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Topic: Visiting Hergest Ridge, Any pointers for a good pilgrimage?< Next Oldest | Next Newest >
APJ Offline




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Posted: June 10 2010, 19:35

Seeing as I'm less then an hour away from HR and it's always been my favourite album, I thought I should pay a visit one weekend.

Any pointers from anyone who's been? Best place to park, what route to walk? What to look out for etc?
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3Wheeler Offline




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Posted: June 11 2010, 04:16

Depends how Far You want to Walk !!  Theres a Fairly long uphill Lane before you get to the Gate  that gets you on to the Ridge Walk.. I guess you could Park up there rather than walk all the way from Kington...  Its a Straightforward Walk Up to the Top which can be a Bit Windy & Cold so be prepared !!..  As long as youve got your Camera , Food & Drink, and OS Map , youll have a Great time..  Dont forget your i pod !!

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We're Flying Aeroflot, We've Got Reservations.
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whetstone Offline




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Posted: June 13 2010, 15:49

Hey APJ you live 60 mins away and have not been up there -  Whaaaat? :/
I just totally ADORE the place and have been there so many times since my first visit in 1979 (with my Mum, Dad and lil' sister who refused to walk to the top).  In 1984 I had a two-week holiday in Kington with my German girlfriend (equally keen MO fan) and we did the Ridge every day in glorious weather - heaven.
Now, living the other side of the UK with a wife and two adorable young kids I have not been for ages but I have threatened the rugrats that they WILL be dragged up Daddy's favourite spot in the whole world sometime soon!
Here are some ideas:
Go The Beacon on Bradnor Hill, check out Mike's old house where Ommadawn was created and take in the Ridge from afar.
Next do like 3Wheeler suggests - drive up through Ridgebourne to the gate and walk to the top (an OS triangulation point is close to the top). Look out for the Welsh Ponies.  Walk round the old horse race course and look for the ancient Whet Stone.
Or drive to Gladestry at the Welsh end, park in the Royal Oak pub car park and follow the Offas Dyke path signs up the Ridge the other way.  Where the path strikes right up a broad grassy plain turn left and walk until the ground drops away in front of you - you will have one of the greatest views in the UK (IMHO) looking down into Gladestry and up the valleys to Radnor Forest and the Black Mountains.  Just pause and listen....wind, sheep, peace....then back down for a lovely pint in the pub.
Have fun I am so, so, so jealous. :laugh:
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Tati The Sentinel Offline




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Posted: June 13 2010, 18:34

I do need to go to Hergest Ridge one day...but living on the other side of England makes it a little bit harder,but not impossible  ;)

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"But it's always the outsider, the black sheep, that becomes the blockbuster." - Mike Oldfield, 2014

"I remember feeling that I'd been judged unfairly and that I was going to prove them wrong." - Peter Davison, 2011
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The Thin Man Offline




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Posted: Sep. 17 2010, 10:12

I’d certainly recommend a trip to Hergest Ridge.  Yesterday I made that trip myself for the first time after having finishing business in South Wales and with no need to rush back home.  So instead of taking to the motorways as usual I tracked through the valleys heading towards Kington where I arrived at around 2pm.  The weather was just perfect for walking: a light breeze, blue skies and glorious sunshine.  I thought that you would like to see some of my photos of my walk up the Ridge.




From Kington village there is a lane running westwards signposted to Hergest Croft Gardens.  There is a small car park on the right, or there is space for three or four cars at the end of the lane where a gate opens on to the Ridge.  An information board describes the features on the Ridge and some of the wild life that can be found.







The path up the Ridge is a broad green carpet of grass which makes for very easy walking, although you do have to watch where you are treading!  Bradnor Hill is to your right; and it is possible to see the club house of the golf course.  I discovered later that the Beacon is very close to the entrance to the golf course so, with binoculars, it should be possible to make out Mike’s retreat.







There were many sheep grazing and several horses roaming wild.  This little brown beastie followed me around for a while until he realised I had no apples.  There used to be a race course near here which was in use until around 1880.




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The Thin Man Offline




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Posted: Sep. 17 2010, 10:20

About half way to the top is a stand of monkey puzzle trees which look strangely out of place.  Somewhere near here is the Whet Stone, but on this occasion I did not have time to search for it.



A view of the Welsh hills opens up as you climb closer to the top of the Ridge.  The top itself is marked by a triangulation point and a pile of scattered rocks (and can you see the jay? ).  There are extensive views in every direction and this is a fantastic place to watch the clouds.  Until now I had been walking listening to the sounds of birds and sheep, but this is where I settled down to listen to Hergest Ridge, the original LP version from the recent CD.  Simply wonderful.









I didn’t get the thunderstorm, but it did start to look a bit murky over Kington and I was treated to a rainbow!  I was relieved that rain failed to materialise so my trip back down to Kington was as pleasant as the walk up.





No trip to Hergest Ridge would be complete without a visit to the Beacon.  This was easier to find than I had been expecting; there is a sign immediately before the entrance to the golf club on Bradnor Hill and the house is only 20 yards or so from there.  I can only assume that the golf course wasn’t there in the 1970s as I wouldn’t really call it a “retreat” in its current position.

There is a path that leads down the side of the building to some heath land in front.  It seems strange to think that Ommadawn was conceived and put together in this ordinary looking house.





I had a very pleasant afternoon with some gorgeous September weather.  This is a part of the world that I had never really visited before.  It’s off the beaten track but well worth the effort to visit.  Next time I must seek out the Whet Stone.
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nightspore Offline




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Posted: Sep. 17 2010, 11:15

I would rather visit some of the places in Tr3s Lunas!  :D
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wiga Offline




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Posted: Sep. 17 2010, 16:03

The Thin Man - very nice photos, particularly the one with the rainbow, and the horse/pony. :cool:

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Barn's burnt down - now I can see the moon.
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Milamber Offline




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Posted: Sep. 17 2010, 19:17

Quote (nightspore @ Sep. 18 2010, 01:15)
I would rather visit some of the places in Tr3s Lunas!  :D

Nightspore-The true life is the life of the mind.

Fantastic set there Thin Man.
A very tranquil place you can feel the inspiration for the album really makes you want to go there.
I wish these photos were on the 5.1 mix DVD.
Well done :)
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nightspore Offline




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Posted: Sep. 17 2010, 20:38

Quote (milamber @ Sep. 17 2010, 19:17)
Nightspore-The true life is the life of the mind.

"Exactly", Lydia replied.

:D
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nightspore Offline




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Posted: Sep. 17 2010, 20:39

Actually, that stand of pine trees reminds me of one of the forest settings in TL/Maestro.
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wiga Offline




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Posted: Sep. 18 2010, 03:58

Looking at the house;  those old black window frames, and the guttering have done well against the elements haven't they. After all these years I would have thought they'd have been replaced with PVC, or a new conservatory even.

Also, I see that there's wild horses near by. Were horses like these the inspiration for "On Horseback" then? Mike says - "to Hergest Ridge you should come," so I assume he was living in this house at the time of Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn?


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Barn's burnt down - now I can see the moon.
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3Wheeler Offline




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Posted: Sep. 18 2010, 08:24

Yep thats why I always reckon Ommadawn could as easily of been called Hergest Ridge 11 ..    Loads of Horses up there and no doubt at all thats where the Horseback Song Idea sprung from..    Nice up there if you catch it on a Good Day...  Must be worth a Trip up if you can catch one of those evenings where u get the red Sunsets..    Need to be up there regular for that opportunity I guess.. Nice Pics ..   Havent been up for 6 months or so.. Must go in the Winter with some Ground Frost & Mist for some more piccys.. :cool:

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wiga Offline




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Posted: Sep. 19 2010, 05:42

3 Wheeler - to be honest, I'd no idea there were places in England with loads of wild horses. So, "On Horseback" must have been inspired by them - though ironically you wouldn't be able to sit on one and "be on horseback", as the song goes, or they'd buck you off !!  

Yes, with ground frost and mist sounds a good time to visit too. :cool:


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3Wheeler Offline




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Posted: Sep. 19 2010, 10:11

Yes well.. I guess Flying a Glider up there Mike was Pretty close up to all the Wildlife on the Ridge.. Good job there were Horses or the Sheep may Have Featured.. :)..   Anyone seen this Sheep Video before .. Its Hilarious.  :cool:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2FX9rviEhw&feature=fvsr


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Tati The Sentinel Offline




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Posted: Sep. 19 2010, 18:26

Been on Hergest Ridge in late June...one of the best experiences in my life.

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"But it's always the outsider, the black sheep, that becomes the blockbuster." - Mike Oldfield, 2014

"I remember feeling that I'd been judged unfairly and that I was going to prove them wrong." - Peter Davison, 2011
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Cooper Roy Offline




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Posted: Sep. 19 2010, 19:07

Quote (Tati The Sentinel @ Sep. 19 2010, 18:26)
Been on Hergest Ridge in late June...one of the best experiences in my life.

...and been on the Guinness in mid-September,Tati.
Milking it a bit,aren't we?   ;)

CR


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"I have nothing but sympathy for how people behave-and nothing but laughter to console them with.Laughter is my religion.In the manner of most religions, I admit my laughter is pretty desperate."
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Milamber Offline




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Posted: Sep. 19 2010, 20:24

Come on Coops that's the Tublarian of the year your knocking there after all that study she deserves a pint or two.
And that's toob blarian not the often miss quoted tubularian too much of Arian in there for my taste :D
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Cooper Roy Offline




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Posted: Sep. 20 2010, 16:18

Sorry.I was just trying to engage Tublarian of the Year in light-hearted banter.For the umpteenth time...
Message received and understood.  :/


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"I have nothing but sympathy for how people behave-and nothing but laughter to console them with.Laughter is my religion.In the manner of most religions, I admit my laughter is pretty desperate."
                                                                   John Irving
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Delfín Offline




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Posted: Sep. 20 2010, 18:29

Quote (nightspore @ Sep. 17 2010, 17:15)
I would rather visit some of the places in Tr3s Lunas!  :D

I liked that comment, very imaginative, if only a bit spoily just at the place it is written.


Thank you for the photos, Thin Man. They are priceless.


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The most precious thing I possess, is knowing the answer's yes
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