Golden Valley

Bordering Wales and lying at the foot of the Black Mountains, the Golden Valley unfolds in beautiful gentle unspoilt rural landscape. Deriving its name from the River Dore (d'Or) which runs through it the Golden Valley was made famous by the author CS Lewis and the film Shadowlands. The area is littered with ruins from its legacy as a border area between England and Wales such as the Marcher Castles.

The area is criss-crossed with footpaths and bridleways and is best explored and appreciated on foot. If you stay in a B & B your hosts should be able to tell you about local walks and places of interest.

There are some lovely hamlets and villages in the Golden Valley. Kilpeck has an amazing church dating from the 12th century with original carvings and the famous Sheela-na-gig (Celtic fertility figure) on the south doorway. Peterchurch has a lovely Norman church and is near to the ruins of the medieval castle of Snodhill. A little further down the River Dore is Dore Abbey, a medieval Cistercian monastery with fine examples of early English architecture; it also has open air concerts in summer.