Worcestershire & Herefordshire

Croft Castle Fishpool Valley walk

A stone building in the woods at Croft Castle, Herefordshire — The old pump house in Fishpool Valley on the Croft Castle estate, Herefordshire | © National Trust/James Dobson

Discover the beautiful Fishpool Valley, landscaped during the late 18th century in the naturalistic ‘Picturesque’ style. This pleasant walk takes in the chain of dams and pools, carefully planted trees and architecture such as the icehouse, grotto, pumphouse and limekiln.

Near to

Croft Castle and Parkland

Start point

Croft visitor reception, grid ref SO45119 65659

Trail information

View route

Print trail

Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 1.5 (km: 2.4)

Duration1 hour

Dog friendly***

*Includes some slopes and steps. For further details, see the Terrain section.
**Includes steep slopes and steps. For further details, see the Access section.
***Dogs on leads are welcome. For further details, see the Facilities section.

Access to walking trails

All our walking trails are within the parkland at Croft Castle, so you'll need to pay the admission fee or present your National Trust membership card to access them.

Address
Croft Castle, Yarpole, Nr Leominster, HR6 0BL
Directions via Google Maps
By train
The nearest train station is Leominster, 7 miles from Croft Castle.
By bus
There are bus services from Ludlow to Hereford, passing close to Ludlow train station and Leominster. Get off at Gorbett Bank for a 2¼ mile walk to Croft Castle.
Cycling
For cycle routes, search the Sustrans website.
Sustrans website
By road
The entrance is off the B4362, north at Cock Gate between Bircher and Mortimer's Cross. The property is signposted from the A49 between Ludlow and Leominster and from the A4110 at Mortimer's Cross. Postcode for satnav: HR6 0BL.
Dogs
Dogs are welcome but must be kept on leads and under close control at all times as livestock graze in the woodland pasture and in Fishpool Valley.
Car park
There is a car park 100 yards from the walk starting point.
Toilet
There are toilets with baby-changing facilities near the tea-room.
Play area
There is a traditional play area and a natural play area at Croft Castle. Children's trails are available during holidays.
Tea-room
The Carpenters tea-room at Croft Castle is open from 10am to 4pm.
The route includes slopes and steps and can be muddy in places. The front drive and some parts of the valley are suitable for all-terrain pushchairs.
Designated parking
There is a separate mobility parking area at Croft Castle with wheelchair-accessible transfer.
Accessible toilet
There are two accessible unisex toilets at Croft Castle, one near the tea-room and one inside the castle.
Steps/uneven terrain
Total stages: 6
Total stages: 6
Start point
Croft visitor reception, grid ref SO45119 65659
Stage 1
Turn right at visitor reception and go through the gate. Ignore the track and instead head straight on, across the field, following the waymarks with the pumphouse on them.
Stage 2
Keep following the pumphouse waymarks until you reach a gate. Go through the gate and close it behind you. You'll eventually come to some tall Douglas fir trees on your left and right. The limekiln will be straight in front of you. Continue along the path with the limekiln on your left and the pools on your right until you come to a gate.
Stage 3
Go through the gate and close it behind you. You will then need to make a hairpin turn to your right, still following the pumphouse waymarks.
Stage 4
Continue along the path, keeping the pools on your right. You'll eventually come to a small gate on your right, with a pumphouse waymark on it. Go through this gate and follow the path until you reach a rusticated grotto on your left, dating from the 1790s.
Stage 5
Keep following the path through the valley, with the pools on your right. You'll see the cascade and dams 6 and 7, which are being restored as part of our conservation project. Continue straight on, until you come to a pumphouse waymark pointing down the hill to the right. Walk carefully down the hill and over the dam towards the Gothic pumphouse.
The old pump house in Fishpool Valley on the Croft Castle estate, Herefordshire | © National Trust/James Dobson
Stage 6
Continue past the pumphouse on your left and up towards the main track. Turn left onto the track and keep going until you see another track heading right, up the hill. Follow this back up to the gate at the main car park.
End point
Croft visitor reception, grid ref SO45119 65659
Trail map
The Fishpool Valley walk at Croft Castle, Herefordshire | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
You made it
Share your experience

The East, or Entrance, front of Croft Castle, Herefordshire

Place

Croft Castle and Parkland

1000 years of power, politics and pleasure in an intimate family home

Trail

Croft Castle Pokehouse Wood walk

A long woodland walk taking in the River Lugg – a Site of Special Scientific Interest – some ancient trees and the old bridge that was part of the original approach to the castle.

Evening sun through trees at the top of a hill at Croft Ambrey, Croft Castle, Herefordshire

Trail

Croft Ambrey walk at Croft Castle

A ramble through fields and woodland, a circuit of Croft Ambrey Iron Age hillfort, then back to your starting point via the outskirts of the picturesque Fishpool Valley.

The old pumphouse in Fishpool Valley on the Croft Castle estate, Herefordshire

Trail

Highwood and Fishpool walk at Croft Castle

Explore the historic paths and woodland of Fishpool Valley, take in views over the landscaped pools and visit the remains of the summerhouse, icehouse and Gothic pumphouse.