LEOMINSTER
OS Map: Explorer 202; 203
This fine medieval wool town has an idylic setting on the lovely river Lugg where it is joined by the little Pinsley Brook. There are hopfields, cider apple orchards and several enchanting gardens in the surrounding countryside. In the town the Benedictine Priory Church has a grand west front with a 45 foot high perpendicular window. Broad Street has fine Georgian houses and School Lane some quaint examples of timber framed buildings. An interesting curiosity within the town is the medieval ducking stool at the Priory Church. Leominster is also renowned for it's many antique shops.
The river Lugg makes aquaintance with Leominster flowing in from the northwest, having meandered easterly from the Welsh border at Presteigne. For most of this length the river setting is delightful, but the section between Kinsham and Aymestry where the river flows through a narrow wooded valley is particularly attractive. The Mortimer Trail follows the Lugg for part of this section.
| Bircher Common and Croft Castle Estate: [SO466662] - National Trust property |
| About 7km north of Leominster Bircher Common and the surrounding wooded hills make for very pleasant walking. Be sure to include the iron age hill fort at Croft Amprey (NT) on your route. Apart from it's ancient historical interest the views from here are really something special. The National Trust emphasises the rare wildlife you may be lucky enough to see on the estate, including the hawfinch and even polecats, which have ventured here from across the Welsh border. Croft Castle (NT) can also be visited on a walk in this area and really is worth seeing. It's exterior towers and battlements, necessary protection during often violent past times, is in strange contradiction with it's elegant refined interior. The park contains a superb avenue of 350 year old Spanish chestnut trees. |
| Wigmore: [SO413692] |
| The small village of Wigmore provides a good starting point for a ramble exploring the wooded hills to the west including the remains of Wigmore Castle [SO407693] which was once the seat of the Mortimer's. This Marcher Earl dynasty ruled hereabouts with an iron hand for many centuries and have, more recently, lent their name to the Mortimer Trail. |
| Lingen: [SO366672] |
| The quiet backwater village of Lingen is set on an attractive little brook, a tributary of the Lugg, which it joins about 3km downstream. You can walk north or south from the village, but the route south through woods along the stream is perhaps the nicest. |
| Links to useful web sites: |
| Croft Castle - National Trust Severn Region web site |