Now that I reside in California, it’s been a real treat to see places in England not previously visited. I found it’s possible to live in a country for many years and still find and learn about new places close to where I once lived. Symonds Yat is one such place.
Located just under an hour and a half south of Birmingham, bordered with Wales and acting as a gateway to the Forest of Dean, Symonds Yat is certainly an area worth visiting. Sleepy rural villages are accessed by meandering country roads and great swathes of forest climb hilltops and stretch along the River Severn as far as the eye can see. No wonder the Forest of Dean has become an attractive place for visitors to hike, bike, horseback ride, camp, rock climb and canoe.
Symonds Yat Rock
From the A40 south be sure to take the first Symonds Yat exit marked East if you plan to visit Symonds Yat Rock, otherwise you will find yourself, as I did, on the wrong side of the River Wye. Only when we passed the sign marked “unsuitable for motor vehicles” did it become clear we’d gone the wrong way. Unfortunately by then it was too late. Let’s just say trying to turn your Dad’s car around on a steep single track road with gravel refusing your wheels traction whilst you slip towards a large embankment behind you is no picnic. Hence the reason for warning you to get your A40 exit correct, unless of course you thrive on such maneuvers and you wish to give the staring jaw gapers who own the house at the end of the gravel driveway someone else to gawk at!
Finally having corrected our A40 blunder we arrived at the Symonds Yat Rock parking lot which is spacious and hidden amongst the trees. Buying a parking ticket here is inexpensive and if you remember to keep your ticket it can also be used at numerous other parking areas around the Forest of Dean. Free maps are available here. These maps are not trail maps of the area, but do list many areas of interest in the forest that are short countryside drives from each other.
The at least three viewing areas at Symonds Yat Rock are worth the short walk from the car. You might even get lucky enough to see a Peregrine Falcon through a RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) telescope as we did with their kind permission. The view from any one of these spots is truly magnificent as you look down towards the snaking river below making its way across the countryside.
This area is also home to many picnic tables which provided a perfect location for us to eat lunch and discard of our trash in the bins.
Speech House Woodland
From here it was only a short drive through the nearby village of Coleford, along another typical country lane lined with sheep grazing on the grass verge before we arrived at our second destination, Speech House Woodland. Making use of the parking ticket from earlier in the day we parked and strolled around the visitor centre before locating the start of the Sculpture Trail.
The trail is clearly visible with blue markers to guide the way. The terrain is not challenging, but it’s best to wear sturdy footwear as most of the trail is through wooded areas. As always take plenty of water and you’ll have a great time. Even though the going is easy allow plenty of time for the 4.5 mile hike and if in doubt, believe me the trail does loop back to the start. Don’t think it doesn’t and then try to find a shortcut as these woods are large and you might get lost.
One point to mention here and it’s my personal opinion, but I hoped for a little more from the sculptures, especially given the fact the trail is called Sculpture Trail. The sculptures seemed pretty pathetic and a waste of time if you’re just there for the art. If on the other hand you love a decent walk in the woods and have a sense of humor then the sculptures add an opportunity to stop for a few minutes rest and to smirk at the strangeness of it all. Sadly I didn’t think to take photos of the worst of them so these are the best of the crop. There are supposed to be twelve sculptures throughout the walk although I didn’t count that many, but then again, I didn’t really care if I missed some.
Saracen’s Head – Symonds Yat East
After the hike the unanimous decision was to go for a drink at a local country pub. There’s something so very charming about an English country pub and especially one next to a river. The Saracen’s Head in Symonds Yat East, located only a few minutes away from the Speech House Woodland offered what we were looking for. You will need to buy another parking ticket as the previous one used is not valid there, but it doesn’t cost much and with the pub right next to the river and the option to sit outside, you can hardly complain. You can catch a forty minute boat tour of the area from here and you can also try your hand at canoeing on this quiet stretch of water. The barmen told us if we walked along the trail next to the river, crossed the bridge and then walked back up the river opposite the pub and then shout; they would send a guy to pick us up by hand ferry.
Symonds Yat and the area of the Forest of Dean are vast; you really need a few days to fully appreciate them. Only being there one afternoon was long enough for their charm and appeal to work up my appetite for more. Hopefully one day when I’m back in England I’ll make sure to pay the area another visit.
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