Mordiford

An historic bridge and a mythical dragon.

Just 4 miles southeast of the city of Hereford and on the B4224 that leads to Ross-on-Wye the village of Mordiford stands on the River Lugg and lies on the northern boundary of the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Almost everyone that passes through this small village will cross the 600 year old bridge often without noticing the outstanding scenery that surrounds it.

Legend has it that Mordiford was once terrorised by a dragon that lived in Haugh Wood and came down to drink from the waters of the River Lugg. Ancient tales tell of the Mordiford Wyvern taking sheep and cattle and even developing a taste for the locals. The Wyevern is often associated with Herefordshire and Worcestershire and is sometimes used in Heraldic Coats of Arms and the name has even been adopted by the local radio station.

The narrow lanes that lead from Mordiford into the wooded hills to the east will delight and sometimes confuse the visitor but the rewards are well worth it. Between Mordiford and Woolhope Haugh Wood flanks the road and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (S.S.S.I.) covering over 350 hectares. The woods are famous for the variety of butterflies and moths found there with around 600 species recorded. The Forestry Commission has a waymarked butterfly trail of around 3 miles and is well worth exploring and you can be fairly sure that you won't come across any fire breathing winged serpents.

The road from Mordiford to Ross-on-Wye passes through some of the Wye Valley's famous scenery and it's well worth taking a detour from Fownhope towards Brockhampton where the narrow lane climbs up the steep incline of Capler Wood and where you can catch a glimpse of the sweeping bends of the River Wye far below.