Capler Camp to Ross-on Wye

Highlights

• Capler Camp
• Foy Bridge
• riverside walks
• Ross-on-Wye

Ross on Wye is the goal for today and will prove its worth as a tourist destination in its own right. But the walk to get there is continuously pretty and a pleasant way to earn the rest and refreshments Ross has to offer.

The Route

If you stayed in Fownhope and did the loop-walk separately, take the road south out of the village and turn right at the church. Follow the road up the hill to Capler Camp Viewpoint.

Turn right off the road just after the Capler Camp Viewpoint and head down on a broad path through woodland. Go through a gateway and walk past West Cottage. Continue down the hill past more houses and cross a road at the edge of a hamlet at Brinkley Hill. 

Continue on the footpath and then out into open fields. Go through a gateway and turn left onto a green lane, walking between hedges. Where another path crosses, continue straight ahead; turn right onto a road and walk downhill beside woodland. Ignore the road and bridleway that crosses and continue ahead. Cross a stream and follow the road past Totnor Mill Cottage and up a hill. The Wyse Valley Walk turns right just past a cottage. Go through a metal gate along a bridle path. Walk directly across a field then over a wooden footbridge. Turn left to walk along a field edge beside trees.

After a while, the path moves to the right hand side of the line of trees but continues in the same direction. Go through an iron gate and continue ahead, past a copse (with a rookery in season) and Brook House. Turn left onto the road at How Caple.

Walk down the road, over a bridge then right onto a footpath that runs parallel to a stream (which runs down to the River Wye). Turn left to walk along the Wye bank and follow the ungated path round for about ½ mile. Cross a narrow footbridge at a bend in the river and turn left, mount a bank and turn right onto a road. Walk past a lay-by and on past Gate House, over a cattle grid at Hole-in-the Wall and on past the PGL Adventure Holiday centre at Court Yard.

Pass the Foy Bridge, a suspension footbridge over the Wye, at which point the road turns away from the river.

Begin walking uphill and, just after Orchard Cottage, turn right onto a footpath. Cross a stile and walk diagonally downhill (slightly right) to a stile in the opposite corner of a large field. Join a farm track and continue as far as a gate; don't go through, but follow the footpath left of the gate heading towards woodland. Cross a stile to walk through a corner of Monks Grove Woods, and cross another stile and turn left into a field.

Follow the left hand field edge as far as a pond, then veer left onto a track, go through a gateway and turn right to come out again close to the River Wye. Bear left shortly afterwards, following a yellow arrow.

The track winds to and fro and eventually leads to a stile, where the route goes up steps and veers left to follow a permissive path. Ignore another path that crosses at a gateway and go through the gate to continue ahead on the permissive route. As Ross-on-Wye comes into view on the hill ahead, turn right beside a wooden power pylon and follow the right hand field edge, with just a hedge between you and the river.

The Wye Valley Walk continues alongside the river, under a large modern road bridge. A short way further on, turn left away from the river and cross a small footbridge. Turn right and cross two more footbridges to come out into a riverside park. 

Follow the path round alongside the river until it suddenly turns left towards the town. The Wilton Bridge is just ahead.

Safety

This section has no major difficulties, although some hills are a bit steep and some sections may be muddy.

Notes

Caplor Camp Hill Fort (Capler Camp) Note that the different spellings are not our mistake. Both versions appear on the map and signs and reflect changes over the years. The 'camp' is the site of an Iron Age Hill Fort.

Foy Bridge is a stylish footbridge close to Hole-in-the-Wall.

Ross-on-Wye - The classic view of this popular tourist town is of the town on its hillside leading down to the river and dominated by its parish church. Ross makes the most of its riverside location and provides extensive and well-kept lawns alongside the Wye. Boat trips are run from beside the Hope & Anchor pub. Wilton Bridge is a picturesque traditional arched bridge, leading to the Wilton district (where many of the B&B establishments are located).