Attractions and Places To See around Stapleton - Top 20

This is the start point of the Glyndŵr's Way National Trail which winds through mid-Wales and ends at Welshpool. It's not as popular a trail as Offa's Dyke which is the main reason you'll meet other hikers here in Knighton.

Knighton is a beautiful border market town and is unique in being the only town to sit astride Offa's Dyke national footpath. It is also notable as the starting point of Glyndwr's Way, following the route of the Welsh leader's significant battles. It is also a mecca for border cyclists and there are plenty of routes to navigate the surrounding hills and stunning countryside.

Seeing the remains of Offa’s Dyke ancient earthwork is a highlight of walking the Offa’s Dyke Path between Kington and Knighton. Offa’s Dyke was constructed over 1200 years ago. The original earthwork is thought to have had a height of 8 feet and a width of up to 65 feet (including its flanking ditch). Despite weathering over the centuries its form remains surprisingly clear in places. A location where the remains of the Dyke is still clear occurs two miles north of Kington on elevated farmland near to the Wales border. Here the Dyke appears as a grassy mound with a ditch to its left (when viewed looking westward). It was inspiring and a great adventure to walk in the footsteps of history! A bonus of visiting this elevated site is that it provides on clear days fine eastward views across Herefordshire to the Malvern Hills 30 miles away.

stop and smell the wild garlic whilst listening to the rapids

As well as being a marvellous little woodland to explore, Pokehouse Wood has some beguiling folklore attached to it. It is thought that 'Poke' is derived from 'Puck', the up-to-no-good imp of English legend. In days gone by, Pokehouse Wood grew a reputation for travellers and young maidens losing their way or being led astray by something, or someone, that lived among the trees. In order to warn travellers when dark was approaching, the bell at Aymestrey Church was rang before sunset every day. This was at the behest of a concerned local who donated his own money to make this happen and protect the people.

On the banks of the River Lugg, nestled deep in the heart of North Herefordshire's Marches, is the lovely village of Aymestrey. This is an ideal base for exploring the hilly woodland of the Mortimer Forest and the wider Welsh Marches region. To the north east are Croft Ambrey's Iron Age earth embankments and to the west are the wooded flanks of Mere Hill Wood. There's a choice of accommodation in the village, with the 16th-century, black and white timbered Riverside Country Inn boasting excellent food as well as cosy rooms. There are also lodges and a holiday park in the village, as well as further options in the surrounding countryside.

Wearing a gorgeous woodland cloak, whale-backed Shobdon Hill is a 1,070-foot (326 m) Marilyn-listed summit in Herefordshire. Hikers ascending from the east are rewarded with splendid views across the valley to Mere Hill Wood. A path traverses the broad crest of the hill, with the occasional vista seen through gaps in the trees. The Mortimer Trail traverses the hill on its way west towards Wapley Hillfort.

Shobdon Hill is a wooded hill near Kinsham and has an unmarked summit. It is a UK listed Marilyn.