Cefn Hill & Vagar Hill - Golden Valley

Herefordshire Walk

Maps

Ordnance Survey Explorer OL13	Sheet Map	1:25k	BUY
Anquet OS Explorer OL13	Digital Map	1:25k	BUY

Walk Route Description

Click image to see photo description.

This short but rewarding walk explores two ridges of hills lying between the Wye Valley and the Black Mountains in the Brecon Beacons National Park. The route offers some excellent views across beautiful Herefordshire countryside which forms part of the Golden Valley. A longer version of this walk can be found at Walk 1950.

The start is New House (grid ref. SO267401) where space is available at the entrance to New House Wood for a couple of cars. After parking follow the track into New House Wood. Stay on the main track to a junction. Ignore the track on the right. Continue for 25 metres to a footbridge and follow a path through conifers to exit onto Cefn Hill Common. A grassy rising path leads to the summit which offers an excellent view to Hay Bluff.

Continue across the common and descend on the grassy path for two kilometres to reach a junction of bridleways (grid ref. SO282376). Bear left, cross a stile and follow the path downhill to reach a lane by Llanrosser Chapel (grid ref. SO289377). Turn left and then right at the first junction. Continue to the entrance to Pike's Farm (grid ref. SO292381).

Turn right onto a track and almost immediately cross the stile on your left. Walk half-left across the field to the far right-hand corner and exit onto a lane. Cross the road to a fingerpost and adjacent information board. Cross the adjacent stile onto Vagar Hill Common. Follow the grassy path for 120 metres and fork left and head uphill to the highest point. As you make progress uphill veer towards the right-hand edge of the common. Continue along a walled path to the right of the abandoned Gils Farm and continue along a rough grassy track to a gate (grid ref. SO267396) marking the northern end of the common.

Continue ahead and descend from Vagar Hill. After a kilometre you reach a lane. Turn right and follow the lane back to the start.

Walk GradingMore Herefordshire Walks

Other walks nearby

Walk 1238	Hay Bluff & Twmpa Circular	moderate	6.0 miles
Walk 1660	Craswall Priory & Hay Bluff	easy/mod	6.0 miles
Walk 1950	Golden Valley - Hardwicke to Dorstone	moderate	11.4 miles
Walk 2179	Merbach Hill	easy/mod	6.5 miles
Walk 3204	Hay Bluff & Twmpa	moderate	10.3 miles
Walk 2935	Llanthony Priory from Capel-y-ffin	easy/mod	7.7 miles
Walk 3622	Llanthony Priory from Longtown	mod/hard	7.0 miles
Walk 1237	Cwmyoy & Hatterrall Hill from Llanthony Priory	moderate	10.0 miles
Walk 3203	Vale of Ewyas from Llanthony Abbey	moderate	10.7 miles
Walk 3342	The Hatterall Ridge from Llanthony Priory	very hard	10.0 miles

Recommended Books & eBooks

No suggestions for this area.