The Gloucestershire Way - Part 1 Wales to the Cotswolds

Chepstow Castle

A hope the sunrise would make gold, stones made as a fortress over 900 years old.
Atop a cliff o'er River Wyes misty hue, thin cloud added pink to the wakening view.
At William the Conquerors command, Earl William Fitz Osbern built these stones, bound with lime and sand. Other wealthy and powerful Earls did reside and tend, till 1600s civil war that did end.
After said war the Duke of Beaufort would acquire, for farmyard and glassware, tenants would hire.
Over 100 years of decay made ruins popular with Wye tours, famous poets and artists admiring crumbling galore.

Early 1900s would see the film Ivanhoe made, a local businessman then purchased, with parts of castle remade.
Now owned by Cadw a Welsh word meaning 'to keep' or 'to protect', the public can visit to love and respect.

Link: Chepstow Castle

Old Wye Bridge

Pre-Romans the Wye crossed by timber at Tintern upstream, those Romans built one closer in 1911 its remains being seen.
The Normans bridge near the castle met Medieval and Tudor/Stuarts peoples sight, though sometimes rebuilt destroyed by Wyes watery might.
Georgians five arch iron bridge was built without flaw, to this day surviving Wyes tidal awe.

Chepstow to Bream

Rising thro' Tutshill to fields on high, the River Severn now passing closely by.
Through its shimmering haze is that a castle turret I see, alas no Oldbury Nuclear Power Station it be.
Over a brow the sky full of swallows, darting and dancing among endive hedgerows.
Perching in lines along overhead phone cables, bringing new meaning to twitters label.

Woodland carpeted by fern the early sun turns lime green, turn right for the Jubilee Stone of Victoria the Queen.
The scape turns ravaged by drought brown and raw, though occasional pink musk-mallow and yellow birds-foot-trefoil are nature's awe.
Thro' East and Barnage Woods trees magnificent structures stand, one with five trunks resembling human hand.
Alpine scape of Clanna Woods pines reaching high to the sky, ponds haven for wildlife streams bubbling by.
Speckled wood browns fluttering among the honey suckle, large fruited tree a wild cherry laurel.
Weeping Himalayan balsam adding moisture to droughts dry, Colliers Ponds abundant in purple water mint and dragonfly.

Bream to Nailbridge

Misty at dawn some orange colouring the sky, though thick fog descends little seen to the eye.
Across a barren meadow a handful of pink achillea reside, capturing the mists droplets so as to survive.
Through the densest part of Forest of Dean, Nagshead Plantations canopy entirely green.
A path with deciduous right in winter bare, coniferous left for birds winter lair.
Cannop Lake distant is that a heron I see, alas stealth brings a seagull laughing at me.
Russell's Enclosure more clearings in pines, 3 layers of trees visible as surrounding hills climb.
Through head height ferns a building appears so grand, looks historic seek google to lend a hand.

A 17th century hunting lodge for King Charles II, and agricultural court giving poachers sentences to spend. Its now the The Speech House Hotel, alongside ancient woods, with wedding venue creating memories all so good. Opposite a stone below a young Oak Tree, planted by HRH Countess of Wessex, in 2014 for thee.

A sign for cathedral sculpture I expect timber form, no a hanging stained glass window its forest scenes blending as one.

Pine after pine when will they end, as I lunch people appear on Wysis Way around the bend.
Explore Woodgreens Nature Reserve on return drought evident again, dried lakebed and fish fins how we need rain.

But some joy with Lilly pad flowers opening to the sun, a heron flies out from the shallows that's my day done.

Nailbridge to Huntley

Today's a day for church's but diversion changes plans, so head for church at Huntley to catch sunrise I can.

St John the Baptist appears built from gold, rising sun illuminate its walls and gravestones so old.
Onto Nailbridge my route and Wysis Way hand in hand, parting at Plump Hill Pond its reeds and Lilly pads so grand.
14-century St Michael's Church Abenhall an iron and coal industry shrine, 15-century font carved with tools used to mine.
A chance meeting with church member so questions I could ask, to reveal freeminers gifted a new window with contemporary glass.
All Saints Longhope of little early history, dated Norman tower and spiral staircase solving some mystery.
Once it had a spire an 1850s photo so makes clear, no more as structural collapse was a fear.
Across May Hills spiritual nature narrated by my Wysis Way blog, this time Brecon Beacons clear rather than shrouded in fog.

Descend to St John the Baptist Grade 1 listed and of two ages, 12-century limestone tower features in paper and web in pages.
Other parts rebuilt in sandstone in 1861, stunning gothic interior majestic listed organ.

Huntley to Over Farm

A morning with sunrise over pastures, hedgerow berries ablaze with golden lustres.
Through field of young bulls discreetly tread, shooing their youthful charges away to pass a moment of dread.
Meeting the tidal River Severn discoloured by tides rise, trees reflections on surface muted to eyes.
The famous Severnbore best seen here at Minsterworth, earth flood defence banks such large girth.
St Peters Church's 13 century form would flood, rebuilt on raised ground by Victorians to banish the mud.
A plaque to learn of FW (Will) Harvey local poet, famous in Gloucestershire once its Laureate.

Inside a stained-glass window honouring how Wills held dear, and celebrate poems wrote on fields of World War 1 without fear.

Over Farm to Churchdown Hill

Gloucester City a day of river and bridges, cloud limiting the sunrise being bitten by midges.
Over, under, old and new bridges I wander, admiring their silhouettes with wonder.
Thomas Telford's 1830 stone bridge with 'corneas de vache' (flat arch) design, no cars allowed so walkers take their time.
Alney Islands arched bridges red brick so bright, contrast to field thistle meadow so white.
Red oaks in a wood named after King Richard III, meadowsweet blooming drought withstood.
Across Westgate bridges cathedral tower shadowed by suns light, Severns East Channel green landscape a surreal city sight.

Footpath along East Channel strangely unkempt, now totally overgrown call to council did tempt.
Legs stung by nettles, and punctured by thorns, I did call the council to convey my scorn.

A lovely lady let me through her stable yard gate, so I did not endure a return walk fete.
Time for first aid glad Savlon packed before, aside six feet level water marker a reminder of Severns soar.

Through sweetcorn crops towering above head height, path like a maze gets me in a plight.
Hand sized cracks in flats of Severn Vale, signs of the soils drought exuded exhale.
Turn back at motorway since bridge over closed, to my right a church atop hill oh so exposed.
Seek google again it shows hill leads to next bridge down, my starting point for next walk resolved without a frown.

Churchdown Hill to Shurdington

Atop that hill at dawn hope for sunrise over Cotwolds, the star appears to glow the Vale with golds.

St Bartholomew's is that exposed church of 12-century origin, grade 1 listed walls turned amber by God's light till my walk did begin.

Into the Vale two deer fawns come to view, finding gap in hedgerows to run thro.
As I climb the style glad their joined by mum, as fox in long grass hoped they would succumb.
As the Cotswolds boundary at Shurdington nears, a 14-century church appears.
Holy Trinity Badgeworth interior features differ, stone walls and wagon roof making it bigger.
And so I reach the Cotswolds edge, steep climb up Crickley Hill escarpment ahead.

Coming next

A part 2 blog I make my pledge.

To cover the routes progress east, at Cold Aston's Plough Inn I will feast.
Then north thro? the Slaughters and Stow, a dilemma to nearby Bourton I go?
Finally west through the Swells and Sudeley, Winchcombe through to Tewksbury.