Dean Forest and Wye Valley Blog

Cannop Ponds frozen over in the winter of 2009-2010.
Photo by Pam Singer

A new program of walks called the ‘100 of St Briavels’  is now available from the  ’Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Tour Guides’.

The walks are based on the ancient right of freemining in the Forest of Dean, where a personof  21 years of age or more, who has worked for a year and a day in a coal or iron mine in the forest of Dean, and was born within the ‘100 of St Briavels’  can apply to work a coal or iron mine.

All of the walks are led by an official Guide. Each walk costs £10 per person and generally is around 10 miles long,  so will take up most of a day. Participants can also become a ‘member’ of the ‘100 of St Briavels’ program for an additional one-off fee of £3. 

Members are issued with a membership card. When each walk has been completed, the Guide will enter the details of the walk – including the number of miles walked, onto the card. The details will also be entered onto the on-line recording system . This will enable walkers to follow their progress and also see the progress made by others. Once a walker has completed 100 miles in the program they will be awarded with a ‘Freewalker of the Forest of Dean’ badge.  (Members do not have to work in a mine for a year and a day!)

Becoming a ‘Freewalker’ of the Forest of Dean does not give the ‘Freewalker’ any special rights or priviledges when it comes to where and when the ‘Freewalker’ can walk in the Forest of Dean. A Freewalker may not dig for coal or iron ore  in the Forest of Dean!.

The walks all have a different historical theme and take place throughout 2010 and beyond and details can be found here. 

The walks all take place within the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley.

This is a ‘rolling’ program of walks and the miles ‘earned’ do not expire. Additional walks may be added during the year if demand is high.