THE OPHIDIA IN THE MONNOW VALLEY. 195 



from east to west, having Herefordshire on' the north 

 and Monmouthshire on the south bank of the river. 



Nature of the district. — The traveller enters this 

 part of the Monnow Valley by turning off the main 

 road at Pontrilas sharply to the left if coming from the 

 Hereford side, to the right if coming from the Aber- 

 gavenny direction, and immediately finds the river 

 flowing close by the road on his right. For three 

 miles, till Kentchurch is reached, the road is fairly 

 level, and at that point the steep sides of Garway Hill 

 present themselves in front of him. From here he 

 may get through the narrow five miles of the valley 

 either on the Hereford side or the Monmouth side of 

 the river ; there being a bridge over the river at Kent- 

 church, and no other means of crossing till Skenfrith 

 is reached at the exit from the valley. The change in 

 the nature of the ground is startling in its suddenness. 

 From the gentle undulations and well-cultivated farm- 

 lands of the more central parts of Hereford, one is 

 transformed, all in a moment, into a land of mountains 

 and woods ; and the cyclist who has chosen the road 

 on the southern bank is compelled to push his steed 

 up the steep approach to the village of Grosmont, and 

 there rest and admire the magnificent view of the 

 valley obtained from the high bank above the river, on 

 which stand the ancient ruins of Grosmont Castle. 

 Facing him here on his right is the Graig Hill, shelv- 

 ing sharply down to the river's edge, Garway Hill 

 rising abruptly from the opposite side. To get out 



