Walking in Herefordshire
Herefordshire is a county of rolling farmland, orchards and black-and-white villages on the Welsh border. In the west are Hergest Ridge above Kington and the eastern edge of the Black Mountains, and in the south the River Wye winds past Ross-on-Wye towards the Wye Valley gorge.
Every walk on this page is plotted on the map above. Zoom, drag or click a pin to explore, or search a town to list its walks.
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Kington, Hergest Ridge & the Black Mountains
Ross-on-Wye, Ledbury & the Wye Valley
Top walks by area
A starting point for each part of Herefordshire: well-documented routes that finish back where they start, between 1 and 12 miles.
Kington, Hergest Ridge & the Black Mountains
- Kington via Hergest RidgeKington · 7.7 mi
Popular in Herefordshire
Know before you go
Practical points for walking in Herefordshire. Rules and timetables change, so check the linked sources before you set off.
Offa's Dyke Path
The 177-mile National Trail runs from Sedbury, near Chepstow, to Prestatyn and opened in 1971. It passes through Kington and follows the eastern edge of the Black Mountains, where the Hatterrall Ridge is its highest point at 703 metres.
Hergest Ridge
This long hill straddles the border between Kington and Gladestry in Powys. Its highest point, 426 metres, is in England, and the Offa’s Dyke Path runs along the ridge. Wild ponies graze the top, and a clump of monkey-puzzle trees is a well-known landmark.
Black Mountains
Longtown sits on the eastern edge of the Black Mountains. Hay Bluff rises to 677 metres; it is mostly in Powys, with its eastern flanks in Herefordshire. The tops are exposed, so check the forecast and take a map.
Wye Valley National Landscape
Designated in 1971, it covers 326 square kilometres along 45 miles of the River Wye, from just south of Hereford to Chepstow, across Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Monmouthshire.
Herefordshire Trail
A 154-mile circular route linking the market towns of Leominster, Bromyard, Ledbury, Ross-on-Wye and Kington, along with small villages such as Kilpeck and Leintwardine.
Walking in Herefordshire: questions
How many walks are there in Herefordshire?
We list 14 walking routes in Herefordshire, starting from 5 towns and villages. The typical route is about 12 miles; 1 is under 4 miles and 7 are 10 miles or more. Every route is free to view.
Which towns have the most walks?
Kington (10) leads the list; every other town has one walk. Use the town search or the town list on this page to see every walk from a particular place.
Can I take my dog on Herefordshire walks?
Yes, on most routes. Keep dogs on a lead near sheep, cattle and the ponies on Hergest Ridge and the Black Mountains, and on a lead no longer than 2 metres on open access land from 1 March to 31 July. See Know before you go for more.
Does the Offa's Dyke Path go through Herefordshire?
Yes. The National Trail passes through Kington and over Hergest Ridge, and follows the eastern edge of the Black Mountains. Our Kington to Knighton via Offa’s Dyke walk follows it north from Kington.
How long is the Herefordshire Trail?
It is a 154-mile circular route that links Leominster, Bromyard, Ledbury, Ross-on-Wye and Kington.
Which long-distance trails pass through Herefordshire?
The Offa's Dyke Path and Herefordshire Trail both pass through Herefordshire, and each has its own guide on Walking Rambler.