Merlin at Goodrich Castle, Ross-on-Wye

Goodrich Castle near Ross-on-Wye

It has long been described as a castle worthy of myth and legends, but last Saturday (14 November), viewers of the BBC1 drama Merlin will have seen part of Goodrich Castle, near Ross-on-Wye being used as a setting for Prince Arthur meeting his dearly-departed mother!

The cast of the worldwide hit fantasy drama descended on Goodrich Castle earlier this year, spending a day filming in the moat and the solar room for one of the pivotal scenes of the series!  Walking through a waterfall, Arthur and Merlin arrived in a magical castle, where a the sorceress, Morgause, gave him the chance to meet his mother, who died when he was born.  Arthur discovered that his father had used magic to help bring him into the world, and was told that his father knew that the price he would have to pay would be his wife’s life!

 “This was a great scene, and the solar room at Goodrich provided a fantastically atmospheric background,” says Head of Visitor Operations for Goodrich Castle, Mark Badger.  “Visitors always comment that Goodrich is a ‘proper’ castle, where they can imagine knights and princesses wandering around – I guess we can now add warlocks to that list!”

 Around 45 crew descended on the site for a day in July, and the shoot lasted from 7.00am until 8.00pm.  The actors who feature in the scene were Colin Morgan (Merlin), Bradley James (Arthur), Emilia Fox as Morgause and Alice Patten as Ygraine, Arthur’s mother.

Viewers wanting to see where the filming took place can visit Goodrich Castle for themselves.  The castle is open throughout the winter from Wednesday to Sunday, 10.00am to 4.00pm.  Admission prices are £5.20 for adults, £4.40 for concessions and £2.60 for children, with a family ticket (two adults and up to three children) available for £13.00.  For more information, please call 01600 890538 or visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/goodrich

Ride the Santa Special in the Forest of Dean

Why not start your Christmas festivities with a trip out on the Dean Forest Railway’s hugely popular Santa Specials and join the many families who return every year to join in the fun of this magical experience travelling through the forest to Parkend.

Imagine the children s excitement as you sit in your reserved seats and wait for Santa and his helpers to come and meet you.

Every child receives a worthwhile present from Santa and adults are not forgotten   they receive a miniature and a hot mince pie! Don t forget to bring your camera to snap Santa chatting to your children!

What a wonderful way to start the Christmas celebrations!

Before or after your train ride, you can have a snack in the Platelayers  Buffet, browse for Christmas presents in the well-stocked gift shop or take a look at the superb museum which has national accreditation.

All Santa trains depart from Norchard Station, just north of Lydney on the B4234, where there is a large free car park. The round trip on the train takes approximately one hour. Toilets are available at stations and there are limited toilet facilities on the trains.

Santa trains are not always suitable for wheelchair passengers, so why not discuss with the railway s booking staff if anyone in your party is disabled and they will make every effort to help.

Details of the Dean Forest Railway can be found on its website http://www.deanforestrailway.co.uk or telephone on 01594 845840.

Santa Specials run on December 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20 and 24.And why not take advantage of a chance to blow the Christmas cobwebs away at the railway on December 27 and 28 and January 1? You can relax after the Christmas and New Year festivities on the New Year Mince Pie Specials. Enjoy a ride through the forest on a steam-hauled train on December 28 or on December 27 and January 1 you can ride on board the railway s heritage diesel multiple unit.

Newent Onion Fayre

Onion string at Newent (picture by Anguskirk)

Newent is a delightful market town in North-West Gloucestershire on the edge of the Forest of Dean.  It is typical of the small towns and villages on the Gloucestershire/Herefordshire borders with lots of black and white cottages.  With its local shops, a 14th Century church and good pubs its great to visit at any time of the year.  But a special time is the second Saturday in September when the town holds its annual fair.

Newent fair is like no other – its an Onion Fayre!

• The biggest onion competetion
• Onion eating competition
• 6 tons of onions for sale
• Onion string demonstrations

Its not all onions and there are lots of other things to fill the day including live music, street entertainment, food and drinks, stalls, fairground rides and a wedding dress exhibition in St Mary’s Church.

This years Onion Fayre takes place on Saturday 12th October.  Further details are available on the Onion Fayre website.

Visit our website to see things to do, places to eat and stay in Newent at any time of the year.

A Day out with Thomas at Dean Forest Railway

Thomas will be visiting Dean Forest Railway

The Lydney-based Dean Forest Railway is running another of its hugely popular ‘Day out with Thomas’ events from Friday, August 21 to Sunday, August 23.

The popular and classic ‘Thomas and Friends’ series of books will be brought to life with ‘Thomas’, ‘Diesel’ and ‘Daisy’ entertaining children at the Dean Forest Railway.  Young ‘Thomas’ fans can see their favourite characters and travel aboard ‘Daisy’, as she races the steam train and takes a story-telling trip into the forest to Parkend.  There will also be short guard’s van rides in ‘Toad’ the brake-van, pulled by ‘Thomas’, for a really atmospheric experience. Sir Topham Hatt will be keeping everyone in order!

Other treats – all included in the ticket price – include rides on a miniature steam railway, Punch and Judy, face-painting, a roundabout and the Imagination Station which has Thomas story-telling, DVD screenings, colouring pages and table-top toys. So there will be plenty for the family to see and do.

Norchard Station has a large free car park. There is also a café, museum and a gift shop selling a large range of Thomas and Friends and other gifts.  The doors open at 9.45 am and the trains run from 10.45 am through to 4 pm.  For more details of this exciting family day out visit www.deanforestrailway.co.uk or phone 01594 845840.

Don’t miss this one, it is the last ‘Thomas’ event of the year at the Dean Forest Railway and will keep the children talking for some time.

Three Choirs Festival – Stay in the Wye Valley or Forest of Dean

Hereford Cathedral - copyright Julian-P-Guffogg

The Three Choirs Festival, Europe’s oldest musical event takes place annually in August, alternating between the cathedral cities of Gloucester, Hereford and Worcester.  This year the festival takes place 8th – 15th August in Hereford.  As usual, most of the events take place in the cathedral or nearby locations but some are at Tewkesbury Abbey, Leominster Priory and Wyastone Concert Hall.  In addtion to the varied programme of orchesteral and coral works, on Wednesday 12 August Sir Roy String is leading a guide to the ancient churches of Kilpeck and Dore Abbey.  The full programme of events can be seen on the festival website.

If you are attending the festival or visiting Hereford during this busy period, have you booked your accommodation yet?  Rather than stay in Hereford, why not consided one of the market towns nearby.  Newent, Ross-on-Wye, Monmouth and Abergavennay are all close and just a short drive from Hereford.  Newent and Ross have lots of black and white buildings typical of this area; Monmouth and Abergavenny are busy Welsh border towns.  All have high-quality accommodation, good places to eat and drink and lots of the specialty shops that make visiting small towns a delight.  In addition if you want to escape from the music for a short while, you are well placed to tour the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean.

Look at these links:

• Newent
• Ross-on-Wye
• Monmouth
• Abergavenny

Lancaut and Wintours Leap

Roman Quay on the River Wye and Lancaut

Last week I went on a well known walk just north of Chepstow – Lancaut Loop.  The focus of the walk are the sheer limestone cliffs on the Gloucestershire side of the River Wye, known as Wintour’s Leap and the ancient settlement of Lancaut.

St Jame's, Lancaut and Wintours Leap in the distance

The cliffs at Wintours Leap, a popular climb, are named after Sir John Wintour.  Wintour was a prominent but unpopular land owner and iron master from the Forest of Dean during the English Civil War and the commander of the local Royalists.  When pursued by Parliament forces, Wintour supposedly escaped by riding his horse over this 300 ft cliff to the river bank below!

Lancaut is a peninsula of land almost completely surrounded by a loop of the Wye.  All that is left of the previous settlement, that may have included a leper colony, is the ruined 11th century church of St James.  Today most of the area is a nature reserve.

The walk is well worthwhile as the views are great.  The route down from Wintours Leap to Lancaut is well define and easy to follow but it is overgrown in places and there is one section where a rock fall has to be crossed; its quite safe although care is required and my dog didn’t like it.

The Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Tour Guides organises guided walks for groups thoughout the area.

Forest of Dean – Best Family Cycle Trail

Family cycling in the Forest of Dean

The cycle path in the Forest of Dean has just been named by the Daily Telegraph as Britain’s No 1 family cycle route.  The route is based upon old railway lines in the Forest, previously used for taking coal to the nearby river ports.  There are 15 miles of track with gradients suitable for all members of the family regularly interspersed with picnic sites.  A good starting point is the Cannop Cycle Centre which has refreshments and toilets.  The route is waymarked but maps can be bought the Cycle Centre or at Beechenhurst Visitors’ Centre.

Wye Valley Mountain Biking

If you don’t have your own bike there is no problem as cycles of all sizes and types can be hired by the Pedalabikeaway Cycle Centre.

If you are looking for something more challenging, you might consider:

• Wye Valley Mountain Biking
• Redhill Bike & Board Centre

Telstar – Joe Meek and Newent

Poster for the Telstar film

Last week saw the film Telstar go on general release in the UK.  The film tells the story of Joe Meek, the 1960s Rock legend, who recorded some of the most iconic music in the pre-Beatles era.  Meek, although tone deaf was responsible for hits including Have I the Right?, Just Like Eddie, Johnny Remember Me  and most memorably Telstar recorded by the Tornadoes.

Newent Market Hall (picture by David Stowell)

Joe Meek was born in Newent on the north edge of the Forest of Dean.  Although much has changed since Meek’s time, Newent is still a delightful market town in a very rural part of Gloucestershire.  The town has many black and white half-timbered bulding including the market hall.  The area is worth visiting at any time, but the spring is special when the wild daffodils bloom in the surrounding countryside.  Nearby is the International Birds of Prey Centre and the renowned Three Choirs vineyard.  Visit our website for details of other attractions, accommodation and pubs and restaurants.

The Onion Fair, probably the only devoted entirely to this vegtable, takes place on 12 September; a fun day out where you can enter the raw onion eating competition!

The Joe Meek Tribute Concert takes place in Newent on Saturday 3 October starring Mike Berry and the Outlaws.

Highnam Court Gardens

Highnam Court (picture by Matt Buck)

Last week I visited Highnam Court Gardens just west of Gloucester on the edge of the Forest of Dean.  Highnam Court is a Grade 1 listed Queen Anne period house set in 40 acres of glorious gardens.  The current gardens were laid out in the 19th Century by Thomas Gambier Parry, the owner and father of Sir Hubert Parry (the composer of Jerusalem).  The gardens deterioriated throughout the 20th Century until the house and grounds were bought by Roger Head in 1994; at that time many of the best features had been totally lost or concealed in a jungle.  Since then Roger has lovingly restored these garden to today’s splendour.

The gardens are open the first Sunday of every month under the National Garden Scheme and at other times for various charities.  If the gardens are open when you are in the area, I recommned a visit.  You will not be disappointed!

Whilst at Highnam you should travel the extra ½ mile to Over and visit two members of our Association.

• Over Farm Market is probably the best farm market in the area.  In addition to the fruit, vegtables, meat etc, there are farm animals and occasional on-site attractions.
• The Wharf House; a delightful restaurant in a riverside setting.  Why not go for coffe and cakes, lunch or afternoon tea, possibly try their Tapas on the Terrace.

Open Studios in the Forest of Dean & Wye Valley

The Wye Valley and Forest of Dean are home to a large number of artists and crafts-persons and each year during July and August they open their doors to visitors.  This year 35 studios will be open during July and early August.  Full details of the event including the locations and open dates can be found on the Open Studios website.

We particulary recommend the follow who are members of our Association or exhibiting with our members.

• Kathy Lewis at Taurus Crafts, near Lydney
• Valerie Brown at the Bailey Inn, Yorkley
• Threads and Crafts Art Web at Beechenhurst Lodge, near Coleford
• The Celtic Year Project at the Garden Cafe, Lydbrook