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Arthur’s Stone & The Golden Valley

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Golden valley
Map Marker Illustration
Dorstone
Wellies Illustration
5.5 miles
Intro

Discover the magical Golden Valley and look across to the Black Mountains as you make for the prehistoric Arthur’s Stone

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Arthur’s Stone is an atmospheric Neolithic burial chamber made of great stone slabs set in the hills above the Golden Valley. The tomb has been linked to King Arthur since before the 13th century with CS Lewis being particularly inspired by the area when writing his Chronicles of Narnia; the stone table upon which Aslan the Lion is sacrificed is said to be based upon Arthur’s Stone. Merbach Hill offers wonderful views of the River Wye and the Wye Valley.

Hiking Trail recommended route Hiking Trail  · Herefordshire

Arthur’s Stone & The Golden Valley

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  • Discover this peaceful route through the Golden Valley to Arthur’s Stone, where ancient history and breath-taking Herefordshire views come together.
    Discover this peaceful route through the Golden Valley to Arthur’s Stone, where ancient history and breath-taking Herefordshire views come together.
    Photo: Warren Orchard, Visit Herefordshire

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    Discover the magical Golden Valley and look across to the Black Mountains as you make for the prehistoric Arthur’s Stone. 
    moderate
    Distance 6.3 mi
    2:50 h
    958 ft
    958 ft
    1,037 ft
    486 ft
    Arthur’s Stone is an atmospheric Neolithic burial chamber made of great stone slabs set in the hills above the Golden Valley. The tomb has been linked to King Arthur since before the 13th century with CS Lewis being particularly inspired by the area when writing his Chronicles of Narnia; the stone table upon which Aslan the Lion is sacrificed is said to be based upon Arthur’s Stone. Merbach Hill offers wonderful views of the River Wye and the Wye Valley.

    Author’s recommendation

    The leaflet for the route is available here.
    Logo Visit Herefordshire
    Responsible for this content
    Visit Herefordshire  Verified partner 
    Difficulty
    moderate
    Overall difficulty
    moderate

    Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.

    Experience
    Landscape
    Highest point
    1037 ft
    Lowest point
    486 ft
    Best time of year
    Jan
    Feb
    Mar
    Apr
    May
    Jun
    Jul
    Aug
    Sep
    Oct
    Nov
    Dec

    Track types

    Asphalt 25.09%Forested/wild trail 15.60%Path 48.95%Road 10.35%Unknown 0%
    Asphalt
    1.6 mi
    Forested/wild trail
    1 mi
    Path
    3.1 mi
    Road
    0.7 mi
    Unknown
    0 ft
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    Tips and suggestions

    Afterwards, relax over a lazy lunch at The Pandy Inn, The Red Lion Madley or The Bulls Head at Craswall.

    Roadbook

    Starting at the oldest pub in Herefordshire, The Pandy Inn, or the small car park opposite, follow the north-east road out of the village, then up the fields to Arthur's Stone. Keep looking over your shoulder for views of the Black Mountains behind you. This is the only significant uphill on the route so you can relax after reaching Arthur's Stone. Take in the views and read the information boards about these sacred stones which pre-date Stonehenge by a millennium!

    Turn left onto the road but then almost right very shortly afterward, over fields and down a hill onto another country lane. Follow the lane up to a left-hand bend where you'll walk straight on to follow a bridleway. The bridleway (boggy in places) takes you all the way to the ridge of Merbach Hill where you can take in the best views.

    Walk south then follow the hedge line to the road. Shortly after joining the road take the footpath sign to the right. Follow this footpath all the way back to Dorstone. After dropping down the hill there's a farm. The footpath takes you through the farmyard, but there's also a (subtly) signposted diversion if you prefer. Just before reaching Dorstone you'll cross over the old Golden Valley Railway which ran from Hay-on-Wye to Pontrilas between the early 1880's until the mid-1900's.

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    The Pandy Inn
    Discover Herefordshire's Secrets (Illustrated Talks by Penny Platts)
    Arthur's Stone
    St Faith's Church Dorstone
    Granary Cottage Dorstone

    Public transport

    Public-transport-friendly

    Dorstone is served by local bus routes such as the X44 and 39A, stopping at Crossway Corner in the village. From there, it’s a short walk to the start of the route. The nearest mainline train station is in Hereford, around 14 miles away, where you can connect to local bus services for the remainder of the journey.

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    Arthur’s Stone & The Golden Valley

    Parking

    There is a small car park in the nearby village of Dorstone, just off the B4348, which is ideal for visitors starting this route. Alternatively, a limited lay-by can be found close to Arthur’s Stone itself, though space is tight and the narrow access lane is not suitable for larger vehicles.

    Coordinates

    OS Grid
    SO 31361 41647
    DD
    52.068928, -3.002761
    DMS
    52°04'08.1"N 3°00'09.9"W
    UTM
    30U 499810 5768704
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    Get there by train, car, bike, or on foot!

    Similar routes nearby

    • Twin Valley Ley Line Trail
    • The Black Hill, Cat's Back
    • Black & White Villages Walk: Weobley to Burton Hill
    • Weobley Trail
    • Weobley to Pembridge
     These suggestions were generated by our system
    Difficulty
    moderate
    Overall difficulty
    moderate

    Derived from the technical difficulty and the stamina requirements.

    Distance
    6.3 mi
    Duration
    2:50 h
    Ascent
    958 ft
    Descent
    958 ft
    Highest point
    1037 ft
    Lowest point
    486 ft
    Public-transport-friendly Round trip Scenic Refreshment stops available Geological highlights Flora Fauna Dog-friendly Suitable for strollers

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    Plan your trip

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    stay

    Places to stay

    Our tiny green county is a stunning spot for a UK staycation. You can, quite literally, escape to the country.

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    woodee

    Things to do

    When it comes to things to see and do, Herefordshire is small but mighty! Get away from it all in our wild landscapes.

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    hay on wye

    Hay on Wye

    For a tiny place, Hay-on-Wye has a really big reputation. Dubbed the ‘Town of Books’ for its profusion of bookshops, Hay is also home to two international festivals: great writers, thinkers, artists and musicians share their big ideas at Hay Festival and How The Light Gets In.