The Ledbury Town Trail and Riverside Walk

How to get out for a decent walk during a heatwave

Walking along the River Leadon on a baking hot day

Sunday morning and it was already hot enough to fry an egg on the patio. Normally we’d be off on a long hike but the heatwave had other ideas so we just went for a lazy stroll on the Ledbury Town Trail and Riverside Walk. It was 25°C before I’d even finished my toast and apparently 33°C later on. Nearby Ross-on-Wye was due to be the hottest place in the country. Molly was strapped to my back like a happy little rucksack while Stace trailed behind with our two scruffy terriers Dottie and Wilf. The trees gave us a bit of shade and the dogs threw themselves into the river whenever they could, and then came out and shook water all over us.

We wanted to get them walked before the day got too hot because, unlike people, dogs can’t go and stand in Co-op, with its ridiculously cold air-con. It’s funny how posts about dog safety in hot weather on local Facebook groups get showered with those soppy “hugging heart” emojis, but when it’s a heat warning for people, the responses are just:

• “We used to have common sense!”

• “It’s called summer!”

• “Survived the summer of 1976, mate, so I’ll be fine!”

The thing is, heatwaves really do cause more deaths among the elderly, so maybe it’s worth keeping an eye on them. But some folks think red on the weather map is some global conspiracy to scare us about climate change, when actually it’s just upgraded from the old days when a bloke with a moustache stuck a cardboard sun on the map. Honestly, the weatherman isn’t in the Illuminati mate. Dogs are definitely less likely to be dickheads though, so I understand the love. They don't put divvy comments on Facebook for a start. 

Ledbury’s a nice spot year-round, but the riverside path is tailor-made for days like this. Molly, oblivious to the weather, was pointing at things that may or may not have existed, and shouting random nonsense.

Hard work for the pack mule again

The River Leadon starts just south of the village of Acton Beauchamp, then flows southward through Herefordshire. It passes Bosbury, reaches Ledbury (which is named after the river), and continues southeast. It flows past Dymock, Upleadon, and Highleadon, before joining the River Severn at Over, just west of Gloucester. Its name comes from the old Celtic word meaning "broad stream," and for centuries it helped power mills and feed the fertile farmland around Ledbury. In medieval times, the river supported local trade routes and was prone to flooding, shaping much of the landscape we see today. Now it’s mostly for wildlife, dog walkers, and parents with questionable life choices about walking four miles in 30°C heat. The Ledbury Riverside Walk takes in a short section of the Leadon and most of the rest of the river runs through private farmland.

The Leadon (from north east of Hereford, to Gloucester). Source: Wikipedia

The walk starts at Ledbury Riverside Park where there is a car park and a picnic area. It has always looked to me like the sort of place that people would go to for some dogging though so I've never really lingered there. We walked to it from home through a little patch of woodland that backs onto both the local tip, and the local sewage plant, just to get the romantic countryside vibe going early. The Leadon isn't the widest river you'll ever see and is essentially a glorified stream. I used to spend a lot of time dossing around it with mates when we were kids though and whilst it's not the Amazon, it's ours, and it's a nice place to go walking on the outskirts of town.

Ledbury Riverside Park

The Leadon near Ledbury Rugby Club

We followed the path along the banks and the occasional breeze combined with plenty of shade made for a pleasant walk. We passed lots of other dog walkers. Everyone seemed to have the same idea: take it slow, find the shade, and stay close to the water.

A small weir on the Leadon

Shady woodland a third of the way along the path

We had a couple of brief stops to let the dogs have a paddle, and Stace got stressed that I was walking over wet rocks with our baby on my back, but it was fine. We lengthened the planned short dog walk to a longer ramble incorporating the Ledbury Town Trail because it was far more comfortable than expected and the dogs were absolutely fine. That would turn out to be a mistake when Molly fell asleep in the carrier, outside of her usual napping schedule, which inevitably meant that she would be a nightmare to get to sleep later in the day. I'd rather sacrifice a little of that easy life to make sure she gets outside for some fresh air though. 

A footbridge into the fields beyond

A paddle for the dogs

The river level unusually low

The Ledbury Town Trail map. 

It wasn’t our longest adventure by any means, but in that heat, three miles by the Leadon, with the trees and the dogs and Molly’s giggles, was exactly what we needed. Here’s to many more easy miles, and maybe next time, a bit more cloud cover.

Molly