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 tive 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 suddeuness. 
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 adinire 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 
