Thomas Wood Walk.

This short circular walk takes about 1, 1/2 hours, and can be taken either way round. It takes in a minor road, a short stretch of the B4229, woodland and level bank along by the river Wye. It can be very muddy if there have been a lot of recent rain. It was very cold today ( November) when the sun rarely visits the north facing slope. Best on a spring or summer morning.

Drive to Kern Bridge.

Cross over the bridge and turn right and immediately into the lay-by on the left. Use this to turn round and go back over the bridge pulling off the road on the left side just after the bridge wall ends.
Walk back along the road 250 yards towards the ‘Dry Arch’ road bridge that crosses over A4229, just up the hill. Don’t go under the bridge. Take the footpath and steps on the left hand side onto a minor road. Turn left up the hill. Keep left at ‘The Triangle’. Some stunning views from here.

Continue up the hill until you arrive at the parking place for the Coppet Hill walks.

Oposite here here is a footpath that leaves the road on the right hand side and goes into Thomas Wood.

This is probably private land and I am not sure of the access roghts here but it has no ‘private signs’.
Follow the path through the woods for about a quater of a mile. Can you find the old lime kilns an the right hand side? People used to live, work and possibly farm down here. Nearly all the landscape is unnatural, the result of quarrying and associated industry.

Past there the track turns left and goes straight on. Turn left and right a bit further on down into the wooded valley. Signs of deer here and perhaps wild boar as well.

There are several old and ruinous houses and the railway tunnel entrance to be seen along here.

Probably a substantial home in 1900. Water was from the roof collected in a tank . Lighting by oil lamp or candle. Toilet and washing room outside. Otherwise dark, damp and remote.

Well built with stone lintels and cills, and a stable or two, this old house must have been a bit grand in its day but North facing, remote, with no electricity and the only water piped from a spring, when it was running, and off the roof into a tank, outside netty and washing room, I can’t imaging living here in the winter.

It gently descends until it reaches the river bank and the Wye Valley Walk. Turn left on the path and follow it along the riverside until you come back to Kern Bridge where you parked.

You can walk over the bridge and looking downstream and see what I think is the most beautiful view of the river Wye. Continue over the bridge for a pint and lunch at the Inn On The Wye before returning home.