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Start: Clock tower, Kington (HR5 3BQ) Grid ref. SO 295 565
(S/E) From the clock tower, head up Church Street in a north-westerly direction and take the first right by the war memorial.
(1) Continue through the square to the far left-hand corner and then to the far right-hand corner in the next square, following the Offa’s Dyke footpath signs for the next 1 km. Continue down the road, across the junction, into Crooked Well to reach the river at the bottom.
(2) Cross the footbridge and the A44 with care. Continue up the lane and take the second footpath on the right through the metal pedestrian gate. Cross the small field and pass through the metal gate beside the farmhouse.
After passing through two more gates, continue up the field to reach a kissing gate and follow the path between two hedgerows through another gate to the open moorland of Bradnor Hill, with a cluster of cottages nearby.
The one ahead with the first-floor conservatory was the home of musician Mike Oldfield, from where he wrote the album *Hergest Ridge* in the 1970s.
(3) Follow the grassy slope ahead and, after a short distance, veer to the right through a gap in the bracken, still following the Offa’s Dyke signs. On reaching the golf course, cross over following the yellow posts, first looking to the left and then to the right to wait for golfers teeing off.
(4) When you reach the tarmac road, follow it up to the left, where we leave the Offa’s Dyke footpath. Continue upwards along this lane for about 750 metres, giving way to golfers when crossing two fairways, until the road becomes a stony track.
Carry on along the track towards a raised tee ahead. Follow the track round the back of the tee and soon take the right-hand of the two grassy paths.
(5) Continue straight ahead through the bracken, following the contours of the hill on a gentle incline; shortly you will see a wooden hut in the distance. Head towards it. Walk to the right of the hut and the 9th tee, where in summer there is a bench where you can sit and enjoy the magnificent views across the border into Wales and Radnor Forest. In the distance to the left, you can see the rounded slopes of Hay Bluff and Lord Hereford’s Knob. Continue on level ground with the fairway on your left and a steep descent to your right.
(6) Follow the path through the bracken and veer to the left, passing behind the 10th tee, then continue down the narrower grassy path on the right, with the view of Kington ahead. After a steady descent of about 800 metres, walk to the right of the raised green, where the track becomes stony and drops down to the left.
(7) Swing to the right as soon as possible to avoid getting too close to the fairway, then continue to keep to the right and follow the narrow grassy path that descends steeply through the bracken. Shortly before reaching the line of trees at the bottom, turn left – with a fence now on your right – and proceed to the corner where you’ll find a wooden gate.
(8) To return to Kington, go through the wooden gate at the corner and follow the sunken path between the walls.
(9) At the bottom, cross Newton Lane and follow the footpath down a few steps ahead.
(10) Cross the A44 with care and take the footbridge over Back Brook, then turn left to follow the old tramway. After two kissing gates, continue along the track to reach the road at Crooked Well.
(2) Turn right and retrace your steps back to the start. (S/E)
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