Symonds Yat

It was a wildlife day today - we fed a little robin, had a wild deer jump up onto the road as we zoomed by (I had seen yellow AA signs warning us of wild deer), had a warning about wild boars running lose in the forest and learnt a bit more about peregrines (birds of prey belonging to the falcon family that can fly up to 160 km an hour to catch smaller birds in mid flight). After a leisurely breakfast (I couldn't believe I was first up this morning), we drove to Symonds Yat about 90 minutes north west of Bristol in Herefordshire. It is a funny old name and it seems that no one knows where the name came from - but legend says possibly in the 1200's and derived from Sigemund Yat which means a guarded accessway - people have been living near here since the iron age - terraced and fortified - not surprising since it stands about 500 feet above sea level and has a commanding view of the Wye Valley and the Forest of Dean. We were told 'go on a good day' so with high cloud and the sun trying to peek through we thought 'this is one of the best we have had for a while' and took off. We arrived at a signpost that gave us choices of Symonds Yat, Symonds Yat Rock, Symonds Yat East, West and North (all a bit confusing when told by our workmates to go to Symonds Yat - but which one??). We chose the first car park and wandered through the forest for a couple of hours - up and down dry leafy paths - well at the beginning anyway - once one of us had remarked how dry the paths were and it looked as though it hadn't rained for a while we came across our first mud and then the rain came down (we had decided to be prepared for cold - even though it isn't yet winter - warm and wet weather clothes seems to be the requirement). We sat drinking tea and eating bananas under a tree - in a few years time the tree will offer a bit more protection - but that is where the seat was.

We drove to Symonds Yat North (I think) and wandered along the River Wye watching canoeists beat the rapids (Grade 1 size I would suggest), admiring the lovely autumn leaves (it really is a spectacular season over here) and the roses which were blooming and saw a sign - half a mile to Symonds Yat Rock - we thought we had already been there on our forest walk but obviously hadn't. We climbed steep steps - half a mile at 60 degree gradient takes a while - but found a spectacular view of the Wye Valley and the meandering river at the top and learnt that Peregrine falcons nest in the cliffs. After coffee we wandered down the path and at one point asked each other if we really did climb up this hill - only to find no we hadn't we had taken the wrong turning and it was a much longer walk back to the car for lunch (at 4.30 for lunch who needs dinner?).

On the other side of the river is Symonds West - we could have caught the little boat over (ancient and hand pulled by man and cable) but decided to drive round as it was getting a bit dark - and drove down through the town (at one point there was a sign that said the road narrowed - it couldn't get any narrower we thought - but we were wrong) and came across the 14th century church St Dubricius. Besides the fabulous colours of the large trees it is the burial ground of Elizabeth Posthuma Gwillim and her family. Personally, I had never heard of her but she was married to John Graves Simcoe who founded Toronto in 1793. Apparently on her marriage (his second) she gave him the financial support for him to enter the Canadian parliament. But I am pleased to say that she was important in her own right. Besides having heaps of children she was a writer and an artist - lots of sketches particularly of Canadian scenes. In her diary she wrote of her trip out to Canada "I quite enjoy the thoughts of a long journey we have before us and the perpetual change of scene it will afford (1752)". I think she was quite an adventurer and seemed to enjoy many of the travel excitements like sailing the Atlantic, living in the colonies and Canadian outback and trying new foods like boiled black squirrel and chipmunk and coffee made from peas. And the other special gravestone in that little cemetery is the grave for a little 2 day old boy called Lachlan and on his Gravestone is

Love

Always

Comforts

Listens

And

Nurtures ... so true.

We didn't get to see Goodrich Castle or King Arthur's Cave so much go back to the area on another 'good day'.