[1] Walk up the road away from the village. Eventually, 150 metres after passing a turning to Coldharbour on the left, the village Hall, (Mackenzie Hall) comes into view on the right. Take the driveway leading off to the right of the hall’s car park soon descending to join a stream on the right. Continue on this clear route without deviation until the drive swings to the left towards houses. Here, go ahead on a tree-lined footpath gradually gaining height.
[2] After 600 metres, the path joins a quiet lane. Continue to climb in the same direction on the right side of the road until another road, Hewelsfield Common, comes in from the left. A few hundred metres further on, the road levels out and you reach crossroads.
Cross here with extreme care, and walk along Church Road towards Hewelsfield. Ahead, the church of St Mary Magdalene comes into view.
(A) Hewelsfield church has Saxon origins, though has been extended and modified from time to time until the 16th century. It stands within a roughly circular churchyard where a 1300 year old Yew tree affords the visitor shade from sun and shelter from rain.
On reaching the gateway to the church, go left along the road keeping the church on your right. After a few metres, the road bears round to the right and here take the left fork. Soon the lane bears round to the right.
[3] Here, take a footpath on the left passing in front of a barn conversion. Continue ahead, crossing a grassed area between fields and into a sunken lane, which can be muddy in winter. Climb a stile into a field and continue ahead keeping to the field’s left edge.
[4] At the far side, follow waymarks directing you to a stile next to a metal gate. Beyond, you are now following a tree-lined path, often overgrown in summer, with field boundaries to left and right; climb a stile and go ahead to cross a farm drive with the farm on your right. Continue in the same direction, soon climbing a pair of stiles, the second one taking you into a field.
Now follows easy walking along the right-hand edge of five fields, with fine views right towards the lower reaches of the Forest of Dean. At the far end of the second field, two ponds are seen on your right, tastefully protected with barbed wire. Climb the following stile and cross a stream by way of stone slabs, then carry on in the same direction. In the fifth field, the houses of St Briavels come into view.
[5] Look for a stile in the hedge on the right, immediately beyond the second house; climb down to the lane and follow it left. Cross the Coleford to Chepstow road (again) with care and continue ahead to Pystol Lane. Turn right here. Where the lane goes left, instead walk ahead along a walled path until the castle comes into view. You will also see the George inn on the right.
(B) The village is dominated by the restored castle, dating from the 13th century. In Norman times, this was the administrative centre of the Forest of Dean but now it houses a fine Youth Hostel. The castle moat, restored and maintained by the local ‘Moat Society’ makes a good place for a picnic on a fine day; in inclement weather when you have plenty of time on your hands retreat to the adjacent hostelry and warm yourself by the log fire, having left your boots and rucksack by the door! Beyond the castle, the 11th century church commands superb views over the Wye Valley.
Turn right onto the High Street and then immediately turn left left to walk around the castle.
[6] Leave St Briavels at the far side of the castle down Cinder Hill, signposted to Lower Meend.
There are fine views on your right looking out towards the Welsh bank of the River Wye.
Pass a minor road to the left, then at a junction of roads, follow the road to the right downhill (ignoring road doubling back uphill and lane running up to the left).
Look now on the left for a narrow footpath signposted ‘Restricted By-Way’ and take this, rapidly losing height. When small brick building is reached on the left, follow the path as it jinks right then left down a few steps with a house on your right. Turn right into a lane by Cherry Tree Cottage and continue down the hill ignoring a turning to the right.
[7] Just before the gates of a sewage plant, fork left to climb stile go over a stream and into a field. Walk downhill following the boundary on your right. At the bottom of the field, pick up the farm track and passing Lindors Farm on your left. You now have nearly a kilometre of easy walking where you can appreciate views on three sides.
As Bigsweir Bridge comes into view, cross a small stream (Mork Brook).
[8] Turn left here to follow a wide track under an avenue of oak trees. The track re-crosses the stream, then a few metres further you turn half-left into a field, waymarked ‘Offa’s Dyke Path’. Pass under power line with the electricity pole just to your left.
(C) Offa, a King of ancient Mercia in the 8th century, colonised the land along the Rivers Severn and Wye. The dyke, a massive 100 mile earthwork stretching from the mouth of the Wye, northward to Prestatyn, was constructed in about 784 and marked the frontier between Saxon and Celt communities.
Just before you go through a metal gate, look for the rough ground to your right; you are actually crossing part of the original Dyke – be imaginative!
[9] Once through the gate bear half-right, aiming for the highest corner of the field; at most times of the year, a worn path shows the route of backpacking ‘Offa’s Dykers’. On reaching the top of the field, veer to the right going through a gate in a wall to enter a second field.
Notice the avenue of fine old chestnut trees under which you have just passed; you have now had your second close encounter with the Dyke.
Now start the walk straight ahead up the slope, making for a gate and woodland ahead. On reaching the gate, turn and admire the view northward (an excuse to get your breath back before the real climb ahead). Follow the Offa’s Dyke waymarking with the acorn symbol as it directs you first to the left as the path forks, then, when moss-covered rocks come into view, climb ahead looking out for faded yellow markers and white acorn signs.
The path may appear indistinct, particularly after the Autumn leaves have fallen, but you will instinctively follow the correct route, a feeling of triumph as each route marker is spotted on trees and rocks. Bear slightly left to climb wooden steps with a hand-rail, to reach a T-junction of paths. Follow the Offa’s Dyke symbol to the right, then up to the left to climb a narrow, walled path to the road. Turn right at the road.
[10] At a fork, turn left up the hill. Take the next turning on the right, a narrow lane with a ‘No Through Road’ sign. Follow the lane bearing left with a house on the right. vAt a fork take the right-hand track (the Offa’s Dyke Path continues up ahead) and continue to reach the gates of a house, ‘Megs Folly’. Keep with the track to the right of the house as it starts to descend (ignoring a right-hand path immediately passed).
In a short distance, ignore a path running off left but a little further, watch for a path leaving the track and following the course of the moss-covered stone wall on the right. Take this path and walk now with walls on either side as far as a stone stile; don’t cross, but go left before it, descending through woodland to emerge onto the track again.
[11] Continue, crossing the zig-zag track with a cottage to your right and on, down a wooded descent. After about 500 metres, with the river visible through the trees, the path swings right and after a short, steep section you emerge from the trees to go through a kissing gate in a fence. Ahead is the River Wye, at this point at its tidal limit. Go left and walk with the river on your right for about 2 kilometres, passing a grand boathouse on the right then paddocks to your left. The white, girder bridge at Brockweir now comes into view and when you reach a surfaced driveway at ‘Brockweir House’, continue away from the bridge into the village, passing the Brockweir Country Inn and returning to the start.
Brockweir had a thriving boat building industry that reached its peak in the 19th century – thirteen ships weer launched in 1824 alone. Vessels up to 90 tonnes could reach this point, which near the limit of the Wye’s tidal range and here, their cargoes were transferred to flat-bottomed sailing barges called trows for carriage further up-river. In the early 19th century, Brockweir was regarded as one of the most lawless places in the country, with sixteen public houses catering for the stevedores who worked at th quayside. With the opening in 1876 of the Wye Valley Railway that ran along the opposite bank of the river, Brockweir’s industry went into terminal decline.