Ferry across the Wye from the Saracen's Head

Ferry across the Wye from the Saracen's Head

The ferry, a large punt, has a rope looped over an overhead cable that spans the river. The boatman hauls the ferry across by flicking the looped rope ahead and then pulling the boat along a few metres.

This morning we drove from our hotel in Ross-on-Wye to Simmonds Yat East and parked in one of the small "pay & display" car parks next to the river at map ref SO562159. We walked along the road a few hundred metres to the Saracen's Head pub. Here there is a ferry across the River Wye. You have to go into the pub to ask for the boatman.

Sculpture by the river Wye

Bank covered in Hart's Tongue fern by the river Wye

We crossed the bridge and set off back following the Wye Valley Walk as far as our starting point at Simmonds Yat. Our whole walk was about 5km and took us one and a half hours.

At the other side is a good path along the river bank for about 2.5km to Biblins Bridge, a pedestrian suspension bridge over the river. The Wye Valley Walk comes up river and over this bridge and continues along the other bank.

Footpath alongside the river Wye

Shelduck at Slimbridge

It was the half term holiday and the restaurant was chaos! But we spent a very pleasant afternoon strolling round the site.

After our walk we drove to the "Wetlands & Wildfowl Trust" reserve at Slimbridge on the Severn estuary at map ref. SO723051.

Greylag Goose at Slimbridge