Goodrich Castle and Wye Valley

Met up at Goodrich Castle, welcoming new member Jane to the party and set off up a steep road toward the Youth Hostel. Walked down through beech woods and joined the river bank. After a wet start the sun came out and the silence was only broken by us chattering and the sounds of the occasional canoeists paddling down the river.
Opposite Yat rock we took a footpath that climbed through old woods next to a very mossy broken dry stone wall spotting orchids and pearl tipped fritillaries ( the sign said so!) along the way. We came out onto the top of the ridge above Goodrich surrounded by bluebells and the occasional solitary white one. Following a windy footpath we descended back down to the castle tearooms for a much needed tea and coffee break.

Forest of Dean - Speech House

Began with a visit to Speech House Hotel to see the Verderer's Court, one of the oldest in the country. Then we set off properly hoping to see some bluebells but as it turned out we were about a week early to see them at their best.


After a lovely walk through woods and past man-made lakes in the forest we came to a clearing with a refreshment van and couldn't resist stopping for wild boar baps and cups of tea.
Taking a diversion on the way home we decided to climb May Hill and get some great views over the Severn and over to Sugar Loaf mountain.