Wysis Way
The Wysis Way is a 55-mile walking route which forms a link between the Offa's Dyke Path and Thames Path national trails. It runs mainly through Gloucestershire, but with its starting finishing points in Monmouthshire and Wiltshire respectively: it begins in Monmouth, to cross the bridge on the River Wye which marks the county border, and finishes at Kemble, at the source of the River Thames, just across in Wiltshire.
The unusal name of the trail is a portmanteau word – from the two rivers at either end of the route: the Wye and Tamesis; the Roman name for the Thames.
Route detail
Starting in Monmouth (51°48’40"N, 2°42’34"W), the trail immediately crosses the Wye Bridge into Gloucestershire. Thence tthe Wysis Way heads eastwards up The Kymin and into the Forest of Dean.
Continuing primarily eastwards, the trail goes through Hillersland (51°49’29"N, 2°37’40"W) before continuing through the Forest, passing through Nailsbridge, Harrow Hill and Mitcheldean on its way to the top of May Hill (971 feet) and views of the River Severn.
From May Hill, the path continues eastward through Glasshouse, Taynton, Tibberton and the edge of Highnam before reaching Gloucester.
At Gloucester, the trail starts to head more southerly but still in an eastern direction up to the trig point on Robinswood Hill (650 feet) before continuing south-easterly through Painswick, Bisley and Oakridge Lynch where it turns east along the River Frome and the Thames and Severn Canal to Daneway and Sapperton, Gloucestershire before nipping into Wiltshire and reaching its end in Kemble, where it meets the head of the Thames Path (51°40’48"N, 2°-0’54"W).
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Wysis Way) |
- Forest of Dean and Wye Valley: The Wysis Way
- The Wysis Way on the Long Distance Walkers' Association