Page 6 - The Ultimate Herefordshire Guide 2017

golden valley symonds yat mortimer Herefordshire
hay festivals cider river wye hops
From its picture-book Black & White Villages, artisan makers, famously agricultural landscape and as one of the least populated counties in the country, Herefordshire’s very raison d’etre is to provide incredible landscapes and scenery, deep food and drink provenance and a pace of life that’s both slow and fun-loving all at the same time.
River Wye
The fifth longest river in the UK, the River Wye is a particularly beautiful feature of Herefordshire, dipping in and out of the county borders on its 134 mile journey from mid Wales to the Severn estuary. Attracting canoeists in abundance and fantastic fishing, especially salmon, there are many walks to enjoy along its banks including the Wye Valley Walk, which takes you almost along its whole length. Bring a picnic and enjoy its tranquil banks, marveling at the importance of this spectacular waterway through the ages.
Golden Valley
In south east Herefordshire, the picturesque valley of the River Dore is thought to have become known as the Golden Valley due to Norman confusion with the word Dore (Welsh word for water, dwr) and the French for gold, d’or. Inspiring many writers the area has been a setting for films like Shadow Lands,
Lewis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland,
who’s brother was Vicar at hamlet Vowchurch. CS Lewis used Arthur’s Stone, part of a Neolithic tomb at Dorstone
and Herefordshire’s oldest manmade structure, as inspiration for the stone table where Aslan was sacrificed in The Chronicles of Narnia. With iconic Dore Abbey now a serene venue for music and an attractive visitor destination, Golden Valley really is a precious part of Herefordshire.
Symonds Yat
At the very tip of south Herefordshire, Symonds Yat’s spectacular natural scenery and heavily wooded gorge has become a popular visitor and activity seeker’s destination from both sides of the River Wye which it straddles.
A real Wye Valley icon it delves on into the Forest of Dean and the Wye Valley AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural
4 The ULTIMATE Herefordshire Guide