Sunday 6 October 2013

FOLK DOWN THE TRACK WINTER 2013/4

Folk Down the Track is that super evening out on the Heart of Wales railway which combines folk music, a meal or drink and good company at the homely Welsh pub, the Castle at Knucklas. If you'd like to join in then simply catch the 1805 train from Shrewsbury or pick it up on one of the stations en route.

The next event is Thursday 17th October 2013. Musicians and singers doubly welcome! Phone Graham from Myriad Organics on 01584 874888 for more information.

H Energy

Not too long ago we launched the Herefordshire Bus Walks series in Hoarwithy and the photograph illustrates a group of walkers on one of the walks based on Hoarwithy. On Sunday 13th October the Bus Walks team, namely me and Mike Ledlie, will be leading another walk from the leaflet.

Inspired by h.Energy, the Ramblers, Rail for Herefordshire, Ludlow 21 and the Leominster Apple Fair
are offering a free guided walk every day in the following week-see below for details:

Taking the Bus for a Walk


Sunday 13th October 2013   1125 until 1745

Walk from Peterstow to Harewood End (6-7 miles) with the originators of the Herefordshire Bus Walks series - Les Lumsdon (local author) and Russell Hamilton (Herefordshire Council Cabinet Member for Environment, Housing and Planning). Walk through the Wye Valley AONB on the Herefordshire Trail with a stop at the New Harp Inn which is pub plus a shop, post office and hub for park and share.  Moderate, some climbs and stiles. Bring a packed lunch, stout footwear and warm clothing. Sorry, no dogs.  Herefordshire Ramblers in association with Rail for Herefordshire.

Join leaders at Hereford Country Bus Station at 1125 for bus to Peterstow at 1138; back in Hereford for 1745.

Find out more

Event Access: This walk involves using the 32 bus; bus fare or concessionary pass required.
Booking: No booking required
What type of event: Bus walk (6-7 miles) Opportunity to try one of the many bus walks in the county.  Everyone will be given a pack of the Bus Walks series to take home!
Contact Name: Les Lumsdon
Contact e mail: leslumsdon@hotmail.com
Contact number: 01584 877588

Walking with Offa



Monday 14th October 2013   1200 noon until 1650


Join Rob Dingle, Offa’s Dyke National Trail Officer at Kington (Mill Street) at 1200 for the 1210 Offa Hoppa bus (no. 41) to Norton.  Back in Kington for 1649. Through fares also available from Hereford (ask for a return to Knighton) and English concessionary passes available on this cross border route. We’ll ride through splendid countryside to Norton to visit Corte Cottage, a bed and breakfast where there are pv installations, air source heat pump and other energy saving approaches. We’ll then walk 5 miles to Knighton on Offa’s Dyke Path with breathtaking views. Catch the 1612 bus back to Kington. Moderate with one climb and a few stiles. Bring a packed lunch, stout footwear and warm clothing. Sorry no dogs. Herefordshire Ramblers

Find out more

Event Access: This walk involves using the 41 bus; bus fare or concessionary pass required.
Booking: No booking required
What type of event: Bus walk (5 miles) which calls into a bed and breakfast which really has done much to conserve energy then across the hills to the border town of Knighton
Contact Name: Les Lumsdon
Contact e mail: leslumsdon@hotmail.com
Contact number: 01584 877588

Leominster Water Meadows, Ivingtonbury farm & orchard


Tuesday 15th October 2013     1010 until 1600  

Meet local author Pete Blench at Leominster Railway Station at 1010 or Leominster Bus Station (beneath clock) at 1020. The walk makes use of new permissive paths made available under a Natural England/Defra conservation scheme to encourage curlews to nest in the Arrow Valley. We look at the remains of an ancient water meadow irrigation system of ditches and sluices -  16th century 'appropriate technology' aimed at getting an 'extra bite' of grass from the land early in the season followed by two crops of hay. We visit Ivingtonbury, one of the four great Bury Farms of Leominster Priory, the main farm in the conservation scheme. We learn how the local Ryeland sheep were bred to produce the finest wool in Europe. (Queen Elizabeth I would have no other wool than the famed 'Leominster Ore' for her winter stockings!). We visit the farm orchard before returning to town along the banks of the River Arrow. Includes a farmhouse soup lunch, £5 a head, pay at farm on day.   6.5 miles, beginning and ending in Leominster town centre, Leisurely walking, mainly flat, one stile. Return to Leominster for 1600. Bring stout footwear and warm clothing. Sorry, no dogs. Leisurely, with some stiles.  Herefordshire Ramblers with Leominster Apple Fair.

Find out more

Event Access: Train or bus to Leominster
Booking: Please book in advance: folley.farm@btinternet.com
What type of event: Walk (6 miles) with a difference in the Arrow Valley to view ancient pastures and new conservation measures
Contact Name: Pete Blench
Contact e mail: folley.farm@btinternet.com
Contact number: n/a


The Greening of the Kilpeck Inn

Wednesday 16th October 2013    1215 until 1800

Meet local author, Mike Ledlie at the Country Bus Station, Hereford at 1215 for the 1230 X4 bus; walk 1 mile to Kilpeck to visit one of the finest medieval churches in the land with its unique style of Romanesque architecture. Then call in to the Kilpeck Inn for a short talk on the greening of the pub before walking 3½ miles through countryside and parkland to Wormelow. Leisurely, but with some short climbs, and some stiles.  Return to Hereford for 1800.  Bring stout footwear and warm clothing.  Sorry, no dogs. Either pay for lunch at pub or bring packed lunch to eat nearby, and just buy drink at pub. Herefordshire Ramblers in association with Rail for Herefordshire

Find out more

Event Access: This walk involves using the X4 and 36 buses; bus fares or concessionary pass required.
Booking: No booking required
What type of event: Bus walk (4½ miles total) through fields and parklands with a look at one of the county’s loveliest churches and one of its greenest pubs
Contact Name: Mike Ledlie
Contact e mail: ledlie@ledlie.plus.com
Contact number: 01432 270018



Golden Valley Community Centres  

Thursday 17th October 2013    0905 until 16.25

Join Philip Bauer to catch the 39 bus from Hereford (0905 from Railway Station, 0913 at Broad Street) to Middlewood.  From here we climb steeply up Merbach Hill, with glorious views of the Wye Valley and upper Golden Valley.  We then descend to Dorstone for coffee (pay on the day) at Dorstone Front Room.  Following the Herefordshire Trail our walk ends at the inSPIRE community café housed in Peterchurch church.  Bring a packed lunch or buy a light lunch at the café. Depart Peterchurch at 1430 or 1545 on the 39 bus (arr. Hereford 1506 or 1621).  Moderate 7 mile walk with some climbs and stiles. Bring stout footwear and warm clothing. Sorry, no dogs.

Find out more

Event Access: This walk involves using the 39 bus; bus fare (buy a return to Middlewood) or concessionary pass required (which will be valid from Kingstone onwards).
Booking: No booking required
What type of event: Bus walk (7 miles total) into the Golden valley to visit two community centres that have encouraged energy savings; plenty of tea, coffee and cakes on this walk
Contact Name: Philip Bauer
Contact e mail: philipbauer@hotmail.com
Contact number: 01981 500398


To the Village Market at Bredwardine

Friday 18th October 2013     0850 until 1422

Meet John Winterfield at the Country Bus Station, Hereford at 0850 to catch the 0905 39 bus to Dorstone. This 5½ walk crosses the Merbach Range to visit the displays at Neal’s Yard Creamery and into Bredwardine where we’ll call in for refreshment at the village hall market. After the stop, the walk will continue through to Staunton-on-Wye. Moderate, with one long gradual climb. Return to Hereford for 1422.  Bring packed lunch or buy refreshment at the market. Bring stout footwear and warm clothing. Sorry, no dogs. Herefordshire Ramblers

Find out more

Event Access: This walk involves using the 39 and 446 buses; bus fare or concessionary pass required (valid from Kingstone onwards).
Booking: No booking required
What type of event: Bus walk (5½ or 7 miles total) which passes the ancient Arthur’s Stone and calls at Neal’s Yard Creamery before taking well earned refreshment at Bredwardine
Contact Name: John Winterfield
Contact e mail: john@cranstone.plus.com
Contact number: n/a


Snug in the Sun Inn

Saturday 19th October 2013     1230 until 1740

Meet ‘Slow Travel’ author Les Lumsdon at the Assembly Rooms, Ludlow at 1230 for a ride on the 12.45 740 bus to walk on the Herefordshire Trail in the northern part of the county. The moderate 5 mile walk offers great views across the Teme Valley before calling in to the Sun Inn, Leintwardine, a historic parlour pub par excellence.  Meet landlord Gary Seymour and Hobsons Chief Brewer, Nick Davis to discuss how sustainable technologies have been adapted to a Grade II listed building. Moderate with one climb and a few stiles. Sorry, no dogs. Return to Ludlow for 1738.  Bring packed lunch or buy refreshment at the pub. Bring stout footwear and warm clothing. Herefordshire Ramblers in association with Ludlow 21

Find out more

Event Access: This walk involves using the 738/740 bus; bus fare (return to Leintwardine) or concessionary pass required.
Booking: No booking required
What type of event: Bus walk (5 miles) across Shelderton Hill into the Teme Valley to the historic parlour pub, the Sun Inn at Leintwardine where the owners will explain the great attention given to the development of the building
Contact Name: Les Lumsdon
Contact e mail: leslumsdon@hotmail.com
Contact number: 01584 877588




Community Life at Canon Frome Court


Sunday 20th October 2013     1200 until 1745

Meet the authors of Walks in the Borders at Hereford Country Bus Station at 1200 for a bus ride on the 1215 476 bus out to Tarrington. Walk 3 miles to Canon Frome Court, through pleasant countryside.  See how the members of the community live and work together and how they have introduced a boiler in association with the Woolhope Woodheat project. Walk back by a different route to Tarrington (3 miles).  Easy walking with some stiles.  Return to Hereford at 1740.  Bring packed lunch, buy drinks there. Stout shoes/boots and outdoor clothing essential. Sorry no dogs.  Herefordshire Ramblers and Rail for Herefordshire


Find out more

Event Access: This walk involves using the 476 bus; bus fare or concessionary pass required.
Booking: No booking required
What type of event: Bus walk (6 miles total) with a fascinating insight into how the community at Canon Frome has worked with Woolhope Woodheat to heat the court with a woodchip boiler
Contact Name: Les Lumsdon
Contact e mail: leslumsdon@hotmail.com
Contact number: 01584 877588

Monday 2 September 2013

BUS PASS BRITAIN RIDES AGAIN

When Hilary Bradt first published BUS PASS BRITAIN a couple of years back it was gratifying to see that a serious publisher could capture the merit in promoting buses for leisure travel. A second book, Bus Pass Britain Rides Again, has just been published. It holds to the same concept as the first-there are 50 descriptions of interesting bus rides throughout the UK from inner London to the Hebrides. But there's a magic touch to this book; the text is enlived, the stories told in so many engaging ways. The editors are Nicky Gardner and Susanne Kries of Hidden Europe (subscribe to it and it will guide yout to parts that others pass by); they have a passion for slow travel and a skill in writing that many in the travel writing business simply do not possess.

The book is out now and includes contributions from the Marches, Wales and West Midlands. Published by Bradt (www.bradtguides.com), price £14.99 and worth every penny.

Tuesday 2 April 2013

Wye Valley Wanderer

Some 18 years ago, the Wye valley AONB and Herefordshire Council supported a Sunday bus which was lovingly called the Wye Valley Wanderer. It served Fownhope, Ross, Monmouth and Chepstow; amazingly it became a most unusual Pershore to Lydney service and unfortunately was lost in one of the wave of cuts some years back.  It was, in many respects, a modern day Wye Tour by bus and several of the then regular passengers loved every bit of the ride through a diversity of landscapes.

Now, the Wanderer trip, at least from Hereford to Chepstow, can be re-created thanks to support provided by the AONB. It has plugged the bus gap between Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth (34) with a new five a day Sunday/Bank Holiday service that links in with the Hereford-Ross-Gloucester route (32) and also offers onward travel and back via the 69 bus from Monmouth to Tintern and Chepstow. A wide range of money saving day tickets are available on the route and Welsh and English concessionary passes are valid on cross border trips on the 34.

Find more details on the Wye Valley AONB site or visit Herefordshire Public Transport for a timetable pdf.

Sunday 17 February 2013

Folk Down the Track is back for 2013

Folk Down the Track is back for 2013. The first outing will be on Thursday 21st February. People can catch the 1805 train from Shrewsbury, Church Stretton, Craven Arms and also at halts on the Heart of Wales line to Knucklas. Ludlow people ( and south) catch the 1817 train to connect at Craven Arms. At Knucklas, the party makes a 3 minute walk to the Castle Inn, Knucklas where up to 12 musicians and singers play throughout the evening. Musicians and singers are welcome on board too. Back in Shrewsbury for 2200 or Ludlow at 2230 hours.  Groups of 3 or more can save 25% off their rail fare; the event at the Castle Inn is free.



Comments Graham Lambert:

“ We have organised over 30 Folk Down the Track nights out and it still remains as popular as when we first started. It is the mix of folk travelling together, the music and hospitality of the pub that makes it so special. The guards can hardly believe it when they see forty people waiting for the train at Knucklas halt for the return trip home!”