Cusop to The Warren

From Elmsleigh's Doorstep

http://www.elmsleigh-hay.co.uk

Leave Elmsleigh and turn right, exit Thirty Acres and turn right down the hill to Cusop Dingle.

Turn right and walk all the way down Cusop Dingle to where it meets Hardwicke Road.

Cross the road, turn right and walk down the little path alongside the hedge. At the end of the hedge turn left slightly and walk down Lower Mead (not into the cul-de-sac) to the end where a gate takes you into a field. Don't turn towards the village hall.

Stone Crossing

Walk through the field slightly to the right; beware of nosy cows. Halfway down that side of the field is another gate to a shaded stream, this is part of the Wye Valley Walk.

Cross the stone slab that bridges the stream and climb up the other side. Pass through the gate, keep the stream to your left and walk to the other end of the field, exitting onto NantyglasDwr Lane.

Walk straight on to the end of the lane, cross the B road and turn left up the road towards Hay.

Stroll Along the River

After a short distance, you will cross over Dulas Brook with a lovely shrub hanging from an arch like a curtain, you are now in Wales!

A little further up, you get to Wyeford Road, which was the old Nyport Water Gate into the medieval town of Hay; look for the plaque on the corner house. Turn right down the road to the river.

Look out for swans, ducks and herons on the water.

There is a launch ramp here and quite a few boats in the car park. Turn left, walk through the car park and follow the footpath that branches left up the hill and passes under the "Bridge on the River Wye".

Look for canoes and chickens on the opposite bank.

After the bridge, the footpath splits into two, the higher one is the old railway lline, take the lower one closer to the river. If you want, take the tributary, well trodden path that goes down the hill right to the water's edge. This rejoins the lower path a little further along; there are a handful of sets of steps down to the river.

The Warren and Its Beach

Stroll down the river for quite a way until you get to the gate into The Warren. After the gate, take the right fork down the hill under the trees to continue walking along the river bank, until you get to a pebbly beach on a bend in the river.

There is more beach to enjoy when the water levels are lower.

Walk around the bend in the river, climb the bank back to the footpath, then double back just before reaching the woods, not quite 180 degrees. Follow this path, which is a little distance from the river, skirting the woods. It passes through the meadow, gradually turning right, heading up a hill, past a couple of benches; keep right and eventually reach another gate.

Back to Hay

After this gate, you could continue to walk alongside the river, but instead, turn left through this sheep field. Exit onto a dirt track and turn right.

The track can get a bit muddy; after a short distance it turns left and then there is a ramp that rises in front of you up to the old railway line (or walk under the old railway bridge and turn left up another ramp).

Follow the old railway line for about 500m until you see a red bin. Turn right for the town centre, past a couple of stone seats.

Church and Almshouses

The path is alongside Login Brook. It is short and takes you to St. Mary's Church (not the church of the same name in Cusop). Turn right into the church, exit through the main gate, cross the road and walk straight ahead along St. Mary's Road. Halfway along this road are Gwynn's old Almshouses.

Turn left at the end and then around the corner, on the left is a path, almost hidden, that goes down the side of a large black gate, immediately before a row of cottages. There is a footpath sign to St. Mary's Road. This rejoins the shady Login Brook and is part of the Timbuktu Trail Walk of Life.

The Trail comes out near the back of the Swan Hotel; turn right and right again in front of the hotel.

Offa's Dyke

Walk a short way up the main road, cross left and turn up Forest Road for about 150m, before taking a footpath on the left, just before Ty Gardd. The path goes past the school and comes out at the bottom corner of the field adjacent to the main Hay-on-Wye car park.

Go through the kissing gate into the field and walk to the opposite corner of the field where the path meets Offa's Dyke. Look out for amazingly small ponies in this field, and enjoy the views  of Cusop Hill directly in front of you. Pass through the kissing gate into the next field - a meadow of buttercups in the Spring.

Walking straight, go through the next gate at the top of the field and turn left.

Return to Elmsleigh

After about 50m, pass through another kissing gate, down past a couple of cottages and over a small shady footbridge over Dulas Brook. You are now in England.

Follow the path up to Rosedale B&B, turn right onto Cusop Dingle, immediately left towards St. Mary's Church (the other church of that name) and then up the hill to the top/second entrance of Thirty Acres.

Elmsleigh is down the road on the right.