The day started fairly bright and cold when we gathered at Symonds Yat with seven walkers were ready for the day. However the start was delayed by technical issues in paying for the car park, note the phone signal in the Forest of Dean if often a bit dodgy.

The planned walk, following the loops of the River Wye, had to be changed. Due to the wet weather the river was three times higher than when the route was been checked at the end of November and water inundation, mud and slippery tree roots indicated an alternative was needed.

So instead of heading west towards Goodrich we followed the river for two miles and then turned east and headed up towards Lydbrook. The route proved to be a bit of a zig zag with some challenges in route finding and a couple of steep slopes. There were also a couple of places where the path disappeared, firstly through a wood and later crossing a field of waist high brambles. However we were able to complete the walk with a much easier section on the WYSIS Way and then back through the Forest..

Below Symonds Yat Lookout

WYSIS Way

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Banks of the River Wye

Route finding challenges at Symonds Yat