Walks
The UK retreat in mid-Wales is surrounded by rolling hills, countryside, ancient forests, close to the River Severn and the Severn Way. Our guided daily walks take you from the doors of the retreat, out and about to explore the local area on foot.
We are ideally situated close to the River Severn, which is the ‘s longest river. The retreat is also close to the Severn Way. This is a way-marked UK long distance path that follows the course of the River Severn. The path starts at the source in mid-Wales, goes all the way through mid-Wales, over into Shropshire, through Shrewsbury, Ironbridge, Worcester, Gloucester, to the Severn Delta and out to the Sea. (The path has since been extended to Bristol). Some of our daily walks incorporate parts of this lovely path.
There are three levels of walks available: easy, moderate and challenging. If you are unsure, speak to one of the programme team at the retreat and they can tell you more about the route and what to expect.
For all walks we recommend good walking boots or strong trainers. Some paths can muddy or wet after rain. We have a drying room available when you return to the retreat for any wet weather gear!
Walks take place on a morning (at 8am or 10.30am) or in the afternoon (around 3pm) and vary in terms of length and time.
River Walk (2.5 miles / 4.5 kms, 1.5 hours) – Easy
This is a lovely route through the nearby countryside and valley, walking along the banks of the River Severn. You can see lots of wild birds, geese, heron flying around and lots of fish in the river.
The route leaves from the retreat, crossing from the retreat grounds, across fields and farm land (you might meet some cows on the way!). We pass a spot where locals go wild swimming. We cross the old bridge to the edge of the village of Caersws and take a right. We walk the river route as it bends through the valley, and arrive at a lovely view point overlooking the river and can see the retreat from the other side of the river. Here we take a short pause before returning back to the retreat.
The route is flat, however some of the ground can be uneven.
Severn Way, Historic route (approx 4.5 miles / 7 kms, 2.5 hours) – Moderate
This is a beautiful walk along the part of the Severn Way.
The route leaves from the retreat and goes into the nearby village of Caersws. Caersws has a long history, dating back to Roman times when a fort was established here. From the village we head past the site of a Victorian workhouse, and we head onto the Severn Way, across fields. We ramble through woodlands and streams that flow into the river, seeing mature oaks and birds aplenty.
On our return, we walk alongside a segment of the Roman road which used to link two Roman forts.
Severn Way, Afon Cerist route (6.2 miles / 10 kms, 3.5 hours) – Challenging
This is a picturesque circular route following the course of two rivers through valleys and countryside.
The route leaves from the retreat and heads through Caersws, where we start to follow the course of the Afon Cerist, a tributory of the River Severn, upstream through the valley. We cross the river and follow a path up through beautiful woodland, taking in some views along the valley, countryside and of nearby hills. We head close to Llandinam, another historic town in mid-Wales. Our route then takes us down to meet the Severn Way path which meanders alongsider the River Severn before returning to the retreat.
For this walk, we recommend you wear long trousers or leg coverings, as there are some nettles around, in addition to good walking shoes.
Common questions about the walks
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