So today with the mild weather, and British summer-time coming to an end (oh no we're back at GMT again) I decided to take advantage of the extra hour and make an early start to take a ride south into Herefordshire and then south-west across the border into Monmouthshire for probably the last big ride of the season. On the road at 8am making good progress on these quiet roads, winding my way down to Bromyard, then on to Ledbury where I must stop sometime and take a look at that impressive viaduct - can't quite find a convenient place to stop and take a photo. Anyway, on the way the road took me past several apple orchards, with perfectly planted apple tree rows. This is Cider making county, and being on the bike I could smell the vivid apple aroma. Sept/Oct is harvest time, and even on this early Sunday morning I found myself pulling up behind tractor/trailer combo's piled high with apples and rounding the odd bend I find a stray apple or two right on the riding line causing a quick re-adjust as I dodge them.
I made Ross on Wye in good time, a quick fuel up, and then on toward Goodrich taking the hill overlooking the (river) Wye Valley, then on to
Skenfrith for a stop off and mooch around the castle. There used to be a little cafe here, perhaps only open in the summer, but today it was shut, so I took a walk down to take a look at St Bridget's church - grade 1 listed 11th century. I really like the wooden bell-tower and noticed the large buttress designed to hold the bell tower in place - the best way to provide the space required for the bells without compromising this with internal structures I guess. While walking around I could hear a service taking place and later the peel of bells to signal it's end.
Moving on from Skenfrith north toward Hay on Wye through some fantastic scenery, real twisty roads void of traffic. I really enjoyed this ride while following the River Monnow, along the B4347, through the villages - Grosmont (I thought that was in N. Yorks ??), past Pontrilas where I used to visit the big Timber company there as a System Engineer back in the '90's, Ewyas Harold,
Abbey Dore and
Peterchurch, eventually crossing the River Wye near Eardisley. Heading toward Leominster I decided to make a stop at the
Monkland Cheese Dairy - I had always meant to stop here on past journey's but never quite got around to it. There is a cafe, and you can buy the local cheese and Cider, I did buy some of their Monkland Blue and their take on Soft Camembert cheese before heading home via Tenbury Wells and Pensax.
Total Mileage: 150
 |
| Wye Valley |
 |
| Skenfrith Castle |
 |
| St Bridget's |
 |
| River Monnow |
No comments:
Post a Comment