B's friend had recommended a walk from Hereford Cathedral and along the River Wye giving us directions of the walks and car parks. The journey should only have taken 35 minutes via the A49 but by Queenswood Arboretum it was closed off and no diversion signs! Had to cut across country using an ancient map as sat nav was left in the caravan!!! It took ages although we did pass through a village called Marden which has a legend about a mermaid attached to the church. Hopefully, one day I will make a trip there as B refused to stop due to lack of time.
Finally made it to Hereford which I haven't visited since D and I went to see the Mappa Mundi and, although we couldn't find the recommended car parks, we did manage to get a bay at the side of the road in the City Centre where parking was limited to two hours but that was long enough. Hereford has many childhood memories for me as my paternal grandfather was born and lived there as a child and we often used to visit his family.
Sorry photos aren't brilliant B was not happy at me constantly stopping! So I had to snap and shoot!
The town hall in Owen Street built 1902 - 4 by Harry Cheers of Twickenham.
There were lots of little independent shops.
St Peter's Church - partly 12th century although restored in the 19th century.
County War Memorial by C W Barnard 1922. Nine metres high and similar in style to the Eleanor Crosses.
Home of James Laurence. Lord Mayor of Hereford 1627.
Hereford Cathedral - the Cathedral Church of St Mary and St Ethelbert. Mainly early 12th century but with later additions. Built mainly of Caper stone from nearby Fawnhope and Old Red Sandstone. The cathedral is open for private prayer but not to tourists until around 17th May I think.
The Bishop's Palace which contains a 12th century hall - one of the oldest in Britain. It was faced with brick in the 18th century.
Finally, we reached the River Wye with its views of the Cathedral.
We walked for about three quarters of an hour along the river.
Then back into the City Centre.
Back at the cathedral a stone masons' workshop.
Statue of Elgar - I couldn't get a photo without people. Talking of people it was a bit of a shock to be amongst so many again having hardly been out since last March - at least not to busy places.
The home of Henry Graves Bull MD (1818-1885) a naturalist.
Harley Close and the home of Alfred Watkins (1855-1935). Pioneer photographer, Archaeologist and Inventor, Ley line theorist. He lived here between 1925 and 1935. I was really pleased to find this house having re-read "The Old Straight Track" fairly recently.
We left the caravan around lunchtime on Friday and drove up onto Bromyard Downs to see if it was worth visiting to walk in the future. It was!
I hope everyone is staying safe and well.
In other news back at home I have seen Holly Blue, Orange Tip and Speckled Wood in the garden. All new for the year and the blue tit nest now has at least three eggs.
All photos taken by me with the Panasonic Lumix FZ|330 bridge camera.
