Day Two - Circular to Symond's Yat

Many of us thought that it would be a nice idea to walk from Parkend to Symond's Yat, a famous geological landmark on an isthmus of the River Wye. The area surrounding Symond's Yat is scenically attractive, which is why we were keen to visit it. We ended up doing a walk of over 17½ miles, led by Eric S. and suitably aided and abetted by colleagues. We also took in some of the attractive open rolling countryside that borders the Forest of Dean. The village of English Bicknor, with its interesting old church, provided that additional historical ingredient. Indeed, we had an interesting day with good exercise. We rounded off the day by a jolly evening at the "Woodman Inn" in Parkend.

This at Symond's Yat high above the River Wye which makes its dramatic cut, down below, through the surrounding hill. As you see, we are dutifully "standing to attention" for our "we woz here piccy". I couldn't get the lighting perfectly, but I'm sure you get the message that we were actually enjoying ourselves and ready for the "return leg" (sorry, couldn't resist the pun!) of our walk.

I hope you'll find this page an enjoyable and an interesting browse. So here's what you will see:

• Via the Bixlade Mines" to "The Yat"
• Symond's Yat"
• English Bicknor
• Homewards
• Walk Features
• Our Evening at "The Woodman Inn"


• Please Read Me! Thankyou!

We are off to the Yat via Bixlade

We set off through the forest, initially on yesterday's path through the old Bixlade mining area. This, as we saw yesterday, is full of the remains of old mine workings - for coal and sandstone. The mines used to be a hive of activity, but became less efficient; many have been gradually covered by the inevitable cloak of time and nature. The area has become a walker's paradise, as we already found out on our first walk on the day before (our first day).

We are setting off into the forest, while Adrian checks his GPS.




Through the forest we can peer into the distance and the sunny uplands of Cinderford.

Symond's Yat

After about two hours we eventually reached Symond's Yat where we stayed for almost an hour for our lunch stop. Over thousands of years the River Wye has been working on the isthmus between two parts of the river. We might expect a breakthrough many thousands of years into the future, "other things being equal". Until then, the rock formation will indeed remain an impressive landmark - a gateway to Wales.

Here's our first view of the Yat, ...




... a view that gets more dramatic, the closer we get to the look-out point.




The interplay of sun and clouds enhances the effect.




Here we are at the viewpoint ...




... and here we are again.




After lunch we go to another nearby viewpoint ...




... which is also worth visiting ...




... and makes a good place for a group picture.




Before we strike left onto the path to English Bicknor,
we see this pub-like sign which reminds us of the landmark we have just visited.




The house across the road has a garden ...




... which has some mining trucks and a short running line. There are also some other items of railwayana, clearly indicating one of the owner's spare time interests!

English Bicknor

English Bicknor is one of the "ancient villages of the Forest of Dean". Its counterpart, Welsh Bicknor, is on the other side of the River Wye, in what is now (English) Herefordshire. Saint Mary's church in down-town English Bicknor dates back Norman times, about 1100 AD. We stopped a while to give ourselves a good dose of English history.

Saint Mary's church has a traditional bell tower with obligatory crenellations - perhaps to guard against invaders coming over the Welsh border!




In the darkness of the church is George III's Royal Coat of Arms, brought to colourful life by some careful GIMP treatment. The lower right quarter of the crest in the coat of arms indicates that George III was elector of Braunschweig-Lüneburg in the then Holy Roman Empire, of which he was the "Treasurer"; this indicates how interwoven European history is. No Western European country is in reality an isolated entity cut off from its neighbours!




Church monuments can make interesting reading.




The style of writing and the typical age when people died are often interesting aspects.




This flat tomb, if I have it correctly, dates back to about 1420, and has a "rare example of Lombardic script". Admittedly, the letters look as if they had been recently engraved. Indeed, I thought most people in Lombardy at the time used the Roman alphabet - so is "Lombardic" really true? Answers on a postcard please.




Here are three of the church's long term residents
- trying to keep warm by the radiator.




We leave the church by the east entrance to the churchyard.

Homewards

Our homeward path took us through open countryside and dense forest, down dale and uphill. It was a mixture of narrow country lanes, footpaths and the track bed of the old railway line. We got back to Parkend at about 18:30, in good time for our evening booking (19:00 for 19:30) at the "Woodman Inn".

On leaving East Bicknor ...




... we descend into open countryside.




On the other side, we climb up to reach Eastbach Court which dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries, and - perhaps not surprisingly - is Grade II listed.




It is owned by two bankers.




Here's Yours Truly at Speech House Road Station. If the Dean Forest Railway is extended from Parkend through the forest to Cinderford, there may once again be an actual station here. Speech House - a famous Dean Forest landmark - is just up the road from here towards the east.
Thanks Ash for taking the "piccy".

Our Evening at the "Woodman Inn"

On our second evening we visited the "Woodman Inn" in Parkend. Thanks to Helen for making the booking and sorting out our respective choices. The fare was fine, but the service was rather, rather slow!

The "Woodman Inn" is on the north side of Parkend ...




... and of course, looks quite traditional.




We all enjoyed ourselves ...




... and we celebrated our day ...




... by raising our glasses.




Many of us stayed on into the evening!
And so ended a long and successful day!