreciated!

Lunch was at the Beauchamp Arms at Dymock. Here we discovered The Dymock Poets - Robert Frost, Rupert Brooke, Edward Thomas and others who lived near or visited Dymock between 1911 and 1914.

There is an excellent interpretation display in the church.

Dymock Church Interior	Tintern Abbey

The afternoon featured a visit to the International Centre for Birds of Prey at Newent where a flying display impressed us rather than the birds that were restrained on small perches.

Evening meal was at The Rising Sun at Moseley Green. The new chef was working hard and the food was great though some of the other customers seemed intent on making as much noise as possible. Nevertheless a good evening with good beer

Thursday revealed sleet and snow, lying quite heavily in the higher areas, but our walk through the woods was pleasant and we avoided most of the occasional rain showers from Boughspring past Stroat to Woolaston (Walking World id=7911). Lunch was at The Rising Sun, Woolaston Green. We will remember this not for the very good lunch but for the moment Mark discovered Duncan's "lost" iPhone which had dropped and become invisibly wedged down the side of the passenger seat. Mobile signal around here, incidentally, is variable to poor.

Dropped off in a car park on the outskirts of Bream, we made our way along the poorly signposted Gloucestershire Way Path back to The Fountain while Mark photographed elsewhere. In the evening we strolled around to the other side of Parkend and ate in The Woodman. Excellent lamb.

On Friday the morning walk was from the Nagshead nature reserve not far from Parkend, returning to The Fountain for a final lunch. We felt comfortable here. Recommended.

Duncan Grey