Gloucestershire Walks
Goodrich is a Herefordshire village on the edge of the Wye Valley, close to the Gloucestershire border and best known for Goodrich Castle. The castle stands on a high spur above an ancient crossing of the River Wye and is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in England, so it makes a natural goal for a walk. Both routes here start by Ye Hostelrie in the village, pass St Giles' Church and finish at the castle.
The shorter walk is a compact circuit that climbs onto Coppett Hill, a community-owned common and local nature reserve with open grassland and wide views over the valley. The second circular walk adds a stretch beside the River Wye below Coldwell Rocks, where peregrines nest, then a steep climb through Coldwell Wood before joining the same hill. Finally, the last walk is an epic adventure that mainly enjoys a long stretch alongside the River Wye.
Expect a mix of quiet lanes, farmland, riverbank, woodland and open common, with a few steep pulls along the way. The castle's visitors' centre café is on hand at the finish, making Goodrich a rewarding choice for a morning or afternoon out in the Wye Valley.
Download the Gloucestershire Walks App to follow this route with real-time GPS navigation.
On a computer? Scan the QR code with your phone's camera to get the Gloucestershire Walks app.
At a glance
The walk
Goodrich Castle, one of the best-preserved medieval castles in England, is the goal of this short walk, which ends with a detour to its walls above the River Wye. The visitors' centre café sits just before the castle.
The walk starts by Ye Hostelrie in Goodrich and passes St Giles' Church before heading up onto Coppett Hill, a community-owned common and local nature reserve.
The climb is fairly steep in places but short, and the open grassland at the top gives wide views over the Wye Valley. The Folly ruins stand beside the route here. The way down passes through Thomas Wood and back into Goodrich village, with the castle waiting at the end.
Also at this location
Goodrich and River Wye Epic Adventure8¾ miles · 4.5 hoursTime for a stop
Navigate the walks
The easiest way to follow this route is with the Gloucestershire Walks app. Choose the walk and follow the pointer showing your live position on the route map, so you can see you're on the right path.
The app works without a phone signal, so you can keep following the route wherever the walk takes you.
On a computer? Scan the QR code with your phone's camera to get the Gloucestershire Walks app.
Explore the area
1-4 miles
4.25 miles
1.25-7.25 miles
3.75-6.75 miles
1.25-3.75 miles
0.5-4 miles
3.25 miles
1.25-2.75 miles
3-6 miles
3-7.75 miles
2-4.5 miles
2.5 miles
1.75 miles
3.5 miles
1.75-5.5 miles
Explore the county
See where the walks start, explore the area and tap a pin to find a route for your next adventure.
Search Gloucestershire walks