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| The southern
half of the lower Wye gorge splits the Forest of Dean in two.
This walk follows the Offa’s Dyke path south along the ridge
above the river and the Wye Valley Walk back along the river
bank to Redbrook. |
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| You
can park in the town at Redbrook. Look out for boulders
marking the car park entrance on the river side off the A466.
Head south down the main road and then left just before the
Bell Inn. |
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| You will see a
signpost marked Offa’s Dyke Trail which leads to a flight of
steps up the terrace. At the top of the steps, cross a lane
and follow the footpath sign up the hill. |
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| After 80m, a few steps take
you up the bank to the left, over a stile and onto the
bracken-covered hill. After a bit of a slog you meet a farm
track - take the right-most path as signposted. |
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| You enter
Highbury Wood Nature Reserve where at last the climb becomes
less severe. Stick to the right-hand path that winds
along the wooded ridge south for about 1km. Where the track
starts to dip again, take a sharp right (following the acorn
signs) through the woods and down to double gates. |
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| You are
presented with two stiles – take the newer metal one into
the open field. |
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| Pass below
Coxbury Farm and into Oaken Grove Wood. |
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| A stile takes
you back into the fields again and you follow the gentle curve
of the escarpment around to Bigsweir between two tree lines,
the lower one immediately on your right. |
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| There’s a bit
of a climb after you enter the beech wood under Creeping Hill
and then the path narrows ands dips back down to the right
towards the river. As you near the end of the woods, follow
the Offa’s Dyke signs. Older maps may take you straight out
onto the Clearwell road but a new trail stays in the woods for
a few hundred meters and emerges just below the Cadora Woods
car park. |
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| Then it’s one
of those rare bits of the Offa’s Dyke trail that can’t
avoid a bit of road (although I can’t see what’s wrong
with the field next to it myself). Bigsweir Bridge is directly
ahead of you. |
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| At the end of
the bridge, pass the spooky dilapidated house, take the steps
down into the field and head north along the riverbank. After
300m you join the old cinder track of the dismantled Wye
Valley Railway. |
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| Look out for
point where the path parts company with the railway track and
sticks to the river side (shame about the constant noise from
the road on the other bank!). As you meet the trees again,
cross one last stile and head for the gate between a house and
a bungalow. Turn right onto the wide cinder path and it’s a
straightforward run all the way back to Redbrook. |
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| Or you may
prefer to take the lower bridal path along more open country
right next to the river. |
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| The path fetches
up right under the old metal railway bridge and you have to
double back up the lane to find the walkway. On the other
bank, you pop up only 50m from the car park. |
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