Tuesday June 25th - 87k Circuit around Dore Valley and Ancestral Villages. Sunny, cool 6°C to 17°C
First we have to pick up a gas can
Off to Allensmore and Clehonger - ancestral hallowed villages
Allensmore Church - John morgan's father Thomas was married and buried here
Allensmore church graveyard
Allensmore grave inscription 1797
Allensmore St Andrews Church
Country lanes with high hedges
Rolling hills and flowers
St David's Much Dewchurch
Much Dewchurch
Golden Valley of the Dore River
Morgan Country
Was this the pub from 33 years ago?
Sheep and cattle country
St Peter's church Peterchurch
A truly amazing day. The first sunny day for a week. We got to see the Golden Valley - Valley of the River Dore in beautiful cool sunshine, as well as check out the villages of the ancestors of my Great Great Grandfather John Morgan who was convicted of sheep stealing in 1834 in Hereford and transported to Australia in 1835. We visited Allensmore, Clehonger, Much Dewchurch, Peterchurch, Preston on Wye as well as Ewyas Harold for old times sake. It was a trip down memory lane in more ways than one.
33 years ago we were here in Hereford doing our 5 month around Europe bike trip, when we travelled down the Golden Valley, as it was described in the cyclists handbook as a "must see". The problem was there was nothing to see as it poured with rain, was freezing cold and we couldn't see more than 10 feet in front of us. So when the opportunity came to visit my ancestors villages around Hereford, we considered it was the perfect opportunity to revisit The Golden Valley. And today was the perfect day for it.
We had a leisurely English breakfast of bacon eggs and black pudding (OK since you'd like to know what's in it, it's a blend of onions, pork fat, oatmeal, flavourings - and blood (usually from a pig). Ian left his on the plate. It's about 8ºC when we leave at 9.30am to pick up a gas can from the local hiking store Trekkit - but it wasn't easy to find - there are two Eign Streets in Hereford - and of course we went to the wrong one first. Finally finding the right Eign Street, it took half an hour to buy a gas can, as I had taken my 33 year old Ordinance Survey map of Hereford into the store to see if the assistance could pick a quiet road out of town, but they were so intrigued with my antique map, they wanted to buy it. Apparently they don't make them as detailed any more.
10am and we're finally on our way. Clehonger is a 10 house village where John Morgan's father lived after his wife died in 1809, a year after the son John Morgan was born. Next stop Allensmore, the village where John Morgan was born. But today it's not really a village but an area with many clusters of houses several kilometres apart. One of the locals directed us to St Andrews Church Allensmore where we walked around the old graveyard. There were several Morgan's there dating back to 1797 about a Thomas and Ann Morgan whose three children died, but not our family line. The church dates back the the 12th Century but was restored in 1880. Ian boil the billy on a seat in the church grounds - it's so nice to sit in the sun. It's still just 15ºC and very chilly riding.
We're heading to the Golden Valley when I spy a sign to Much Dewchurch - it's the village where John Morgan's Grandfather Thomas Morgan was married to Hannah Edwards in 1749. May as well go there. It's another beautiful old church - St David's. And such a pretty village. We ride out of the village through a maze of country roads and hedges with peaks now and then of rolling hills, wild flowers, mustard flowers and teh Black Mountains of Wales in the distance.
Finally we reach Ewyas Harold, a small village at the start of the Golden Valley. The Morgan name is on lots of signs. We're looking for the old pub where we sheltered from the rain 33 years ago, and the publican fed us pork pies and port and wouldn't take any money. We were freezing cold and wet and sodden. It would be nice to return but the pub wasn't obvious. We have lunch on a picnic table opposite the pub called The Temple Bar Inn - it looks like it could be the one but it's not quite like it. Putting my head inside, the locals soon tell me that the pub would have been The Red Lion which has now been demolished for a housing estate and the publican Harold Bishop had passed away 3 years ago. It was nice to know.
Riding up this beautiful valley on this perfect dayon the B4348, we stop at St Peter's Church in Peterchurch (named for obvious reasons). This was the village where John Morgan's Grandfather was born - that much we know, but the problem is that there were two Thomas Morgan's born here that would have fitted the bill - one in 1714 and one in 1723. Perhaps we'll never know and it's here that the Morgan line comes to a standstill for lack of knowledge.
Getting out of the golden Valley was not easy. There was a 25% gradient to push our bikes up and over from the Valley of the Dore to the Valley of the Wye. From there, it was a coast down the B4352 into Hereford. There's a large Tesco's supermarket just before we hit town. Time to stock up on supplies - more ham, cheese, tomatoes and bread as well as a hot chicken - but no black pudding which was dangling from every counter - and two bottles of wine.
Back to Somerville House, just in time to see Francesca Schiavone lose to Sabine Lisicki at Wimbledon. Our picnic dinner is spread all over the room. We're in the attic, so even sitting down near the window, Ian has to duck his head. Time to write up my notes then go to bed.
Not raining in the Golden Valley
Descendant of John Morgan's stolen sheep
At 25% gradient, time to walk
Preston on Wye Church
In the attic - duck your head while you eat, drink and watch the tennis