02/04/21 - Symonds Yat and the Wye Valley

Distance - 11.5 Miles

Geocaches - 3

Walk Inspiration - 100 Walks in Gloucestershire, Walk 

I know I've walked from Symonds Yat in the past, yet for some reason, I have never blogged from here.  Two potential reasons for this - 1) it was pre-blogging days or 2) I was still in shock from the parking fees.  

£5 for 4 hours that required actual cash - which no-one has seen for at least 12 months. The question is, will I be able to complete 11.5 miles in 4 hours?

At least there will be no pubs to distract.

It's a endless steep drop from the car park, down the east side on the Yat, with the smell of garlic in my nostrils. Worth it for the peace and tranquility when the valley floor is reached.

Pickingup the Wye Valley

East walking along a disused railway - view unspoiled until we reach the light industry opposite the out of bounds Welsh Bicknor.  

Navigational skills at the fore as I skirt the western edges of Lydbrook to pick up the Forest of Dean.

I bring you trees

My original plan was to park at the Globe Inn in Christchurch but in the circumstances, this would have been a touch cheeky.  Instead, I get to see what I could of won, as I wander through the deserted streets, populated only by weird scarecrows.  And the Church is called Salem.

An End Point in Happier Times

That's your lot... I forgot to photo the scarecrows

Back into the Forest to drop down and pick up the river again, for the three geocaches available on route.  

The stiff climb to Symonds Yat awaits and I make it back to the car with the Relive App telling me there is 4 minutes left on my ticket.  

A braver man than me would have waited for a bacon and brie baguette from the cafe.  

But if they charge a lady for parking, what would the fines be like?

Forest of Dean

Back to the Wye

A final farewell to the set of NetFlix's "Sex Education"